What is Federal Verification?

If selected for verification, documentation may be required from students and/or parents who are listed on the FAFSA. Please only submit the documents requested; required documents will be listed on your Student Hub or requested in writing by our office.

Please note, you may be asked to submit additional documentation along with the items listed below.

If you filed a U.S. Tax Return

• Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to update your FAFSA with the appropriate income and tax information or
• Submit a copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript

If you did not file a U.S. Tax Return or foreign tax return

• Submit the Non-Filer Tax Statement
• Submit copies of all W-2s, if applicable, for income earned by the non-filer
• Request an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter for each individual who did not file a tax return (beginning with the 2017-2018 academic year)

If you filed an amended tax return

• Submit a signed copy of the 1040-X form that was filed with the IRS and
• An IRS Tax Return Transcript that includes information from the original tax return

Note: if you amended your tax return (filed a 1040-X), you will not be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

Instructions to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool are provided while completing the FAFSA or filing a correction. Certain data elements such as AGI and taxes paid will be entered for you on the FAFSA.

Students and parents are strongly encouraged to use this option when initially completing the FAFSA or when making a correction after the required tax returns have been filed.

In order to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, you must have:

• Filed a federal tax return at least 2 weeks (if filing electronically) or 6-8 weeks (if filing a paper return) before using the IRS Data Retrieval Process to allow time for the IRS to process the return
• You must have a valid Social Security Number
• You must have a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID)

You will not be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval process if:

• Your marital status changes after December 31 of the same tax year
• You filed married filing separately
• You filed an amended return
• You filed a foreign tax return

An official IRS Tax Return Transcript will be required for tax filers who are not able to use the IRS Data Retrieval process or make changes to FAFSA data after using this process.

Note: Tax filers should not request to have their IRS Tax Return Transcript mailed directly to Northeastern University as it may not contain the necessary identifying student information.

Tax Return Transcripts can be requested, free of charge, in one of the following three ways:

Online Request

• Go to the IRS website.
• Click “Get Transcript ONLINE”.
• New users will need to create an account using:
  • Their Social Security Number or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)
  • Date of birth
  • Street address as used on the tax return
  • Zip code
• A password will be sent to the user directly. Once logged in, select the reason for requesting the transcript as “Higher Education/Student Aid” then select tax year ‘2021’ (do not select record of account transcript) for the 2023-2024 academic year.
• Your tax return transcript will appear as a PDF. If you have pop-ups disabled, you may need to enable them for the IRS website to view your transcript.
• If the “Get Transcript by MAIL” option is selected, tax payers will need to enter the tax filer’s Social Security Number, date of birth, street address, and zip or postal code. If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address included in their online request within 5-10 business days from the time the 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

• Call the IRS at 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 the address listed on the latest tax return filed. However, if an address change has been completed through the U.S. Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
• Select ‘Option 2’ to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript and then enter ‘2021’ (for academic year 2023-2024).
• If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address used in their telephone request, within 5-10 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 should be used instead of IRS Form 4506-T because it is sufficient to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript.
• Download the form.
• Complete lines 1 through 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form. Note that line 3 should be the most current address on file 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 U.S. 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 ‘2021’ to receive IRS tax information for the 2021 tax year that is required for the 2023–2024 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 the form.
• 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 and 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.

An IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter provides proof that the IRS has no record of a filed Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ for the year you requested.

IRS Verification of Non-filing Letters can be requested, free of charge, in one of the following three ways:

Online Request

• Go to the IRS website.
• Click “Get Transcript ONLINE”.
• New users will need to create an account using:
  • Their Social Security Number or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)
  • Date of birth
  • Street address as used on the tax return
  • Zip code
• A password will be sent to the user directly. Once logged in, select the reason for requesting the transcript as “Higher Education/Student Aid” then select tax year ‘2021’ (do not select record of account transcript) for the 2023-2024 academic year.
• Click on the tax year needed under “Verification of Non-filing Letter.” For the 2023–2024 academic year, you will need the 2021 tax year.

IRS Verification of Non-filing Letters requested online cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.

Telephone Request

• Call the IRS at 1.800.908.9946.
• Non-filers must follow prompts to enter their Social Security Number and the numbers in their street address. Generally, this will be the address listed on the latest tax return filed. However, if an address change has been completed through the U.S. Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
• Select ‘Option 2’ to request an IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter. For the 2023–2024 academic year, you will need the 2021 tax year.
• If successfully validated, non-filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter at the address used in their telephone request, within 5-10 days from the time the IRS receives the request.

IRS Verification of Non-filing Letters requested by telephone cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.

Paper Request Form

• Download IRS Form 4506-T.
• Complete lines 1 through 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form. Note that line 3 should be the most current address on file with the IRS. It is the address where the IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter 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 U.S. Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
• Line 5 provides non-filers with the option to have their IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter mailed directly to a third party by the IRS.
• On line 7, select the checkbox on the right hand side for “Verification of Non-filing.”
• On line 9, “Year or period requested”, enter 12/31/2021 (for the 2023–2024 academic year).
• The non-filer must sign and date the form and enter their telephone number. Only one signature is required when requesting a joint IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter.
• Mail or fax the completed IRS Form 4506-T to the appropriate address or fax number provided on page 2 of the form.
• Non-filers can expect to receive their Verification of Non-filing Letter within 5 to 10 days from the time the IRS receives and processes their signed request.

If you have been selected for verification you will be notified in writing. Please review any requests for additional information carefully, as it will indicate the process for providing completed documents to our office.