2025-2026 Verification

If your FAFSA is selected for federal verification for 2025-26 you must submit additional documents (located on SHUAwards > Menu > Documents & Messages) to our office: a verification worksheet and 2023 Income Verification (along with 2023 W2s for non-tax-filers only).

Tax Filer Income Verification Directions

IRS Income Verification for tax filers can be obtained in two different ways:

Option 1 - IRS Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX) process through FAFSA; as part of federal student aid eligibility, students, spouses (as appropriate), and parent(s) (as appropriate) are required to consent and approve sharing and importing income tax information from the IRS to the FAFSA form or confirm non-filing status, even if the attempt to obtain or use such data is ineffective. In other words, if the student and spouse (if applicable) or if the parent(s) filed separate 2023 IRS income tax returns, both must provide consent and approval to share and import income and tax information from the IRS. In most cases, no further documentation is needed to verify 2023 income information that was transferred into the student’s FAFSA using income and tax information directly from the IRS. (Note: If you reported any Foreign Income Exclusion on your FAFSA, and did the IRS Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX) we will require the tax transcript and or tax return with all schedules).

Option 2 – If the 2023 income tax return information for the student (or spouse, or parent(s), if applicable) was not available through IRS Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX) process through FAFSA or could not be used, you can then request a Tax Transcript through the IRS:

Online Request: Go to the IRS Website, click "Get Transcript by Online" or “Get Transcript by Mail.” Be sure to request the “Return Transcript” and Tax Year “2023”- not the “Account Transcript.”
Telephone Request: Call 1-800-908-9946 to request a 2023 IRS Tax Return Transcript.
Paper Request Form: IRS Form 4506T-EZ or IRS Form 4506-T for tax year 2023
Signed copy of your Federal Tax Return (and applicable schedules)

Special Circumstances Directions

Tax Extension

An individual who is required to file a 2023 IRS income tax return and has been granted a filing extension by the IRS beyond the automatic six-month extension for tax year 2023, must provide:

A signed statement listing the sources of any 2023 income and the amount of income from each source; and
A copy of the IRS's approval of an extension beyond the automatic six-month extension for tax year 2023; and
A copy of IRS Form W–2 for each source of employment income received or an equivalent document for tax year 2023; and
If self-employed, a signed statement certifying the amount of the individual’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and the U.S. income tax paid for tax year 2023.

Identity Theft

An individual who was the victim of IRS tax-related identity theft must provide:

A signed copy of the 2023 ITRS Form 1040 and applicable schedules the individual filed with the IRS, in addition to one of the following:
- IRS 4674C letter (a letter from the IRS acknowledging the identity theft); or
- A statement signed and dated by the tax filler indicating that he or was a victim of IRS tax related identity theft, and the IRS is aware of the tax-related identity theft

Amended Returns

An individual who filed an amended IRS income tax return for the tax year 2023 must submit to our office:

A signed copy of the 2023 IRS Form 1040X that was filed with the IRS or documentation from the IRS that include the change(s) made by the IRS, in addition to one of the following:
- Income and tax information from the IRS Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX) process through FAFSA with all tax information from the original tax return; or
- A 2023 IRS Tax Return Transcript (that will only include information from the original tax return and does not have to be signed), or any other IRS tax transcript(s) that includes all of the income and tax information required to be verified; or
- A signed copy of the 2023 IRS Form 1040 and the applicable schedules that were filed with the IRS.

IRA Rollovers and Pension Rollovers

Provide the following to if you do have an Untaxed IRA and/or Pension Rollover:

A signed and dated statement confirming the amount of the rollover; or
A signed and dated tax return or tax return transcript with the "rollover" notation next to the value on the return/transcript of the rollover

Non-IRS Income Tax Returns

A tax filer who filed an income tax return with a tax authority other than the IRS may provide a signed copy of his or her income tax return that was filed with the relevant tax authority. However, if we question the accuracy of the information on the signed copy of the income tax return, the tax filer must provide us with a copy of the tax account information issued by the relevant tax authority before verification can be completed.

Non-Tax-Filer Income Verification Directions

IRS Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX) process through FAFSA; as part of federal student aid eligibility, students, spouses (as appropriate), and parent(s) (as appropriate) are required to consent and approve sharing and importing income tax information from the IRS to the FAFSA form or confirm non-filing status. Please also submit copies of your 2023 W2s if you did not and were not required to file a tax return in 2023.

Nontax filers/Foreign or U.S. territory tax return

The following individuals who are nontax filers must submit a verification/confirmation of non-filing status from a relevant tax authority other than the IRS, dated on or after October 1, 2024 that indicates a 2023 income tax return was not filed. (This means a nontax filer who answered “Yes” to the tax filing status FAFSA question about filing a foreign or U.S. territory tax return).

For a dependent student, each parent who would have but did not file a tax return with a relevant tax authority other than the IRS; and
For an independent student, the student and/or spouse who would have but did not file a tax return with a relevant tax authority other than the IRS.

Sign and submit the Verification/Confirmation of Non-filing Letter to Sacred Heart University; make sure to include the student’s name and Sacred Heart ID number on the letter. Submit all 2023 W-2 forms or equivalent. If you are unable to obtain the Verification/Confirmation of Non-filing Letter you may certify that you were unable to obtain this document on the Verification form.