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Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid

How to Complete FAFSA Verification Requirements for 2024-2025

The FAFSA Processing System (FPS) randomly selects FAFSA applications for verification and identifies the information that must be verified. Selected students will receive an email from the MT One Stop with a subject line: Fin Aid: ACTION NEEDED 24-25.

Deadlines

Students and parents are encouraged to submit and electronically sign all online documents within two weeks of the initial email from the MT One Stop. For your financial aid to be processed by the fee payment deadline, you should submit documentation as quickly as possible but no later than July 1 for the Fall term and November 1 for the Spring term. Otherwise, your documentation will be processed as it is received throughout the semester.

Federal aid cannot be awarded and/or disbursed until the verification process has been completed.

If you are selected for verification, you will have the required information listed as “Unsatisfied Requirements” in PipelineMT. To view your unsatisfied requirements, complete the following steps:

  1. Log into PipelineMT (https://pipeline.mtsu.edu/financial-aid)
  2. Click the “Requirements & Holds” icon.
  3. Select “2024-2025 Financial Aid Year” and then SUBMIT
  4. A list of “Unsatisfied Requirements” will display on this page. Follow the instructions for each requirement.

If the requirement needs a form to be completed, click on the link (requirement name) to start the online form (Dynamic Form).

If a parent is required to complete a Dynamic Form, only one of the parents listed on the FAFSA application must create a Dynamic Forms account to complete and sign their section of the online form. Click here for instructions. The parent will also receive an email with instructions on creating an account.

It’s also important to review “Active Messages” if indicated beneath the tab. Active messages provide additional information specific to you.

Definition of a Dependent Student:

The student’s parent must complete the Parent section if all of the following statements are true:

  • Student was born after the year 2000.
  • The student’s current marital status is single (never married), divorced, separated, or widowed.
  • The student’s college grade level will be first-year, second-year, or other undergraduate.
  • The student selected “None of these apply” in the Student Personal Circumstances section, and answered

“No” in the Student Other Circumstances section, and Student Unusual Circumstances section.

If all of the above statements are true, the student is considered to be dependent for financial aid purposes, and the student’s parent must complete the Parent section.

Dependent Students: Complete the 2024-2025 Verification of Family Size for Dependent Student.  Parent(s) must also confirm the information and sign the worksheet.

  • Not all students will be required to complete this form. If the parents’ family size was not changed on the 2024-2025 FAFSA from the number of dependents reported on parents’ 2022 tax return and was not manually entered, the 2024-2025 Verification of Family Size for Dependent Student form will be waived, unless we have reason to believe there is conflicting information.
  • If required, list the full name and age of each family member who was included in the family size on the FAFSA.

Family Size includes the following:

  • The student
  • The student’s parents, even if the student is not living with them. Exclude a parent who has died or is not living in the household because of separation or divorce. Include a parent who is on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces apart from the family.
  • The student’s siblings if the following are true:
    • They live with student’s parents,
    • They receive more than half of their support from the student’s parents, and
    • They will continue to receive more than half their support from the student’s parents during the award year.
  • Other persons if the following are true:
    • They live with the student’s parents,
    • They will receive more than half of their support from the student’s parents, and
    • They will continue to receive more than half of their support from the student’s parents during the award year.
    • The provided criteria for “dependent children” or “other persons” align with the requirement that family size align with whom the parent could claim as a dependent on a U.S. tax return at the time of completing the 2024-2025 FAFSA. As a result, the parent should not include any unborn children in the family size. 

*Dependent students must also document the parental income.  

Choose one of the following options:

  • Option 1:  Utilize the FUTURE Act Data Exchange (FA-DDX) to import the tax return information directly into the FAFSA. This is the easiest and most accurate option. Link here for FUTURE Act Data Exchange (FA-DDX) Instructions.
  • Option 2:  Submit a tax return transcript obtained from the IRS. Click here for instructions.
  • Option 3:  Submit a signed copy of the 2022 1040 tax return.  To use this option, you must also submit a copy and Schedules (1, 2, 3) used to complete the tax return.  The signature of the tax filer must be included in the “Sign Here” section of the 1040 tax return.

  • Student:  Submit the 2022 Tax Year Student Income Verification form.  Fully complete the requested employment information by listing each employer separately along with the amount earned from each employer.  Use your W-2(s)/1099(s) to report accurate amounts.  Attach a copy of all W-2s/1099s received in 2022.    
  • Parent:  Submit the 2022 Tax Year Parent Income Verification form.  Your parent must fully complete the requested employment information by listing each employer separately along with the amount earned from each employer.  Use the 2022 W-2(s)/1099(s) to report accurate amounts.  Attach a copy of all W-2s/1099s received by your parent(s) in 2022.     
     
    Note:  A Wage and Income Statement (obtained from the IRS) is acceptable to verify W-2 and 1099 income.

  • Student: Submit the 2022 Tax Year Student Income Verification form.  Fully complete the requested employment information. 
  • Parent: Submit the 2022 Tax Year Parent Income Verification form. Parent(s) must fully complete the requested employment information. 

How to document the income of a 2022 amended or corrected return if the amended return occurred after the 2024-2025 FAFSA was filed, and the FUTURE Act Data Exchange (FA-DDX) was used to transfer tax information to your 2024-2025 FAFSA.

  1. Submit a Tax Return Transcript or a signed copy of the original 2022 1040 tax return along with a copy of all Schedules (Schedules 1, 2, 3) used to complete the original tax return. The signature must be included in the “Sign Here” section of the 1040 tax return.    
  2. Submit a signed copy of the 2022 1040X or a Tax Account Transcript. If the IRS corrected the tax return, the Tax Account Transcript must be submitted.

NOTE: Compare the figures reported in column A (original figures) of the 1040X with the signed copy of the original 1040 tax return to confirm you are submitting a copy of the original tax return.  A Tax Return Transcript from the IRS will always include the tax figures from the original tax return.

 Independent Students:  Complete the 2024-2025 Verification of Family Size for Independent Student.

  • Not all students will be required to complete this form. If the student’s family size was not changed on the 2024-2025 FAFSA from the number of dependents reported on the student’s 2022 tax return and was not manually entered, the 2024-2025 Verification of Family Size for Independent Student form will be waived, unless we have reason to believe there is conflicting information. 
  • If required, list the full name and age of each family member who was included in the family size on the FAFSA.  

Family Size includes the following: 

  • The student and their spouse, unless the spouse has died or is not living in the household due to separation or divorce.
  • The student’s dependent children, if they live with the student (or live apart from the student due to a qualifying temporary absence under the IRS code, such as living apart due to college enrollment) and will receive more than half of their support from the student (and spouse) from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. Unborn children should not be included in the family size. 
  • Other persons, who live with and receive more than half their support from the student and will receive more than half support for the entire award year. 

Choose one of the following options:

  • Option 1:  Utilize the FUTURE Act Data Exchange (FA-DDX) to import the tax return information directly into the FAFSA. This is the easiest and most accurate option. Link here for FUTURE Act Data Exchange (FA-DDX) Instructions.
  • Option 2:  Submit a tax return transcript obtained from the IRS. Click here for instructions.
  • Option 3:  Submit a signed copy of the 2022 1040 tax return.  To use this option, you must also submit a copy and Schedules (1, 2, 3) used to complete the tax return.  The signature of the tax filer must be included in the “Sign Here” section of the 1040 tax return.

  • Student:  Submit the 2022 Tax Year Student Income Verification form.  Fully complete the requested employment information by listing each employer separately along with the amount earned from each employer.  Use your W-2(s)/1099(s) to report accurate amounts.  Attach a copy of all W-2s/1099s received in 2022.     

  • Student: Submit the 2022 Tax Year Student Income Verification form.  Fully complete the requested employment information.

How to document the income of a 2022 amended or corrected return if the amended return occurred after the 2024-2025 FAFSA was filed, and the FUTURE Act Data Exchange (FA-DDX) was used to transfer tax information to your 2024-2025 FAFSA.

  1. Submit a Tax Return Transcript or a signed copy of the original 2022 1040 tax return along with a copy of all Schedules (Schedules 1, 2, 3) used to complete the original tax return. The signature must be included in the “Sign Here” section of the 1040 tax return.    
  2. Submit a signed copy of the 2022 1040X or a Tax Account Transcript. If the IRS corrected the tax return, the Tax Account Transcript must be submitted.

NOTE: Compare the figures reported in column A (original figures) of the 1040X with the signed copy of the original 1040 tax return to confirm you are submitting a copy of the original tax return.  A Tax Return Transcript from the IRS will always include the tax figures from the original tax return.

The verification process will take longer during the months of July and August due to increase in volume and longer processing times with the FAFSA Processing System (FPS).

The following tips can assist you during the verification process:

  • Do not wait to submit your documents as your file will not be reviewed until ALL documents are received. Typically, it can take up to 2-3 weeks to complete the verification process during peak processing times (July & August).
  • Check your MTSU email frequently and respond promptly to requested information.
  • Make sure allcopies of the 1040 are signed in the “Sign Here” section.
  • Submit Schedules 1, 2, and 3 with the 1040 tax return, if applicable.
  • Submit complete tax returns or tax return transcripts. Confirm you are submitting both the front and back pages of documents.
  • Submit complete Verification Worksheets. The family size reported on the Verification Worksheet should match the information reported on the FAFSA. 
  • Submit legible documents. Emailed photos of documents may not be compatible.

If you have questions during the process, reach out to the MT One Stop.

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