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FAFSA Verification Process

About Verification

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education selects financial aid applicants for a process called verification. This process requires each institution to check the accuracy of specific fields on the Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) with the information contained in official documentation such as federal income tax returns, Social Security statements, statements regarding untaxed income, and other necessary documents. In addition to those students selected by the U.S. Department of Education, the Dallas Baptist University Financial Aid Office may select additional students for the verification process at its discretion to resolve conflicting information or due to concerns that data may not be accurate or complete. The following policy is in accordance with federal regulations 34 CFR 668.51-61 and the Federal Application and Verification Guide for Title IV Financial Aid Programs.

If a student’s FAFSA is selected for verification, Dallas Baptist University (DBU) will need to collect additional documentation from the student to verify some of the information provided on the FAFSA. This policy is provided to give students an idea of what to expect if their FAFSA is selected for verification and to establish consistent procedures for completion of the verification process by responsible university staff.

Notification and Communication

Federal law requires students selected for verification to submit documentation for the verification process before official financial aid eligibility can be determined. If a student provides verification documents after May 1 for Fall awarding, certain financial aid funds may no longer be available. When a student is selected for verification, the student will be notified as follows:

  1. The U.S. Department of Education will notify the student on their FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) if the student was selected by the federal government.
  2. Dallas Baptist University will provide email notifications to the student and request documentation required for the verification process. This notification will usually be sent to the student within five (5) business days from the time the notification is received from the federal government or selection is determined. (The timeframe may be longer at the beginning of the processing cycle, October-December.)
  3. DBU also provides secure 24/7 access to information, showing the verification documents requested for each student through the student's Self-Service Portal.
  4. After submitting the required documents for review, the account may display conflicting information based on the answers students provide. If this occurs, as a courtesy, DBU may contact students by email or telephone with an additional request for the required documentation.

Tax Information

Beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA, as part of federal student aid eligibility, students and parents are required to consent and approve sharing and importing income and tax information from the IRS to the FAFSA form, even if the attempt to obtain or use such data is ineffective. In most cases, no further documentation is needed to verify income information that was transferred into the student’s FAFSA using income and tax information directly from the IRS. If income tax return information for the student and/or parent was not available or could not be used, the student must provide the institution with an IRS Tax Return Transcript(s) or a freshly signed copy of the federal income tax return and applicable schedules.

Students and/or parents who are required to submit tax information can request a Tax Return Transcript directly from the IRS. Tax return transcripts can be requested online at IRS.gov, through the U.S. Mail using Form 4506-T, or by calling the IRS at 1-800-908-9946. Once you have received or downloaded the tax return transcript, submit a copy to the Financial Aid Office. Signed copies of federal tax returns must be either mailed or delivered in person to the Financial Aid Office. Uploaded and scanned copies of signed tax returns can also be accepted.

Documents Required

The federal government will determine the type of verification for each student who is chosen. For Standard Verification (Tracking flag V1) for a dependent student, the minimum documents required are:

  1. Dependent Student Verification Worksheet.
  2. Student’s (appropriate prior-prior year) Federal Tax Return Transcript, and/or a signed IRS Tax Return, or successful IRS data transfer using the Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)
  3. Parent’s (appropriate prior-prior year) Federal Tax Return Transcript, and/or a signed IRS Tax Return, or a successful IRS data transfer us the DRT.
  4. All W2s, 1099s, and supporting schedules.
  5. Any other documents as requested by DBU.

For Standard Verification (Tracking flag V1) for an independent student, the minimum documents required are:

  1. Independent Student Verification Worksheet.
  2. Student/Spouse (appropriate prior-prior year) Federal Tax Return Transcript and/or a signed IRS Tax Return, or successful IRS data transfer using the Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)
  3. All W2s, 1099s, and supporting schedules.
  4. Any other documents as requested by DBU.

For Custom Verification (Tracking flag V4), students must complete Identity Verification. A DBU-authorized employee reviews each student’s ID. While an in-person review remains the preferred method, virtual verification may be used when a student cannot appear in person

For Aggregate Verification (Tracking flag V5), students must complete all items from both the Standard Verification and the Custom Verification.

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 an (appropriate prior-prior year) Tax Return with the IRS. To request a Verification of Non-filing Letter, follow the order transcript instructions below the Order Online on the IRS Website tab.

Correcting Errors on the FAFSA

The financial aid specialist at DBU will verify all required verification elements, make any necessary changes, and submit corrections to the federal central processors to complete verification. Once corrections are accepted, your financial aid may be adjusted, and you will be notified via email and through your student self-service portal if your aid offer has been revised.

Time Periods/Deadlines & Failure to Submit

Institutional Deadlines for Verification and Consequences of Not Submitting Documentation:

Students who are selected for verification should submit the required verification documents by DBU’s institutional deadline of June 1 of the award year.

Federal Deadline for Verification and Consequences of Not Submitting Documentation:

Students who are selected for verification may submit verification documents after DBU’s institutional deadline but must submit them by the federal deadline to be considered for Pell funds. The federal deadline for the 2024-2025 award year is September 21, 2024, or 120 days after the student’s last day of enrollment, whichever is earlier. If a student does not provide the verification documentation within this additional time, he or she forfeits their Pell Grant for the award year.

Referral of Fraud Cases

Students and parents are advised that DBU must and will refer to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) any credible information indicating that an applicant for FSA may have engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection with FAFSA applications. Common misconduct includes false claims of independent status, false claims of citizenship, use of false identities, forgery of signatures of certifications, and false statements of income. Note that fraud is the intent to deceive as opposed to a mistake on an application.

How to Obtain Federal Tax Information

Ordering IRS Transcripts and Other Tax Documents for Verification

There are a few ways you can obtain IRS Federal Tax Transcripts and Information. Please review the options and instructions below:

Order Online on the IRS Website

To request an IRS Tax Return Transcript or Verification of Non-Filing Letter, go to the IRS website.
In order to use the Get Transcript ONLINE or Get Transcript by MAIL options, you must be able to provide the following:

  • Social security number
  • Date of birth
  • The filing status and mailing address from your latest tax return
  • Access to your email account
  • Your personal account number from a credit card, mortgage, home equity loan, home equity line of credit, or car loan
  • A mobile phone with your name on the account

Order by Fax or Mail

To order a transcript by fax or mail, fill out this form: IRS 4506-T.

  • Complete lines 1a through 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form.
  • Note that line 3 should be your most current address. It is the address where the IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter will be sent if line 4 is left blank.
  • Line 5 is optional if you have a customer file number. Enter up to 10 numeric characters to create a unique customer file number that will appear on the transcript. The customer file number should not contain an SSN.
  • On line 7, select the checkbox on the right-hand side for Verification of Non-Filing.
  • On line 9, Year or Period Requested, enter “12/31/2022” for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
  • The non-filer must sign and date the form and enter their telephone number.
  • Mail or fax the completed IRS Form 4506-T to the appropriate address or fax number provided on page 2 of the form under Chart for All Other Transcripts.
  • Non-filers can expect to receive their Verification of Non-Filing Letter within 5 to 10 days from when the IRS receives and processes their signed request.

Use the Federal IRS Direct Data Change (DDX)

  • In place of providing the Federal Tax Return Transcript, the DDX option may be available. The IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX) is a tool that allows FAFSA applicants and contributors to consent to the exchange of federal tax information into their FAFSA. This process allows FAFSA to retrieve income and tax data directly from the IRS, which can reduce the amount of manual data entry for applicants.
  • Tax Data is available through the DDX option within a minimum of 2-3 weeks after electronic submission and acceptance of a Federal Tax Return to the IRS.
  • Please note: If the IRS DDX cannot be used and if verification documentation is requested, it may be necessary to obtain an official Federal Tax Return Transcript from the IRS. Please see the instructions above on how to order official transcripts.
    • Some families will not be able to use the DDX:
      • If the parents of a dependent student file separate tax returns;
      • If an applicant’s parent has a change in marital status after the end of the tax year on December 31;
      • If anyone has filed an amended tax return;
      • If the applicant or the applicant’s parents have filed a foreign tax return. If you are unable to use the DDX Tool, you must request an IRS Tax Return Transcript to verify your income or submit a signed copy of your Federal Tax Return and appropriate schedules.

Students and parents filing an amended 2022 Tax Return must submit:

  1. 2022 IRS Tax Transcript or use Direct Data Exchange Tool (DDX)
  2. A signed copy of IRS Form 1040x that was filed with the IRS

Tax Filing Extensions

Those who require tax filing extensions must submit the following before and after the Extension deadline of October 15:

  • IRS Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
  • Copies of all W2s
  • If self-employed, a signed statement of 2024 Adjusted Gross Income and U.S. Income Taxes paid

All required documents should be provided as soon as they become available. After 2024 taxes are filed, submit your Tax Transcript or signed copy of your Federal 1040 Tax Return for verification.

Unable to Obtain IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter

There may be circumstances where one or both of the parents of a dependent student or the spouse of an independent student does not have a Social Security Number, an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or an Employer Identification Number and therefore is unable to obtain a verification of non-filing from the IRS. Individuals in these cases whose income is below the IRS filing threshold must submit to the institution a signed and dated statement:

  1. Certifying that the individual(s) does not have a Social Security Number, an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or an Employer Identification Number; and
  2. Listing the sources and amounts of earnings, other income, and resources that supported the individual(s) for the appropriate tax year; and
  3. If applicable, a copy of IRS Form W-2 for each source of employment income received for the appropriate tax year or an equivalent document.

Foreign Tax & Income Information

For Foreign Tax and Income, a transcript obtained from a government or a U.S. territory or commonwealth or a foreign nation that includes all the tax filer’s income and tax information required to be verified is acceptable. Students and parents who filed with a foreign tax authority must provide a signed copy of their foreign tax information. If a transcript is not available, a signed copy of the tax return may be accepted. The documents should be translated into English and converted into U.S. dollars as appropriate.

Foreign Non-Tax Filers with Income

Students and parents who earned income from work but are not required to file a tax return in the country in which they live may submit a signed statement of earnings and income. The documents should be translated into English and converted into U.S. dollars as appropriate.

Notification of the Award Change

The DBU Financial Aid Office will update any award for a student once the file is complete. Students have access to their DBU Student Self-Service and may view their most current aid award at any time. It is DBU’s policy that university email is the official means of communication. Students should review their dbu.edu email accounts regularly to receive timely and important information regarding financial aid awards. Failure to read emails or check financial aid status on the Self-Service Portal could result in the delay or cancelation of a student’s financial aid.