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Preparing for the 2018-19 verification season

By Catherine Mueller

July 27, 2017

Dependent students who don't file a tax return may not ever realize it, but they have received a lucky break when it comes to financial aid verification. It is a change that will help schools and financial aid professionals handling the verification process.

Last month at the NASFAA conference and in a July 21 Electronic Announcement, Jeff Baker, former FSA director, policy liaison and implementation announced that the Department of Education would no longer require confirmation of non-filing for dependent students.

In instances where a student who has been selected for verification indicated that he or she did not file an IRS tax return, institutions must comply with the acceptable documentation requirements as discussed in the May 5 Federal Register notice.

To collect information on income earned from work for nontax filers, the Federal Register notice outlines the following information to be collected for verification:

For an individual who has not filed and, under IRS or other relevant tax authority rules (e.g., the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, a U.S. territory or commonwealth or a foreign government), is not required to file a 2016 income tax return:

1. A signed statement certifying:
1. That the individual has not filed and is not required to file a 2016 income tax return; and
2. The sources of 2016 income earned from work and the amount of income from each source;
2. A copy of IRS Form W-2 for each source of 2016 employment income received or an equivalent document; and
3. Except for dependent students, confirmation of nonfiling from the IRS or other relevant tax authority dated on or after October 1, 2017.

Questions can be directed to the Federal Student Aid's Research and Customer Care Center Staff. Staff is available Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Eastern Time) at 1-800-433-7327 or fsa.customer.support@ed.gov.

Mapping Your Future offers MappingXpress, a secure document collection service to help you collect verification documents from your students and families. Contact Mapping Your Future at feedback@mappingyourfuture.org or (800) 374-4072 for more information.