GUIDELINES FOR THE 2023-24 VERIFICATION PROCESS
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) selects approximately 30% of all Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submissions for verification, a process in which the school's Financial Aid Office must verify the information submitted on the FAFSA. In addition to records selected by USDE, Slippery Rock's Financial Aid Office reserves the right to select any record for verification at its discretion. The following policies and procedures for verifying information are implemented in accordance with federal regulations.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Students completing verification for the 2023-24 academic year will need to verify 2021 income tax information.
REQUIRED VERIFICATION DOCUMENTS
For your convenience, electronic documents can be securely submitted using the Adobesign process. Students and parents can complete, e-sign, and/or upload all documents for the 2023-24 financial aid year.
The details listed below explain how to find, complete, and submit requested verification documents. Please log in to MySRU, and click on the Financial Aid card to view the status of your financial aid requirements. Many of the required forms can be accessed from MySRU or at Financial Aid Forms.
Students may be required to submit two or more of the following documents:
- A Slippery Rock University Verification Form
- Parent's SIGNED 2021 IRS Tax Return, IRS Transcript and/or successful IRS Data Retrieval via the FAFSA
- Student's SIGNED 2021 IRS Tax Return, IRS Transcript and/or successful IRS Data Retrieval via the FAFSA
- W2 Forms
- Verification of Non-filing Letter
- Verification of High School Completion
- Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose Form (Must be completed in person at the school or in front of a Notary Public)
- Additional information, as needed, to resolve discrepant information
Instructions for Tax Information
All tax documents can be uploaded securely to the Financial Aid Office using the Tax Information Coversheet.
Parents and students who filed a 2021 IRS tax return can provide tax information by either:
- IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA at FAFSA (recommended)
- Providing a SIGNED copy of your 2021 IRS tax return (This option is not available every year but is permitted for 2023-24 based on Department of Education guidelines)
- Request a tax return transcript* and upload to MySRU. You can obtain your tax information by:
- ONLINE: Request a tax return transcript at: IRS
- PHONE: 1.800.908.9946.
When submitting the documentation, please ensure you are attaching ALL applicable pages to the tax information coversheets. Certain documents may have information printed on both sides of the paper.
Parent Instructions for the IRS DRT
After logging into the FAFSA and navigating to the Financial Information tab:
- Go to the "Parent Financial Information" section
- Answer the questions to see if you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool
- If eligible, select which parent is providing information for the FAFSA
- Enter that parent's FSA ID
- Click "Link to IRS"
- Provide the information requested from the IRS to confirm your identity. If the site says it can't find your data, make sure the information you entered matches your tax return exactly, including items such as abbreviations in your mailing address (example: PO Box vs. P.O. Box)
- After confirming your identity on the IRS site, choose the option to "Transfer Now." For your protection, your tax information will not display on the IRS site or FAFSA, but you will be informed that the transfer was successful. You will see "Transferred from IRS" in the fields where data was transferred
- If you only need to update parent tax information, then proceed to the Sign and Submit page to sign and submit the updates
Student Instructions for the IRS DRT
After logging into the FAFSA and navigating to the Financial Information tab:
- Go to the "Student Financial Information" section
- Answer the questions to see if you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool
- If eligible, click "Link to IRS"
- Provide the information requested from the IRS to confirm your identity. If the site says it can't find your data, make sure the information you entered matches your tax return exactly, including items such as abbreviations in your mailing address (example: PO Box vs. P.O. Box)
- After confirming your identity on the IRS site, choose the option to "Transfer Now." For your protection, your tax information will not display on the IRS site or FAFSA, but you will be informed that the transfer was successful. You will see "Transferred from IRS" in the fields where data was transferred
- If you have finished any updates you need to make, proceed to the Sign and Submit page to sign and submit the updates
Verification of Non-filing Letter
A Verification of Non-filing Letter from the IRS is required if the parent or an Independent student did not file and was not required to file a 2021 Income Tax Return with the IRS. You can request a Verification of Non-filing Letter by mail or online if you already have an IRS account established from a prior year. Use the IRS Form 4506-T located in the Financial Aid Forms section. Mail or fax the form to the IRS. Allow 10 to 15 days to receive the letter.
If the parent or an independent student did not earn money or are not required to file taxes, you are considered a "non-filer." Please note that if you earned income, you may be required to file taxes even if you think your income is not enough to file taxes. See the IRS Do I Need to File a Tax Return website to determine if you are required to file taxes.
Non-filers must provide:
- An IRS Verification of Non-filing letter.
- W-2s for each source of income earned from work (if income was earned)
An individual who worked outside of the U.S. and is not required to file taxes with their foreign central government must submit an earning statement from their employer and a statement certifying that they are not required to file taxes within their country. If self-employed, provide a statement with income information. You must also provide proof of the country's tax filing requirements, whether obtained directly from the tax authority or their website (can include a letter or email from the taxing authority or screen capture from their website).
How to obtain verification of non-filing letter
Online Request
Available at www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript.
Note: This is typically not available if you have never filed taxes before in prior years. If this is the case, please use the paper request process detailed below.
- Click “Get Transcript Online” (If at any point, you cannot validate your identity – for example, you cannot provide financial verification information or you lack access to a mobile phone – you may use Get Transcript by Mail, see below)
- Follow instructions for creating an account or log in. To create an account, you will need your Social Security Number or Individual Tax Identification Number, email address, birthdate, mailing address from latest tax return, tax filing status, account number for loan or credit card associated with your name, and mobile phone associated with your name.
- Select “Verification of Non-filing Letter” and in the Tax Year field, select “2021“.
- If successfully validated, you will be able to view your IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter.
- Submit the IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter, if requested, to the Financial Aid Office via the Non-filing form or by fax or email. Make sure to include the student’s name and SRU student ID number on the letter.
Telephone Request
Available from the IRS by calling 1-800-908-9946.
- Non-filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter at the address provided in their telephone request within 5 to 10 days from the time of the request.
- IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter requested by telephone cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.
- Submit the IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter, if requested, to the Financial Aid Office via the Non-filing form or by fax or email. Make sure to include the student’s name and SRU student ID number on the letter.
Paper Request Form – IRS Form 4506-T
Download IRS Form 4506-T.
- Complete lines 1 – 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form.
- Line 3: enter the non-filer’s street address and zip or postal code. Use the address currently on file with the IRS. Problems entering your street address?
- Line 5 provides non-filers with the option to have their IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter mailed directly to a third party by the IRS. Do not have your IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter sent directly to SRU.
- Line 7: Select the checkbox on the right-hand side for Verification of Non-filing.
- Line 9: Year or period requested field, enter “12/31/2021”.
- The non-filer must sign and date the form and enter their telephone number. Only one signature is required when requesting a joint IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter.
- Mail or fax the completed IRS Form 4506-T to the address (or FAX number) provided on page 2 of Form 4506-T.
- If the 4506-T information is successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter at the address provided on their request within 5 to 10 days.
- Submit the IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter, if requested, to the Financial Aid Office via the Non-filing form or by fax or email. Make sure to include the student’s name and SRU student ID number on the letter.
How to fix address matching problems when ordering online
When entering the information into the IRS address matching system note the following:
- The address entered must match the address already on file with the IRS exactly.
- The address on file is typically the address on your most recent tax return.
- Spelling out the word “street” rather than using the abbreviation “st.” can be enough to cause an error.
- Addresses on the IRS system are auto-corrected through a post office program and may not match what you put on your tax return.
We suggest the following if you run into problems:
- Have your taxes in front of you and enter the address carefully as it is on your return.
- If you entered your address as it appears on your return and it doesn’t work, try using the standardized version of your address.
- To get a standardized version of your address: 1) go to www.usps.com 2) Click Look Up a Zip Code 3) Enter Street Address, City, State 4) Click Find
- If you still have problems, the IRS.gov Website Help Desk can be reached toll-free at 1-800-876-1715, Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).
IMPORTANT TIPS FOR COMPLETING THE VERIFICATION PROCESS
- Complete the requested verification documents in full. Do not leave any questions blank and provide all required signatures.
- Once verification begins, you may be asked to submit additional documentation. If this occurs, an email will be sent to the student's SRU email account and all requested documents can be viewed on the student's MySRU portal.
FINISHING THE VERIFICATION PROCESS
Once all requested documents are received, we will review them accordingly. If discrepant information is found, corrections will be made and additional time will be needed for processing. Instructions as to where to submit your documents are listed below.
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships now accepts required documents through an automated document management tool, which is designed to allow students and/or parents to complete and e-sign forms and securely upload documents directly from your computer desktop or phone.
Current Slippery Rock University Students:
- Login to MySRU
- Select Financial Aid tab
- Select the "2023-24 Aid Year"
- Select required documents identified with red flag
- Complete, e-sign, upload, and submit required information using our Adobesign process.
We recommend that you submit all documents via MySRU. Otherwise, you may mail or fax documents to:
Slippery Rock University
Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
108 Maltby Center; Suite 107
Slippery Rock, PA 16057
Fax: 724.738.2922
WARNING: Email is not a secure method for transmitting confidential information. Please do NOT include personal and financial information, such as your bank account, credit card or social security numbers in your email to us.
