Financial Aid Verification

The purpose of financial aid verification is to verify that certain information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is correct. Most students selected for this process are done so randomly by the U.S. Department of Education.

We encourage students to only submit documentation that is being requested. Submitting documents that are NOT requested by our office may cause a delay or temporary cancellation of your financial aid award.

What to do if you are selected for verification

  1. Students selected for verification must submit all requested/required documents. This is typically a Verification Worksheet. When filling out any of the required forms, be sure to fill out all sections completely and sign the form. Parent(s) must also sign the form if the student is a dependent.
  2. In addition to the required form(s), a student or parent(s) may be required to submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript.
  3. Sometimes the information received conflicts with information on the FAFSA. In these cases, additional documentation may be requested before we are able to complete the verification process.

Obtaining an IRS Tax Return Transcript

  • If you and/or your parent(s) filed a federal tax return and have successfully completed the IRS Data Retrieval on the FAFSA, you will not be asked to submit a tax return transcript. If our office is requesting the transcript(s) of you or your parent(s), it is because the IRS Data Retrieval tool was not successfully used on the FAFSA or you were not able to use this tool.
  • If we are requesting a tax return transcript, the student or parent(s) may go back to the FAFSA and, if eligible, use the IRS Data Retrieval tool. If this is successfully done, the IRS Tax Transcript request will be removed as a missing document once the new FAFSA has been received.
  • Students or parent(s) who cannot or choose not to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and are selected for verification will be required to submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript (not Tax Account Transcript). A Tax Return Transcript can be requested from the IRS website or by calling 800-908-9946.
  • Students or parent(s) who must submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript and are not able to request one using the IRS website or by calling may request a transcript by mailing IRS form 4506-T directly to the IRS and checking box 6(a).

Obtaining an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter

  • If HFC is requesting an IRS Tax Return Transcript and you and/or your parent(s) did not file a federal tax return, an IRS Verification of Non-Filing must be submitted.
  • An IRS Verification of Non Filing Letter can be requested from the IRS website or by calling 800-908-9946.
  • Students or parent(s) who must submit an IRS Verification of Non Filing Letter and are not able to request one using the IRS website or by calling may request one by mailing IRS form 4506-T directly to the IRS and checking box 7.

Deadline to Submit Verification Documentation

  • The deadline for a student to submit required verification documentation for the academic year is August 30th, or 120 days after the student's last day of enrollment at HFC; whichever is earlier.
  • If a student completes verification after grades have been posted, the student will only be eligible for financial aid for classes that were successfully completed and were required for the student's program of study.
  • In order to be eligible for loan funds, the student must complete the verification process before the end of the semester in which the student wants to receive a loan.