2021 Tax Information (for 2023-24 FAFSA)

The Department of Education has selected your FAFSA for a process called verification. This is a process of checking to make sure the data provided on the FAFSA is accurate. We are required to verify that the tax information provided on the FAFSA matches the information provided to the IRS. Please select the appropriate option below:

1. I have filed my 2021 taxes.
2. I filed an extension.
3. I filed an amended return.

I have filed my 2021 Tax Return

The best way to verify income is by using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) that is part of the FAFSA on the Web at FAFSA.gov.

If the IRS DRT was used, in most cases, no further documentation is needed to verify 2021 income information that was transferred onto the student’s FAFSA, as long as the FAFSA filer did not change that information.

If you are unable to use the IRS DRT on the FAFSA, you can provide one of the following:

• 2021 income tax return (most likely 1040 form) that the tax filer submitted to the IRS
• 2021 IRS Tax Return Transcript
  

I filed an extension

Individuals Granted a Filing Extension by the IRS

An individual who is required to file a 2021 IRS income tax return and has been granted a filing extension by the IRS beyond the automatic six-month extension for tax year 2021, must provide:

• A copy of the IRS's approval of an extension beyond the automatic six-month extension for tax year 2021;
• Verification of Non-filing (VNF) Letter (confirmation that the tax return has not yet been filed) from the IRS dated on or after October 1, 2022 or a signed statement certifying that the individual attempted to obtain the VNF from the IRS and was unable to obtain the required documentation;
• A copy of IRS Form W–2 for each source of employment income received or an equivalent document for tax year 2021 and ,
• If self-employed, a signed statement certifying the amount of the individual’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and the U.S. income tax paid for tax year 2021.

Note: An individual granted a filing extension beyond the automatic six-month extension may be required to submit tax information using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, by obtaining a transcript from the IRS, or by submitting a copy of the income tax return and the applicable schedules that were filed with the IRS that lists 2021 tax account information.

I filed an amended return.

An individual who filed an amended IRS income tax return for tax year 2021 must provide a signed copy of the 2021 IRS Form 1040X, “Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return,” that was filed with the IRS or documentation from the IRS that include the change(s) made by the IRS, in addition to one of the following:

• IRS DRT information on an ISIR record with all tax information from the original tax return;
• A 2021 IRS Tax Return Transcript (that will only include information from the original tax return and does not have to be signed), or any other IRS tax transcript(s) that includes all of the income and tax information required to be verified; or

• A signed copy of the 2021 IRS Form 1040 and the applicable schedules that were filed with the IRS.