Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Information to be Verified for the 2019-2020 Award Year, 13266-13269 [2018-06278]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
13266
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 60 / Wednesday, March 28, 2018 / Notices
request must meet the requirements of
regulations in 34 CFR 5b.5, including
proof of identity.
Program (IRS)’’ (18–12–04) was last
published in the Federal Register on
June 4, 1999 (64 FR 30179).
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
[FR Doc. 2018–06280 Filed 3–27–18; 8:45 am]
If you wish to contest the content of
a record regarding you in the system of
records, you must contact the system
manager at the address listed under
SYSTEM MANAGER(S). Your request
must meet the requirements of the
regulations in 34 CFR 5b.7.
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
If you wish to inquire whether a
record exists regarding you in this
system, you must contact the system
manager at the address listed under
SYSTEM MANAGER(S). You must
provide necessary particulars, such as
your name, date of birth, Social Security
number, the year of the award, the name
of the grantee institution, major country
in which you conducted your
educational activity, and any other
identifying information requested by the
Department while processing the
request, to distinguish between
individuals with the same name. Your
request must meet the requirements of
the Department’s Privacy Act
regulations at 34 CFR 5b.5, including
proof of identity.
EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
None.
HISTORY:
The System of Records entitled ‘‘Title
VI International Research and Studies
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA Numbers: 84.007, 84.033, 84.038,
84.063, and 84.268.]
Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA®) Information to be
Verified for the 2019–2020 Award Year
Office of Postsecondary
Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
For each award year, the
Secretary publishes in the Federal
Register a notice announcing the
FAFSA information that an institution
and an applicant may be required to
verify, as well as the acceptable
documentation for verifying FAFSA
information. This is the notice for the
2019–2020 award year.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jacquelyn C. Butler, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Room 294–10, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 453–6088.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–
8339.
SUMMARY:
Individuals with disabilities can
obtain this document in an accessible
format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) on request
to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
If the
Secretary selects an applicant for
verification, the applicant’s Institutional
Student Information Record (ISIR)
includes flags that indicate (1) that the
applicant has been selected by the
Secretary for verification and (2) the
Verification Tracking Group in which
the applicant has been placed. The
Verification Tracking Group indicates
which FAFSA information needs to be
verified for the applicant and, if
appropriate, for the applicant’s parent(s)
or spouse. The Student Aid Report
(SAR) provided to the applicant will
indicate that the applicant’s FAFSA
information has been selected for
verification and direct the applicant to
contact the institution for further
instructions for completing the
verification process.
The following chart lists, for the
2019–2020 award year, the FAFSA
information that an institution and an
applicant and, if appropriate, the
applicant’s parent(s) or spouse may be
required to verify under 34 CFR 668.56.
The chart also lists the acceptable
documentation that must, under
§ 668.57, be provided to an institution
for that information to be verified.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
LTCH QRP QUALITY MEASURES UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR FUTURE YEARS
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
FAFSA Information
Acceptable documentation
Income information for tax filers:
a. Adjusted Gross Income
(AGI)
b. U.S. Income Tax Paid
c. Untaxed Portions of IRA Distributions.
d. Untaxed Portions of Pensions.
e. IRA Deductions and Payments.
f. Tax Exempt Interest Income
g. Education Credits
Income information for tax filers
with special circumstances:
a. Adjusted Gross Income
(AGI).
b. U.S. Income Tax Paid
c. Untaxed Portions of IRA Distributions.
d. Untaxed Portions of Pensions.
e. IRA Deductions and Payments.
f. Tax Exempt Interest Income
g. Education Credits
(1) 2017 tax account information of the tax filer that the Secretary has identified as having been obtained
from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) through the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and that has not been
changed after the information was obtained from the IRS; or
(2) A transcript 1 obtained at no cost from the IRS or other relevant tax authority of a U.S. territory (Guam,
American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands) or commonwealth (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands), or a foreign government that lists 2017 tax account information of the tax filer.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:29 Mar 27, 2018
(1) For a student, or the parent(s) of a dependent student, who filed a 2017 joint income tax return and
whose income is used in the calculation of the applicant’s expected family contribution and who at the
time the FAFSA was completed was separated, divorced, widowed, or married to someone other than
the individual included on the 2017 joint income tax return—
(a) A transcript obtained from the IRS or other relevant tax authority that lists 2017 tax account information of the tax filer(s); and
(b) A copy of IRS Form W–2 2 for each source of 2017 employment income received or an equivalent
document.2
(2) For an individual who is required to file a 2017 IRS income tax return and has been granted a filing extension by the IRS beyond the automatic six-month extension for tax year 2017—
(a) A copy of IRS Form 4868,3 ‘‘Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return,’’ that the individual filed with the IRS for tax year 2017;
(b) A copy of the IRS’s approval of an extension beyond the automatic six-month extension for tax
year 2017;
(c) Confirmation of nonfiling from the IRS dated on or after October 1, 2018;
Jkt 244001
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\28MRN1.SGM
28MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 60 / Wednesday, March 28, 2018 / Notices
13267
LTCH QRP QUALITY MEASURES UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR FUTURE YEARS—Continued
FAFSA Information
Acceptable documentation
(d) A copy of IRS Form W–2 2 for each source of 2017 employment income received or an equivalent
document 2; and
(e) If self-employed, a signed statement certifying the amount of AGI and U.S. income tax paid for tax
year 2017.
Note: An institution may require that, after the income tax return is filed, an individual granted a filing extension beyond the automatic six-month extension submit tax information using the IRS Data Retrieval
Tool or by obtaining a transcript from the IRS that lists 2017 tax account information. When an institution
receives such information, it must be used to reverify the FAFSA information included on the transcript.
(3) For an individual who was the victim of IRS tax-related identity theft—
(a) A Tax Return DataBase View (TRDBV) transcript obtained from the IRS; and
(b) A statement signed and dated by the tax filer indicating that he or she was a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft and that the IRS has been made aware of the tax-related identity theft.
Note: Tax filers may inform the IRS of the tax-related identity theft and obtain a TRDBV transcript by calling the IRS’s Identity Protection Specialized Unit (IPSU) at 1–800–908–4490. Tax filers who cannot obtain a TRDBV transcript may instead submit another official IRS transcript or equivalent document provided by the IRS if it includes all of the income and tax information required to be verified. Unless the institution has reason to suspect the authenticity of the TRDBV transcript or an equivalent document provided by the IRS, a signature or stamp or any other validation from the IRS is not needed.
(4) For an individual who filed an amended tax return with the IRS—
(a) A transcript obtained from the IRS that lists 2017 tax account information of the tax filer(s); and
(b) A signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X that was filed with the IRS.
Income information for nontax filers:
Income earned from work ........
Number of Household Members .....
Number in College ..........................
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
High School Completion Status ......
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:30 Mar 27, 2018
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 2017 income tax return—
(1) A signed statement certifying—
(a) That the individual has not filed and is not required to file a 2017 income tax return; and
(b) The sources of 2017 income earned from work and the amount of income from each source;
(2) A copy of IRS Form W–2 2 for each source of 2017 employment income received or an equivalent document 2; and
(3) Except for dependent students, confirmation of nonfiling from the IRS or other relevant tax authority
dated on or after October 1, 2018.
A statement signed by the applicant and, if the applicant is a dependent student, by one of the applicant’s
parents, that lists the name and age of each household member for the 2019–2020 award year and the
relationship of that household member to the applicant.
Note: Verification of number of household members is not required if—
• For a dependent student, the household size indicated on the ISIR is two and the parent is single,
separated, divorced, or widowed, or the household size indicated on the ISIR is three if the parents
are married or unmarried and living together; or
• For an independent student, the household size indicated on the ISIR is one and the applicant is
single, separated, divorced, or widowed, or the household size indicated on the ISIR is two if the
applicant is married.
(1) A statement signed by the applicant and, if the applicant is a dependent student, by one of the applicant’s parents listing the name and age of each household member who is or will be attending an eligible postsecondary educational institution as at least a half-time student in the 2019–2020 award year in
a program that leads to a degree or certificate and the name of that educational institution.
(2) If an institution has reason to believe that the signed statement provided by the applicant regarding the
number of household members enrolled in eligible postsecondary institutions is inaccurate, the institution
must obtain documentation from each institution named by the applicant that the household member in
question is, or will be, attending on at least a half-time basis unless—
(a) The applicant’s institution determines that such documentation is not available because the household member in question has not yet registered at the institution the household member plans to attend; or
(b) The institution has documentation indicating that the household member in question will be attending the same institution as the applicant.
Note: Verification of the number of household members in college is not required if the number in college
indicated on the ISIR is ‘‘1.’’
The applicant’s high school completion status when the applicant attends the institution in 2019–2020.
(1) High School Diploma
(a) A copy of the applicant’s high school diploma;
(b) A copy of the applicant’s final official high school transcript that shows the date when the diploma
was awarded; or
(c) A copy of the ‘‘secondary school leaving certificate’’ (or other similar document) for students who
completed secondary education in a foreign country and are unable to obtain a copy of their high
school diploma or transcript.
Note: Institutions that have the expertise may evaluate foreign secondary school credentials to determine
their equivalence to U.S. high school diplomas. Institutions may also use a foreign diploma evaluation
service for this purpose.
(2) Recognized Equivalent of a High School Diploma
(a) General Educational Development (GED) Certificate or GED transcript;
Jkt 244001
PO 00000
Frm 00046
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\28MRN1.SGM
28MRN1
13268
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 60 / Wednesday, March 28, 2018 / Notices
LTCH QRP QUALITY MEASURES UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR FUTURE YEARS—Continued
FAFSA Information
Acceptable documentation
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Identity/Statement of Educational
Purpose.
(b) A State certificate or transcript received by a student after the student has passed a State-authorized examination (HiSET, TASC, or other State-authorized examination) that the State recognizes
as the equivalent of a high school diploma;
(c) An academic transcript that indicates the student successfully completed at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree at any participating institution; or
(d) For a person who is seeking enrollment in an educational program that leads to at least an associate degree or its equivalent and who excelled academically in high school but did not complete
high school, documentation from the high school that the student excelled academically and documentation from the postsecondary institution that the student has met its written policies for admitting such students.
(3) Homeschool
(a) If the State where the student was homeschooled requires by law that such students obtain a secondary school completion credential for homeschool (other than a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent), a copy of that credential; or
(b) If such State law does not require the credential noted in 3(a), a transcript or the equivalent signed
by the student’s parent or guardian that lists the secondary school courses the student completed
and documents the successful completion of a secondary school education in a homeschool setting.
Note: In cases where documentation of an applicant’s completion of a secondary school education is unavailable, e.g., the secondary school is closed and information is not available from another source,
such as the local school district or a State Department of Education, or in the case of homeschooling,
the parent(s)/guardian(s) who provided the homeschooling is deceased, an institution may accept alternative documentation to verify the applicant’s high school completion status (e.g., DD Form 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty that indicates the individual is a high school graduate or
equivalent).
When documenting an applicant’s high school completion status, an institution may rely on documentation
it has already collected for purposes other than the Title IV verification requirements (e.g., high school
transcripts maintained in the admissions office) if the documentation meets the criteria outlined above.
Verification of high school completion status is not required if the institution successfully verified and documented the applicant’s high school completion status for a prior award year.
(1) An applicant must appear in person and present the following documentation to an institutionally authorized individual to verify the applicant’s identity:
(a) An unexpired valid government-issued photo identification 4 such as, but not limited to, a driver’s license, non-driver’s identification card, other State-issued identification, or U.S. passport. The institution must maintain an annotated copy of the unexpired valid government-issued photo identification
that includes—
i. The date the identification was presented; and
ii. The name of the institutionally authorized individual who reviewed the identification; and
(b) A signed statement using the exact language as follows, except that the student’s identification
number is optional if collected elsewhere on the same page as the statement:
Statement of Educational Purpose
I certify that I llllllllll am
(Print Student’s Name)
the individual signing this Statement of Educational Purpose and that the Federal student financial assistance I may receive will only be used for educational purposes and to pay the cost of attending
llllllllllllll for 2019–2020.
(Name of Postsecondary Educational Institution)
llllllllllllllllll llllll
(Student’s Signature)
(Date)
llllllllll
(Student’s ID Number)
(2) If an institution determines that an applicant is unable to appear in person to present an unexpired valid
photo identification and execute the Statement of Educational Purpose, the applicant must provide the
institution with—
(a) A copy of an unexpired valid government-issued photo identification 4 such as, but not limited to, a
driver’s license, non-driver’s identification card, other State-issued identification, or U.S. passport
that is acknowledged in a notary statement or that is presented to a notary; and
(b) An original notarized statement signed by the applicant using the exact language as follows, except that the student’s identification number is optional if collected elsewhere on the same page as
the statement:
Statement of Educational Purpose
I certify that I llllllllll am
(Print Student’s Name)
the individual signing this Statement of Educational Purpose and that the Federal student financial assistance I may receive will only be used for educational purposes and to pay the cost of attending
llllllllllllll for 2019–2020.
(Name of Postsecondary Educational Institution)
llllllllllllllllll llllll
(Student’s Signature)
(Date)
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:30 Mar 27, 2018
Jkt 244001
PO 00000
Frm 00047
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\28MRN1.SGM
28MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 60 / Wednesday, March 28, 2018 / Notices
13269
LTCH QRP QUALITY MEASURES UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR FUTURE YEARS—Continued
FAFSA Information
Acceptable documentation
llllllllll
(Student’s ID Number)
1 In lieu of obtaining a transcript whenever mentioned in the above chart, an institution may accept from the tax filer a copy of the 2017 income
tax return that was submitted to the IRS or other tax authority only—
(a) When the Secretary issues guidance permitting such submission; or
(b) When the tax authority of a U.S. territory (Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands) or commonwealth (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands) or a foreign government does not provide the required information at no charge to the tax filer.
The copy of the 2017 income tax return must include the signature of the tax filer, or one of the filers of a joint income tax return, or the
signed, stamped, typed, or printed name and address of the preparer of the income tax return and the preparer’s Social Security Number, Employer Identification Number, or Preparer Tax Identification Number.
For a tax filer who filed an income tax return other than an IRS form, such as a foreign or Puerto Rican tax form, the institution must use the
income information (converted to U.S. dollars) from the lines of that form that correspond most closely to the income information reported on a
U.S. income tax return.
An individual who did not retain a copy of his or her 2017 tax account information, and for whom that information cannot be located by the IRS
or other relevant tax authority, must submit to the institution—
(a) Copies of all IRS Form W–2s for each source of 2017 employment income or equivalent documents; or
(b) If the individual is self-employed or filed an income tax return with a government of a U.S. territory or commonwealth or a foreign government, a signed statement certifying the amount of AGI and income taxes paid for tax year 2017; and
(c) Documentation from the IRS or other relevant tax authority that indicates the individual’s 2017 tax account information cannot be located;
and
(d) A signed statement that indicates that the individual did not retain a copy of his or her 2017 tax account information.
2 An individual who is required to submit an IRS Form W–2 or an equivalent document but did not maintain a copy should request a duplicate
from the employer who issued the original or from the government agency that issued the equivalent document. If the individual is unable to obtain a duplicate W–2 or an equivalent document in a timely manner, the institution may permit that individual to provide a signed statement, in
accordance with 34 CFR 668.57(a)(6), that includes—
(a) The amount of income earned from work;
(b) The source of that income; and
(c) The reason why the IRS Form W–2, or an equivalent document, is not available in a timely manner.
3 For an individual who was called up for active duty or for qualifying National Guard duty during a war or other military operation or national
emergency, in lieu of IRS Form 4868, an institution must accept a statement from the individual certifying that he or she has not filed an income
tax return or a request for a filing extension because of that service.
4 An unexpired valid government-issued photo identification is one issued by the U.S. government, any of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribe, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.
Other Sources for Detailed Information
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Verification Requirements for
Individuals Who Are Eligible for an
Auto Zero Expected Family
Contribution (EFC)
Only the following FAFSA/ISIR
information must be verified:
For dependent students—
• The parents’ AGI if the parents were
tax filers;
• The parents’ income earned from
work if the parents were nontax filers;
and
• The student’s high school
completion status and identity/
statement of educational purpose, if
selected.
For independent students—
• The student’s and spouse’s AGI if
they were tax filers;
• The student’s and spouse’s income
earned from work if they were nontax
filers;
• The student’s high school
completion status and identity/
statement of educational purpose, if
selected; and
• The number of household members
to determine if the independent student
has one or more dependents other than
a spouse.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:30 Mar 27, 2018
Jkt 244001
We provide a more detailed
discussion on the verification process in
the following resources:
• 2019–2020 Application and
Verification Guide.
• 2019–2020 ISIR Guide.
• 2019–2020 SAR Comment Codes
and Text.
• 2019–2020 COD Technical
Reference.
• Program Integrity Information—
Questions and Answers on Verification
at https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/
reg/hearulemaking/2009/
verification.html.
These publications are on the
Information for Financial Aid
Professionals website at
www.ifap.ed.gov.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
Register. Free internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register
and the Code of Federal Regulations is
available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you
can view this document, as well as all
other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Portable Document Format
(PDF). To use PDF you must have
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a,
1070a–1, 1070b–1070b–4, 1070c–1070c–4,
1070g, 1071–1087–2, 1087a–1087j, and
1087aa–1087ii; 42 U.S.C. 2751–2756b.
Dated: March 23, 2018.
Frank T. Brogan,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and
Delegated the duties of the Assistant
Secretary, Office of Planning, Evaluation and
Policy Development, Delegated the duties of
the Assistant Secretary, Office of
Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2018–06278 Filed 3–27–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Biological and Environmental
Research Advisory Committee
Office of Science, Department
of Energy.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\28MRN1.SGM
28MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13266-13269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06278]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA Numbers: 84.007, 84.033, 84.038, 84.063, and 84.268.]
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA[supreg])
Information to be Verified for the 2019-2020 Award Year
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: For each award year, the Secretary publishes in the Federal
Register a notice announcing the FAFSA information that an institution
and an applicant may be required to verify, as well as the acceptable
documentation for verifying FAFSA information. This is the notice for
the 2019-2020 award year.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacquelyn C. Butler, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 294-10, Washington, DC
20202. Telephone: (202) 453-6088.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in an
accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact
disc) on request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If the Secretary selects an applicant for
verification, the applicant's Institutional Student Information Record
(ISIR) includes flags that indicate (1) that the applicant has been
selected by the Secretary for verification and (2) the Verification
Tracking Group in which the applicant has been placed. The Verification
Tracking Group indicates which FAFSA information needs to be verified
for the applicant and, if appropriate, for the applicant's parent(s) or
spouse. The Student Aid Report (SAR) provided to the applicant will
indicate that the applicant's FAFSA information has been selected for
verification and direct the applicant to contact the institution for
further instructions for completing the verification process.
The following chart lists, for the 2019-2020 award year, the FAFSA
information that an institution and an applicant and, if appropriate,
the applicant's parent(s) or spouse may be required to verify under 34
CFR 668.56. The chart also lists the acceptable documentation that
must, under Sec. 668.57, be provided to an institution for that
information to be verified.
LTCH QRP Quality Measures Under Consideration for Future Years
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAFSA Information Acceptable documentation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income information for tax filers: (1) 2017 tax account information of the tax filer that the Secretary
a. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) has identified as having been obtained from the Internal Revenue
b. U.S. Income Tax Paid Service (IRS) through the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and that has not
c. Untaxed Portions of IRA been changed after the information was obtained from the IRS; or
Distributions. (2) A transcript 1 obtained at no cost from the IRS or other relevant
d. Untaxed Portions of Pensions. tax authority of a U.S. territory (Guam, American Samoa, the U.S.
e. IRA Deductions and Payments. Virgin Islands) or commonwealth (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana
f. Tax Exempt Interest Income Islands), or a foreign government that lists 2017 tax account
g. Education Credits information of the tax filer.
Income information for tax filers with (1) For a student, or the parent(s) of a dependent student, who filed a
special circumstances: 2017 joint income tax return and whose income is used in the
a. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). calculation of the applicant's expected family contribution and who at
b. U.S. Income Tax Paid the time the FAFSA was completed was separated, divorced, widowed, or
c. Untaxed Portions of IRA married to someone other than the individual included on the 2017
Distributions. joint income tax return--
d. Untaxed Portions of Pensions. (a) A transcript obtained from the IRS or other relevant tax authority
e. IRA Deductions and Payments. that lists 2017 tax account information of the tax filer(s); and
f. Tax Exempt Interest Income (b) A copy of IRS Form W-2 2 for each source of 2017 employment income
g. Education Credits received or an equivalent document.2
(2) For an individual who is required to file a 2017 IRS income tax
return and has been granted a filing extension by the IRS beyond the
automatic six-month extension for tax year 2017--
(a) A copy of IRS Form 4868,3 ``Application for Automatic Extension of
Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return,'' that the individual
filed with the IRS for tax year 2017;
(b) A copy of the IRS's approval of an extension beyond the automatic
six-month extension for tax year 2017;
(c) Confirmation of nonfiling from the IRS dated on or after October
1, 2018;
[[Page 13267]]
(d) A copy of IRS Form W-2 2 for each source of 2017 employment
income received or an equivalent document 2; and
(e) If self-employed, a signed statement certifying the amount of
AGI and U.S. income tax paid for tax year 2017.
Note: An institution may require that, after the income tax return is
filed, an individual granted a filing extension beyond the automatic
six-month extension submit tax information using the IRS Data
Retrieval Tool or by obtaining a transcript from the IRS that lists
2017 tax account information. When an institution receives such
information, it must be used to reverify the FAFSA information
included on the transcript.
(3) For an individual who was the victim of IRS tax-related identity
theft--
(a) A Tax Return DataBase View (TRDBV) transcript obtained from the
IRS; and
(b) A statement signed and dated by the tax filer indicating that he
or she was a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft and that the
IRS has been made aware of the tax-related identity theft.
Note: Tax filers may inform the IRS of the tax-related identity theft
and obtain a TRDBV transcript by calling the IRS's Identity Protection
Specialized Unit (IPSU) at 1-800-908-4490. Tax filers who cannot
obtain a TRDBV transcript may instead submit another official IRS
transcript or equivalent document provided by the IRS if it includes
all of the income and tax information required to be verified. Unless
the institution has reason to suspect the authenticity of the TRDBV
transcript or an equivalent document provided by the IRS, a signature
or stamp or any other validation from the IRS is not needed.
(4) For an individual who filed an amended tax return with the IRS--
(a) A transcript obtained from the IRS that lists 2017 tax account
information of the tax filer(s); and
(b) A signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X that was filed with the IRS.
Income information for nontax filers:
Income earned from work............ 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 2017 income tax return--
(1) A signed statement certifying--
(a) That the individual has not filed and is not required to file a
2017 income tax return; and
(b) The sources of 2017 income earned from work and the amount of
income from each source;
(2) A copy of IRS Form W-2 2 for each source of 2017 employment income
received or an equivalent document 2; and
(3) Except for dependent students, confirmation of nonfiling from the
IRS or other relevant tax authority dated on or after October 1, 2018.
Number of Household Members............ A statement signed by the applicant and, if the applicant is a
dependent student, by one of the applicant's parents, that lists the
name and age of each household member for the 2019-2020 award year and
the relationship of that household member to the applicant.
Note: Verification of number of household members is not required if--
For a dependent student, the household size indicated on
the ISIR is two and the parent is single, separated, divorced, or
widowed, or the household size indicated on the ISIR is three if
the parents are married or unmarried and living together; or
For an independent student, the household size indicated on
the ISIR is one and the applicant is single, separated, divorced,
or widowed, or the household size indicated on the ISIR is two if
the applicant is married.
Number in College...................... (1) A statement signed by the applicant and, if the applicant is a
dependent student, by one of the applicant's parents listing the name
and age of each household member who is or will be attending an
eligible postsecondary educational institution as at least a half-time
student in the 2019-2020 award year in a program that leads to a
degree or certificate and the name of that educational institution.
(2) If an institution has reason to believe that the signed statement
provided by the applicant regarding the number of household members
enrolled in eligible postsecondary institutions is inaccurate, the
institution must obtain documentation from each institution named by
the applicant that the household member in question is, or will be,
attending on at least a half-time basis unless--
(a) The applicant's institution determines that such documentation
is not available because the household member in question has not
yet registered at the institution the household member plans to
attend; or
(b) The institution has documentation indicating that the household
member in question will be attending the same institution as the
applicant.
Note: Verification of the number of household members in college is not
required if the number in college indicated on the ISIR is ``1.''
High School Completion Status.......... The applicant's high school completion status when the applicant
attends the institution in 2019-2020.
(1) High School Diploma
(a) A copy of the applicant's high school diploma;
(b) A copy of the applicant's final official high school transcript
that shows the date when the diploma was awarded; or
(c) A copy of the ``secondary school leaving certificate'' (or other
similar document) for students who completed secondary education in
a foreign country and are unable to obtain a copy of their high
school diploma or transcript.
Note: Institutions that have the expertise may evaluate foreign
secondary school credentials to determine their equivalence to U.S.
high school diplomas. Institutions may also use a foreign diploma
evaluation service for this purpose.
(2) Recognized Equivalent of a High School Diploma
(a) General Educational Development (GED) Certificate or GED
transcript;
[[Page 13268]]
(b) A State certificate or transcript received by a student after
the student has passed a State-authorized examination (HiSET, TASC,
or other State-authorized examination) that the State recognizes as
the equivalent of a high school diploma;
(c) An academic transcript that indicates the student successfully
completed at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full
credit toward a bachelor's degree at any participating institution;
or
(d) For a person who is seeking enrollment in an educational program
that leads to at least an associate degree or its equivalent and
who excelled academically in high school but did not complete high
school, documentation from the high school that the student
excelled academically and documentation from the postsecondary
institution that the student has met its written policies for
admitting such students.
(3) Homeschool
(a) If the State where the student was homeschooled requires by law
that such students obtain a secondary school completion credential
for homeschool (other than a high school diploma or its recognized
equivalent), a copy of that credential; or
(b) If such State law does not require the credential noted in 3(a),
a transcript or the equivalent signed by the student's parent or
guardian that lists the secondary school courses the student
completed and documents the successful completion of a secondary
school education in a homeschool setting.
Note: In cases where documentation of an applicant's completion of a
secondary school education is unavailable, e.g., the secondary school
is closed and information is not available from another source, such
as the local school district or a State Department of Education, or in
the case of homeschooling, the parent(s)/guardian(s) who provided the
homeschooling is deceased, an institution may accept alternative
documentation to verify the applicant's high school completion status
(e.g., DD Form 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active
Duty that indicates the individual is a high school graduate or
equivalent).
When documenting an applicant's high school completion status, an
institution may rely on documentation it has already collected for
purposes other than the Title IV verification requirements (e.g., high
school transcripts maintained in the admissions office) if the
documentation meets the criteria outlined above.
Verification of high school completion status is not required if the
institution successfully verified and documented the applicant's high
school completion status for a prior award year.
Identity/Statement of Educational (1) An applicant must appear in person and present the following
Purpose. documentation to an institutionally authorized individual to verify
the applicant's identity:
(a) An unexpired valid government-issued photo identification 4 such
as, but not limited to, a driver's license, non-driver's
identification card, other State-issued identification, or U.S.
passport. The institution must maintain an annotated copy of the
unexpired valid government-issued photo identification that
includes--
i. The date the identification was presented; and
ii. The name of the institutionally authorized individual who
reviewed the identification; and
(b) A signed statement using the exact language as follows, except
that the student's identification number is optional if collected
elsewhere on the same page as the statement:
Statement of Educational Purpose
I certify that I __________ am
(Print Student's Name)
the individual signing this Statement of Educational Purpose and that
the Federal student financial assistance I may receive will only be
used for educational purposes and to pay the cost of attending
______________ for 2019-2020.
(Name of Postsecondary Educational Institution)
__________________ ______
(Student's Signature) (Date)
__________
(Student's ID Number)
(2) If an institution determines that an applicant is unable to appear
in person to present an unexpired valid photo identification and
execute the Statement of Educational Purpose, the applicant must
provide the institution with--
(a) A copy of an unexpired valid government-issued photo
identification 4 such as, but not limited to, a driver's license,
non-driver's identification card, other State-issued
identification, or U.S. passport that is acknowledged in a notary
statement or that is presented to a notary; and
(b) An original notarized statement signed by the applicant using
the exact language as follows, except that the student's
identification number is optional if collected elsewhere on the
same page as the statement:
Statement of Educational Purpose
I certify that I __________ am
(Print Student's Name)
the individual signing this Statement of Educational Purpose and that
the Federal student financial assistance I may receive will only be
used for educational purposes and to pay the cost of attending
______________ for 2019-2020.
(Name of Postsecondary Educational Institution)
__________________ ______
(Student's Signature) (Date)
[[Page 13269]]
__________
(Student's ID Number)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 In lieu of obtaining a transcript whenever mentioned in the above chart, an institution may accept from the
tax filer a copy of the 2017 income tax return that was submitted to the IRS or other tax authority only--
(a) When the Secretary issues guidance permitting such submission; or
(b) When the tax authority of a U.S. territory (Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands) or commonwealth
(Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands) or a foreign government does not provide the required
information at no charge to the tax filer.
The copy of the 2017 income tax return must include the signature of the tax filer, or one of the filers of a
joint income tax return, or the signed, stamped, typed, or printed name and address of the preparer of the
income tax return and the preparer's Social Security Number, Employer Identification Number, or Preparer Tax
Identification Number.
For a tax filer who filed an income tax return other than an IRS form, such as a foreign or Puerto Rican tax
form, the institution must use the income information (converted to U.S. dollars) from the lines of that form
that correspond most closely to the income information reported on a U.S. income tax return.
An individual who did not retain a copy of his or her 2017 tax account information, and for whom that
information cannot be located by the IRS or other relevant tax authority, must submit to the institution--
(a) Copies of all IRS Form W-2s for each source of 2017 employment income or equivalent documents; or
(b) If the individual is self-employed or filed an income tax return with a government of a U.S. territory or
commonwealth or a foreign government, a signed statement certifying the amount of AGI and income taxes paid
for tax year 2017; and
(c) Documentation from the IRS or other relevant tax authority that indicates the individual's 2017 tax account
information cannot be located; and
(d) A signed statement that indicates that the individual did not retain a copy of his or her 2017 tax account
information.
2 An individual who is required to submit an IRS Form W-2 or an equivalent document but did not maintain a copy
should request a duplicate from the employer who issued the original or from the government agency that issued
the equivalent document. If the individual is unable to obtain a duplicate W-2 or an equivalent document in a
timely manner, the institution may permit that individual to provide a signed statement, in accordance with 34
CFR 668.57(a)(6), that includes--
(a) The amount of income earned from work;
(b) The source of that income; and
(c) The reason why the IRS Form W-2, or an equivalent document, is not available in a timely manner.
3 For an individual who was called up for active duty or for qualifying National Guard duty during a war or
other military operation or national emergency, in lieu of IRS Form 4868, an institution must accept a
statement from the individual certifying that he or she has not filed an income tax return or a request for a
filing extension because of that service.
4 An unexpired valid government-issued photo identification is one issued by the U.S. government, any of the 50
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a federally recognized American Indian and
Alaska Native Tribe, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.
Verification Requirements for Individuals Who Are Eligible for an Auto
Zero Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Only the following FAFSA/ISIR information must be verified:
For dependent students--
The parents' AGI if the parents were tax filers;
The parents' income earned from work if the parents were
nontax filers; and
The student's high school completion status and identity/
statement of educational purpose, if selected.
For independent students--
The student's and spouse's AGI if they were tax filers;
The student's and spouse's income earned from work if they
were nontax filers;
The student's high school completion status and identity/
statement of educational purpose, if selected; and
The number of household members to determine if the
independent student has one or more dependents other than a spouse.
Other Sources for Detailed Information
We provide a more detailed discussion on the verification process
in the following resources:
2019-2020 Application and Verification Guide.
2019-2020 ISIR Guide.
2019-2020 SAR Comment Codes and Text.
2019-2020 COD Technical Reference.
Program Integrity Information--Questions and Answers on
Verification at https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2009/verification.html.
These publications are on the Information for Financial Aid
Professionals website at www.ifap.ed.gov.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you
must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a, 1070a-1, 1070b-1070b-4,
1070c-1070c-4, 1070g, 1071-1087-2, 1087a-1087j, and 1087aa-1087ii;
42 U.S.C. 2751-2756b.
Dated: March 23, 2018.
Frank T. Brogan,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Delegated the duties of the
Assistant Secretary, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy
Development, Delegated the duties of the Assistant Secretary, Office of
Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2018-06278 Filed 3-27-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
