It is the process where a Financial Aid Administrator checks the accuracy of a student’s FAFSA application by comparing it to corresponding US Tax Returns, W-2 forms, a Verification Worksheet, and other requested documents.

If a student is selected for verification, he/she cannot be awarded federal financial aid until his/her file is verified.
- back - The Department of Education selects a group of applications to be verified; some are selected at random while others are chosen based on probable errors on the application. OCU also chooses students for verification based on possible discrepancies on the FAFSA.
- back - You will be sent notification through student email from the Oklahoma City University Financial Aid Office.
- back - Verification of Information: As you complete your FAFSA, the most efficient and accurate process available to the student and parent would be to use the IRS Data Retrieval tool. It will allow the FAFSA to use your IRS Records to complete the income and tax information. The IRS Data Retrieval Process provides students and parents the most secure and efficient way to save time and eliminate discrepancies when completing the FAFSA. Note: The student and parents will have to have their tax return completed for this to be effective.

If the parent/student does not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, when a student is selected for verification we are no longer permitted to accept copies of tax returns to complete the verification process. The student and parents will be REQUIRED to request and submit a Tax Transcript from the IRS; the Financial Aid Office cannot do this on your behalf. If a tax transcript is required, it could delay your financial aid for the summer and possibly the fall. Once Oklahoma City University receives your FAFSA information, you may receive a request for additional information to verify the information you reported. If you receive a request for additional information, no further action can be taken by the Financial Aid Office to determine your eligibility for financial assistance until all the requested information is received.

- back - IRS Tax Return Transcript Request Process:
Tax filers can request a transcript, free of charge, of their 2011 tax return from the IRS in one of three ways.

Online Request

• Available on the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov
• In the Online Services section of the homepage click "Order a Tax Return or Account Transcript"
• Click "Order a Transcript"
• Enter the tax filer's Social Security Number, date of birth, street address, and zip or postal code. Use the address currently on file with the IRS. Generally this will be the address that was listed on the latest tax return filed. However, if an address change has been completed through the US Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
• Click "Continue"
• In the Type of Transcript field, select "Return Transcript" and in the Tax Year field, select "2011".
• If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address included in their online request, within 5 to 10 days from the time the on-line request was successfully transmitted to the IRS.
• IRS Tax Return Transcripts requested online cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.

Telephone Request

• Available from the IRS by calling 1-800-908-9946
• Tax filers must follow prompts to enter their social security number and the numbers in their street address. Generally this will be numbers of the street address that was listed on the latest tax return filed. However, if an address change has been completed through the US Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
• Select "Option 2" to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript and then enter "2011"

- back - Under federal regulations, there are five major elements on the FAFSA that OCU is required to verify:

Adjusted gross income

U.S. income taxes paid

Number of family members in your (or your parents’) household

Number of family members currently attending college or attended during last year

Sources of untaxed income (Social Security, untaxed portions of pensions, living allowances, etc.)

Though these are the only elements we are required to verify, we are ultimately responsible for clearing up all discrepancies on an application selected for verification. The FAFSA needs to match the verification information in the student’s file.
- back - If the counselor verifying your FAFSA has reason to believe that the information on the verification documents is incorrect or if documents are missing, she sends a discrepancy letter to you in the mail or by e-mail asking for more information. From there, it is your responsibility to return the requested materials to the Financial Aid Office.
- back - We send your FAFSA back for reprocessing if there are errors on any non-dollar items. Examples would include errors on the number in household, number of family members in college, and dependency questions. On any of the income information we verify, if there are errors greater than $400, we also send those applications off to the CPS (Central Processor) for correction.

It normally takes 2-5 business days to process a correction. Once we receive the correction, we check it once more to make sure the changes are correct, and then we sign off on it and package you for federal aid.
- back - Once all of the requested verification documents are submitted, the verification process normally takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks depending on the quality of the documents submitted to our office and the number of discrepancies and/or other student eligibility issues present on the application.
- back -