You will log back into your FAFSA account 24 to 48 hours to see if your FAFSA has been processed. If it has been, you will download and review your SAR (Student Aid Report).

If you have made any errors, correct them and log back in 24 hours later to see if your FAFSA has been processed.

Your Student Aid Report (SAR) is a paper or electronic document that gives you basic information about your financial aid.

The Student Aid Report will contain three important items you MUST check.

1. FAFSA Status: processed, errors found, or additional information needed.
2. You EFC [estimated family contribution].
3. If you have been selected for verification, which means you will supply additional forms or tax information to your college’s financial aid office.

1. Verification is a process to confirm the information you provided on the FAFSA is correct..
2. Verification selection can be random or you may be required if your FAFSA data was incomplete, estimated or inconsistent.
3. The U.S. Department of Education selects some students for the verification process. Others are selected if your college’s financial aid office finds conflicting information.

If you have an * after your EFC on your Student Aid Report, then you have been flagged for verification.

1. You will contact your college’s financial aid office. Follow these steps.
   • Check your email to see if your college financial aid office has sent you information about why you were verified and what to do next.
   • Check your college financial aid account. Often this is how your financial aid office will let you know why and what to do about verification.
   • Call or stop by your college financial aid office. You will want to find out exactly what they need from you.
2. You will need to turn in specific documents, such as a tax transcript or social security end of your statement if you parents are retired.

This generally happens when the Department of Education has found an error in information you provided. You will need to make a correction to your FAFSA. After you correct your FAFSA information , check back 24 hours later. If you still cannot get your FAFSA to process, call the Federal Student Aid Office at 1-800-433-3243.

1. You estimated your parents income because they had not already completed their taxes.
2. You were not able to connect your parents tax information with the IRS Data tool [most common].
3. You have been randomly selected.

Click "Order a Tax Transcript"

When you are flagged for verification, colleges will ask that you complete what is called a Dependent Verification Worksheet or an Independent Verification Worksheet. Most colleges create their own Verification Worksheets. You can pick these up at your college financial aid office or download them from your college’s financial aid website.

Verification sheets ask the same questions. They will ask for your parents’ income or source of financial assistance, such as social security benefits. You and your parents will need to sign the worksheet and you MUST turn them back in to receive financial aid!

 

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