Displayed below is a list of the required forms and documents that must be completed and submitted to our office for Verification. To expedite the process, please follow all guidelines and directions outlined below. Occasionally the documentation submitted to our office does not provide all of the necessary information to complete the verification process. In these situations you will be sent a request outlining the additional documentation that is needed. Please submit the following pieces of information to our office.
The Supplemental Income and Benefits Form is used to verify additional financial and untaxed income information provided the FAFSA in the parent and student section. Most of the information may be found on your 2008 U.S. income tax return or accompanying documents. Please report annual amounts for the 2008 calendar year. A "$0" should be entered for items which do not apply. Please submit all signed and dated forms to our office.
The Household Information Form is used to verify the number of family members included in the student household for the current year between the dates of July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010, and their expected college enrollment. The following family members should be included in your household:
- The student's spouse
- The student's other children living in or out of the home, if more than half of their support is provided by the student
- Other family members who live in the home and receive more than half of their support from the student
Tips
- Former spouses should not be included.
- If you are re-married please be sure to include your
current spouse.
- Special Note: Please complete the Statement of Non-Filing if you are not required to file a U.S. tax return according to IRS guidelines in lieu of item #3.
Provided below are a few common scenarios families encounter during the Verification process. There may be times in which you have difficulty providing a signed copy of your U.S. tax return due to your filing status or the misplacement of your tax forms. Please see below for some helpful directions on how to proceed with the completion of the Verification process in the case that this may apply to you.
If you have been granted an IRS-approved filing extension, we are unable to complete Verification until a copy of your 2008 U.S. income tax return has been filed and submitted to our office. Your student will be reviewed for financial aid eligibility once the Verification process is completed.
Filed onlineIf you have filed online, please submit a signed copy of your 2008 U.S. income tax return. If you do not have a personal copy of your return, you may submit a signed IRS tax transcript. Official instructions for obtaining a tax transcript can be found on the IRS website. Please note we are unable to accept an electronic file receipt (Form 8453 “U.S. Individual Income Tax Declaration for an IRS e-file Return”) in lieu of a copy of your 2008 U.S. income tax return. These receipts often do not contain the necessary pieces of information to complete Verification.
Please Note: Accent Transcripts or Account Summaries cannot be accepted.
Missing or lost tax documentsIf you are missing or have lost any of your 2008 U.S. income tax return documents or W2 statements, please call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to request additional copies. Your student will be reviewed for financial aid eligibility once the verification process is completed.
Filed foreign tax returnIf you have filed a foreign tax return, please submit a signed copy of your most recently filed return. You may find it necessary to translate significant portions of the information or include a letter of explanation that will facilitate the interpretation of the return for ease in processing. Whenever possible, please convert all currency amounts into U.S. dollars.
Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) tab has been compiled below to address common questions you may have on the submitted forms and documents are compared to the FAFSA data and the timeline for the review process. In addition, shown below is our policy information to ensure you that all submitted information will remain private and confidential.
The required forms and documents you submitted for Verification will be compared to the information reported on your 2009-2010 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If the provided information does not match that shown on your FAFSA, we will submit changes to the FAFSA processor. After all changes are made to your FAFSA data, Indiana University will review your eligibility for financial aid.
What happens if I don’t provide the required forms and documents?Before your eligibility for financial aid may be reviewed, it is necessary to complete the Verification process mandated by the U.S. Department of Education. During the FAFSA application signature process, an agreement was made “to provide information that will verify the accuracy of your completed form”. Without providing the required forms and documents to our office, we cannot complete Verification. Students who may also be eligible for the State of Indiana Scholarship and Grant program could risk losing their award eligibility if the required Verification forms and documents are not provided to our office by November 1st, 2009.
How should a copy of my U.S. income tax return be provided?You may submit a signed copy of your U.S. income tax return that was filed with the IRS. The copy may be faxed or mailed directly to our office. Our contact information may be found on the "Contact Information" tab within this web page for reference. Along with a signed copy of your U.S. income tax return, please provide all copies of your W-2s to ensure timely review and completion of verification.
Will my information remain private?All information submitted to our office with the purpose of securing financial aid is protected under IU policy, the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 2000. Under these provisions, IU ensures the privacy and safeguarding of all financial aid information.
What is the timeline of the verification process?You will be notified via email if your application has been selected for Verification. If you are unable to receive a notification via email, paper copies will be generated and mailed. Once all of the required forms and documents are received for Verification, your information will be reviewed within 10-14 business days. Peak processing times may cause an additional delay. At the time financial aid eligibility is reviewed, students will receive an email notifying them of a financial aid account update. IU students can track their Verification status via their OneStart “To Do List”. Financial aid information may also be viewed through OneStart.
Should a copy of my state tax forms be provided?Please do not submit copies of state tax returns as they are not required for verification.
What is the best way to ensure Verification will be completed as quickly as possible?- Monitor IU email account.
- Provide all required documents in full with signatures completed.
- Monitor "To Do List" items via Self-Service account.
- Provide detailed responses to inquiries to avoid re-contacts.
Fax your information
- Fax: (812) 856-0514
Stop by for a chat
- 9-4 Monday-Friday
- Office of Student Financial Assistance
- Indiana University
- Franklin Hall 208
- 601 E. Kirkwood
- Bloomington, IN 47405-1223
Give us a call
- 8:30-4:30 Monday-Friday
- Tel: (812) 855-0321
Drop us an email
- To make an inquiry or comment, submit our email form. A financial assistance representative will contact you shortly.
OneStart
- OneStart is Indiana University's Web-based application portal that provides a common front door to online services at all IU campuses.
