Part 1: Information on the IRS Data Retrieval Within FAFSA on the Web

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool allows students and parents who are using FAFSA on the Web and who have already submitted their federal tax return to electronically transfer their tax data from the IRS database. Within the FAFASA application, the applicant must report income information. If the applicant is a non-tax filer, then there is no IRS data to retrieve. If the student and/or spouse or student and parent(s) are tax filers, the FAFSA applicants will be presented with questions about their respective tax returns. The tax filer must answer questions to open up the IRS web application within the FAFSA on the web. Then, with certain identifying information which the applicant provides, the IRS data can be retrieved directly into the FAFSA on the web application. The Federal Student Aid website offers helpful tips on completing the FAFSA and using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

Do not make changes to that IRS information once it is retrieved. If you do, the data retrieval will be invalid. Unfortunately, some applicants who are tax filers cannot use the IRS data retrieval function. Those applicants are:

1. filing status is married filing separately
2. filing status is head of household
3. applicants (or their parents if required to use parent information) who are married after they filed their taxes
4. foreign tax returns
5. Puerto Rican tax filers
6. recent tax filers (less than two or three weeks for tax filing)

In the case of number 6 above, the applicant can go back into FAFSA on the web and make a correction to the FAFSA, which will allow for completion of IRS data retrieval. The applicant would then resubmit the FAFSA. However, if these applicants do not make this correction, and if they are selected for verification, they must submit an IRS tax transcript to the Financial Aid Office. In the case of numbers 1- 3, the applicants will be required to submit an IRS tax transcript to the Financial Aid Office if they are selected for verification. In the case of numbers 4 and 5, the applicant should report on the FAFSA the amounts (converted to U.S. dollars) from the lines on the form that correspond most closely to those on the common IRS forms. If the applicant is selected for verification, he or she would need to submit signed copies of the 2011 foreign tax returns with the amounts converted to U.S. dollars.

Part 2: Information on the IRS Tax Transcript (if unable to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool)

IRS Tax Return Transcript Request Process

All 2011 IRS Tax Return Transcripts submitted to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office must be clearly marked with the student’s name and UV ID. (This includes student, spouse, and parent(s) 2011 IRS Tax Return Transcripts.) Failure to mark the IRS Tax Return Transcripts with the student’s name and UV ID will prevent the student from receiving their financial aid.

Tax filers can request a transcript, free of charge, of their 2011 tax return from the IRS in one of two ways.

Online Request

• Available on the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov
• In the Online Services section of the homepage, click “Order a Tax Return or Account Transcript”
• Click "Order a Transcript"
• Enter the tax filer’s Social Security Number, date of birth, street address, and zip or postal code. Use the address currently on file with the IRS. Generally this will be the address that was listed on the latest tax return filed. However, if an address change has been completed through the US Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
• Click "Continue"
• In the Type of Transcript field, select "Return Transcript" and in the Tax Year filed, select "2011"
• If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address included in their online request, within 5 to 10 days from the time the on-line request was successfully transmitted to the IRS.
• IRS Tax Return Transcripts requested online cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.

Telephone Request

• Available from the IRS by calling 1-800-908-9946
• Tax filers must follow prompts to enter their social security number and the numbers in their street address. Generally this will be numbers of the street address that was listed on the latest tax return filed. However, if an address change has been completed through the US Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
• Select “Option 2” to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript and then enter “2011”
• If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address that was used in their telephone request, within 5 to 10 days from the time the IRS receives the request.
• IRS Tax Return Transcripts requested by telephone cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.