Verification

The Department of Education (ED) describes verification as: "The process your school uses to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA is accurate. Your school has the authority [by federal regulation] to contact you for documentation that supports income and other information that you reported."

In signing the FAFSA on paper or electronically, "you agree, if asked, to provide information that will verify the accuracy of your completed form. This information may include U.S. or state income tax forms that you filed are or are required to file." Approximately 30% of all students nationwide that apply for federal aid are selected for verification by the federal government. The laws that govern verification are federal laws and cannot be waived unless a student decides to not use federal aid.

DISCLAIMERS

All required documents must be submitted by the established deadlines.
Students submitting a tax transcript (via fax, email, or in-person) must include their Last Name and Banner ID on each page of the tax transcript. Failure to comply with this important change may result in a significant delay in processing your verification and financial aid package.
Upon receipt of all required documents, the Financial Aid Office will review all submissions and either complete verification or request additional information if needed.
Requests for additional information are typically needed when incomplete or conflicting documents are submitted. You can minimize the risk of needing to submit additional documents by carefully reading and following all instructions, completing forms entirely and truthfully, and submitting all required documentation.
The Financial Aid Office has the authority to request any documentation they believe may impact the student's federal aid eligibility.
Completing the verification process is not a guarantee that your bill will be covered in full by financial aid. Individual circumstances may require additional funding to be secured.
Federal aid includes: Federal Pell Grants, SEOG, Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans, TEACH Grants, work-study, PLUS loans

Resources + Tips

♦ ♦ ♦ Verification Deadlines ♦ ♦ ♦

Verification Worksheet

Carefully read all instructions and respond accordingly
Documents requiring signatures cannot be signed electronically and must be signed using ink.
Do not leave any blanks and be sure to sign where indicated (both student and parent for dependent student)

IRS Tax Return Transcript

Request the Tax Return Transcript, not the Account Transcript for the year requested.
Transcripts are double-sided; be sure to submit a copy of both sides.

Note: During peak processing times (August and January), it may take up to four weeks to process verification materials. Therefore, students are strongly advised to submit their FAFSA early and respond to any requirements as soon as possible.

What is the purpose of verification?

Verification is intended to improve the accuracy of the information submitted on the FAFSA, thereby, adding integrity to the Federal Student Aid programs.

Who is Selected?

Approximately 30% of all students are chosen to go through the verification process (true at all colleges and universities nationwide). Some students are chosen randomly while others are chosen due to discrepant information provided on the FAFSA. Some students are selected after they have received an award letter. It is not unusual for a student to go through the process several years in a row.

Verification Documents for Aid Year 2024-2025

►►► Applicable for Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR DEPENDENT STUDENTS:

1.	Completed 2024-2025 Verification Worksheet.
2.	Student's 2022 signed federal 1040 form OR federal tax transcript Please also submit IRS Schedules 1, C, E, or Form 8863 if filed. If the student worked but did not file taxes submit their W-2 statements from 2022.
3.	Parents' 2022 signed federal 1040 form OR federal tax transcript. Please also submit IRS Schedules 1, C, E, or Form 8863 if filed. ► If the parent(s) worked but did not file taxes submit their W-2 statements from 2022.
4.	Other Income Explanation (if applicable): Parents or students that have income listed on their tax return as "Other Income" must submit a statement or documentation explaining what the source of the income is (e.g.: is it income from work?). For example, gambling winnings or debt cancellations are often included under "Other Income"; the Financial Aid Office needs to be able to distinguish what type of income this is.

►►► Applicable for Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR INDEPENDENT STUDENTS:

1.	Completed 2024-2025 verification worksheet.
2.	Student's 2022 signed federal 1040 form OR federal tax return transcript Please also submit IRS Schedules 1, C, E, or Form 8863 if filed. ► If the student worked but did not file taxes submit their W-2 statements from 2022.
3.	Spouse's 2022 signed federal 1040 form or federal tax transcript (if married) Please also submit IRS Schedules 1, C, E, or Form 8863 if filed. ► If your spouse worked but did not file taxes submit their W-2 statements from 2022.
4.	Other Income Explanation (if applicable): Students and/or spouses that have income listed on their tax return as "Other Income" must submit a statement or documentation explaining what the source of the income is (e.g.: is it income from work?). For example, gambling winnings or debt cancellations are often included under "Other Income"; the Financial Aid Office needs to be able to distinguish what type of income this is.

How am I notified?

All students are notified electronically via their Buffalo State email address

These notifications will instruct students to review their Banner Eligibility Requirements. Students should refer to the Check Requirements Using Banner guide for assistance.

Please wait to be contacted by the Financial Aid Office before submitting any verification documents.

I received an IRS extension to file my taxes. What should I submit?

A copy of an unexpired IRS approval of an extension beyond the automatic six-month extension;
A signed statement listing the sources of any 2022 income and the amount of income from each source;
A copy of a W-2 or equivalent document for each source of employment income received for the tax year; and
If self-employed, a signed statement certifying the amount of the individual’s AGI and U.S. income tax paid for the tax year.

What is the Statement of Educational Purpose?

A small number of financial aid applicants will be required to complete the Statement of Educational Purpose Form. The US Department of Education selects which students must complete the statement and colleges and universities cannot disburse aid until the statement is received.

The Statement of Educational Purpose certifies the student's identity and attests that the student will only use federal student aid for educational purposes and for the cost of attending college during the specified academic year. Students will be notified by the Financial Aid Office if they must complete the Statement of Educational Purpose and they may download it through their Banner account. The form must be notarized or completed in-person at the Financial Aid Office. Students must present a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo identification such as a passport or driver's license.

What is the deadline and what are the consequences if I don't submit the documents?

The deadline to submit verification documents is dependent on the type of federal student aid the students is eligible to receive (see chart below). If the deadline is not met, the student becomes ineligible for that particular aid program. This cannot be appealed and is a federal requirement.

Federal Aid Program	Verification Deadline
Direct Subsidized / Unsubsidized Loan	The verification process must be completed before the student stops attending on a half-time (6.0 credits) basis in the academic year.
Federal Pell Grant	Student have up to 120 days after they stop attending in the academic year to complete verification to receive a Pell Grant, if they otherwise qualify.
SEOG Grant	The verification process must be completed before the student stops attending in the academic year and the student must also be eligible for a Pell grant.
Federal Work-Study	Students are not permitted to work if they have not complied with verification.
Federal Parent PLUS or Graduate PLUS Loans	The verification process must be completed before the student stops attending on a half-time, 6.0 credits, basis in the academic year.

How long does the verification process take to be completed?

Once all the required documentation is received, an adviser will review the information and submit corrections to the federal processor as needed. Be advised that sometimes after the documentation is reviewed, it becomes clear that additional documents are needed. Therefore, students should check their Banner requirements frequently. Once the corrected FAFSA is received by Buffalo State, federal aid can be offered and/or disbursed to the student. During peak times (semester start-up), processing time can take 4 weeks to have aid offered. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to submit their FAFSA by March 1 to allow ample processing time for the following Fall or Spring semesters. During non-peak times, students that have submitted all documentation are typically reviewed within one to two weeks and aid offered accordingly.

Can I receive any federal aid while I wait to submit documents?

No, verification must be completed first. The only exception is if a student is selected after federal aid has paid to their account; those funds will not be sent back to ED unless completion of verification necessitates it or the student fails to submit the required documents.

Can I avoid being selected in a future year?

If you were selected because there was a clear error on your FAFSA, completing it more accurately in a subsequent year may prevent you from being selected again. There is no way to avoid being randomly selected.