Financial Aid

Instructions for getting tax information for Verification:





How to get free student/spouse tax information for Verification:


Federal regulations no longer allow students to submit a copy of their IRS 1040 forms if they are selected for verification. However, students have several options for getting their tax information to USU for FAFSA verification:

The simplest method is to apply for the IRS Data Retrieval Tool:




IRS Data Retrieval Tool
  • Go to FAFSA.gov,
  • Log in to the student’s FAFSA record,Select “Make FAFSA Corrections,”
  • Select the “Financial Information” tab
  • If you indicate that you have “already completed your taxes,” and you can answer “No” to the questions that follow, (HINT: Answer “No” to head of household question if you filed jointly,)
  • A link should appear allowing you to perform the IRS Data Retrieval.*
  • Click on this link and answer questions about your filing status and address.
  • If this allows you to see your IRS information, you can transfer this information back to your FAFSA.*
  • After the transfer, select the “Sign and Submit” tab
  • At the bottom of that page, click “Next” to sign and submit - failure to sign and submit will prevent the USU Financial Aid Office from receiving your IRS information.

If the student can retrieve their IRS Data they must transfer the information, submit the data to the FAFSA, and then submit the correction with their PIN.

If you need more information about when, or how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool contact the financial aid office. Please note that married students who file their tax returns separately cannot use the IRS Data Retrieval tool and will need to review the options below for verification.

Please note: it takes up to two weeks for IRS income information to be available for the IRS Data Retrieval Tool for electronic IRS tax return filers, and up to eight weeks for paper IRS tax return filers.

Tax filers can request a transcript, free of charge, of their 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 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 the tax year used for FAFSA .
    • 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 the tax year used by FAFSA.
  • If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address that was used in their telephone request, within 5 to 10 days from the time the IRS receives the request.
  • IRS Tax Return Transcripts requested by telephone cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.

Paper Request Form – IRS Form 4506T-EZ

  • IRS Form 4506T-EZ should be used instead of IRS Form 4506-T because it is sufficient to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript.
  • Download at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506tez.pdf  
  • Complete lines 1 – 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form.  Note that line 3 should be the most current address as filed with the IRS. It is the address where the IRS Tax Return Transcript will be sent. If the address has recently changed, include the address listed on the latest tax return filed on Line 4. However, if an address change has been completed through the US Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
  • Line 5 provides tax filers with the option to have their IRS Tax Return Transcript mailed directly to a third party by the IRS.
  • On line 6, enter the tax year used by FAFSA to receive IRS tax information that is required for the FAFSA.
  • The tax filers (or spouse if requesting information from a joint tax return) must sign and date the form and enter their telephone number. Only one signature is required to request a transcript for a joint return.
  • Mail or fax the completed IRS Form 4506T-EZ to the appropriate address (or FAX number) provided on page 2 of Form 4506T-EZ.
  • Tax filers can expect to receive their transcript within 5 to 10 days from the time the IRS receives and processes their signed request. NOTE: Processing form 4506T-EZ means verifying/validating the information provided on the form. If any information does not match the IRS records, the IRS will notify the tax filer that it was not able to provide the transcript. 



How to get free parent tax information for Verification:

Federal regulations no longer allow parents to submit a copy of their IRS 1040 forms if their student is selected for verification. However, parents have several options for getting their tax information to USU for FAFSA verification:

The simplest method is to apply for the IRS Data Retrieval Tool:




IRS Data Retrieval Tool
  • Go to FAFSA.gov,
  • Log in to the student’s FAFSA record,Select “Make FAFSA Corrections,”
  • Select the “Financial Information” tab
  • If you indicate that you have “already completed your taxes,” and you can answer “No” to the questions that follow, (HINT: Answer “No” to head of household question if you filed jointly,)
  • A link should appear allowing you to perform the IRS Data Retrieval.*
  • Click on this link and answer questions about your filing status and address.
  • If this allows you to see your IRS information, you can transfer this information back to your FAFSA.*
  • After the transfer, select the “Sign and Submit” tab
  • At the bottom of that page, click “Next” to sign and submit - failure to sign and submit will prevent the USU Financial Aid Office from receiving your IRS information.

If the parent(s) can retrieve their IRS Data they must transfer the information, submit the data to the FAFSA, and then submit the correction with their PIN.

If you need more information about whether or how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool contact the financial aid office. Please note that parents who file their tax returns separately as spouses cannot use the IRS Data Retrieval tool and will need to review the options below for verification.

Please note: it takes up to two weeks for IRS income information to be available for the IRS Data Retrieval Tool for electronic IRS tax return filers, and up to eight weeks for paper IRS tax return filers.

Tax filers can request a transcript, free of charge, of their 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 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 the tax year used by FAFSA.
  • 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 the tax year used by FAFSA.
  • If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address that was used in their telephone request, within 5 to 10 days from the time the IRS receives the request.
  • IRS Tax Return Transcripts requested by telephone cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.

Paper Request Form – IRS Form 4506T-EZ

  • IRS Form 4506T-EZ should be used instead of IRS Form 4506-T because it is sufficient to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript.
  • Download the at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506tez.pdf
  • Complete lines 1 – 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form.  Note that line 3 should be the most current address as filed with the IRS. It is the address where the IRS Tax Return Transcript will be sent. If the address has recently changed, include the address listed on the latest tax return filed on Line 4. However, if an address change has been completed through the US Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
  • Line 5 provides tax filers with the option to have their IRS Tax Return Transcript mailed directly to a third party by the IRS.
  • On line 6, enter the tax year used by FAFSA to receive IRS tax information for the tax year that is required for the FAFSA.
  • The tax filers (or spouse if requesting information from a joint tax return) must sign and date the form and enter their telephone number. Only one signature is required to request a transcript for a joint return.
  • Mail or fax the completed IRS Form 4506T-EZ to the appropriate address (or FAX number) provided on page 2 of Form 4506T-EZ.
  • Tax filers can expect to receive their transcript within 5 to 10 days from the time the IRS receives and processes their signed request. NOTE: Processing form 4506T-EZ means verifying/validating the information provided on the form. If any information does not match the IRS records, the IRS will notify the tax filer that it was not able to provide the transcript. 



What to do if you have amended your income tax returns:

Please contact the financial aid office for instructions if you filed your federal taxes and then had to file a 1040X to amend them.