[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18843-18847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07411]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA[supreg]) 
Information To Be Verified for the 2017-2018 Award Year

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[CFDA Numbers: 84.007, 84.033, 84.038, 84.063, and 84.268.]

SUMMARY: For each award year, the Secretary publishes in the Federal 
Register a notice announcing the FAFSA information that an institution 
and an applicant may be required to verify, as well as the acceptable 
documentation for verifying FAFSA information. This is the notice for 
the 2017-2018 award year.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Jacquelyn C. Butler, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 6W232, Washington, DC 
20202. Telephone: (202) 453-6088.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in an 
accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact 
disc) on request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secretary includes on the applicant's 
Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) flags that indicate (1) 
that the applicant has been selected by the Secretary for verification 
and (2) the

[[Page 18844]]

Verification Tracking Group in which the applicant has been placed. 
This, in turn, indicates which FAFSA information needs to be verified 
for that applicant and, if appropriate, for the applicant's parent(s) 
or spouse. The Student Aid Report (SAR) provided to the applicant will 
indicate that the applicant's FAFSA information has been selected for 
verification and direct the applicant to contact the institution for 
further instructions for completing the verification process.
    The following chart lists, for the 2017-2018 award year, the FAFSA 
information that an institution and an applicant and, if appropriate, 
the applicant's parent(s) or spouse, may be required to verify under 34 
CFR 668.56. The chart also lists the acceptable documentation that 
must, under Sec.  668.57, be provided to an institution for that 
information to be verified.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        FAFSA Information                 Acceptable documentation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income information for tax         For income information listed under
 filers:                            items a through g for tax filers--
 a. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)    (1) 2015 tax account information of
 b. U.S. Income Tax Paid            the tax filer that the Secretary has
 c. Untaxed Portions of IRA         identified as having been obtained
 Distributions                      from the Internal Revenue Service
 d. Untaxed Portions of Pensions    (IRS) through the IRS Data Retrieval
 e. IRA Deductions and Payments     Tool \1\ and that has not been
 f. Tax Exempt Interest Income      changed after the information was
 g. Education Credits               obtained from the IRS;
                                   (2) A transcript \1\ obtained from
                                    the IRS that lists 2015 tax account
                                    information of the tax filer; or
                                   (3) A transcript \1\ that was
                                    obtained at no cost from the
                                    relevant taxing authority of a U.S.
                                    territory (Guam, American Samoa, the
                                    U.S. Virgin Islands) or commonwealth
                                    (Puerto Rico and the Northern
                                    Mariana Islands), or a foreign
                                    central government that lists 2015
                                    tax account information of the tax
                                    filer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income information for tax filers  (1) For a student or the parent(s) of
 with special circumstances:        a dependent student who filed a 2015
 a. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)     joint income tax return and whose
 b. U.S. Income Tax Paid            income is used in the calculation of
 c. Untaxed Portions of IRA         the applicant's expected family
 Distributions                      contribution and who at the time the
 d. Untaxed Portions of Pensions    FAFSA was completed was separated,
 e. IRA Deductions and Payments     divorced, widowed, or married to
 f. Tax Exempt Interest Income      someone other than the individual
 g. Education Credits               included on the 2015 joint income
                                    tax return--
                                   (a) A transcript \1\ obtained from
                                    the IRS or other relevant taxing
                                    authority that lists 2015 tax
                                    account information of the tax
                                    filer(s); and
                                   (b) A copy of IRS Form W-2 \2\ for
                                    each source of 2015 employment
                                    income received or an equivalent
                                    document.\2\
                                   (2) For an individual who is required
                                    to file a 2015 IRS income tax return
                                    and has been granted a filing
                                    extension by the IRS--
                                   (a) A copy of IRS Form 4868,
                                    ``Application for Automatic
                                    Extension of Time to File U.S.
                                    Individual Income Tax Return,'' that
                                    the individual filed with the IRS
                                    for tax year 2015;
                                   (b) If applicable, a copy of the
                                    IRS's approval of an extension
                                    beyond the automatic six-month
                                    extension if the individual
                                    requested an additional extension of
                                    the filing time for tax year 2015;
                                   (c) Confirmation of non-filing from
                                    the IRS or other relevant taxing
                                    authority dated on or after October
                                    1, 2016;
                                   (d) A copy of IRS Form W-2 \2\ for
                                    each source of 2015 employment
                                    income received or an equivalent
                                    document;\2\ and
                                   (e) If self-employed, a signed
                                    statement certifying the amount of
                                    AGI and U.S. income tax paid for tax
                                    year 2015.
                                   Note: An institution may require
                                    that, after the income tax return is
                                    filed, an individual granted a
                                    filing extension submit tax
                                    information using the IRS Data
                                    Retrieval Tool \1\ or by obtaining a
                                    transcript \1\ from the IRS that
                                    lists 2015 tax account information.
                                    When an institution receives such
                                    information, it must be used to
                                    reverify the FAFSA information
                                    included on the transcript .\1\
                                   (3) For an individual who was the
                                    victim of IRS tax-related identity
                                    theft--
                                   (a) A Tax Return DataBase View
                                    (TRDBV) transcript obtained from the
                                    IRS; and
                                   (b) A statement signed and dated by
                                    the tax filer indicating that he or
                                    she was a victim of IRS tax-related
                                    identity theft and that the IRS has
                                    been made aware of the tax-related
                                    identity theft.
                                   Note: Tax filers may inform the IRS
                                    of the tax-related identity theft
                                    and obtain a TRDBV transcript by
                                    calling the IRS's Identity
                                    Protection Specialized Unit (IPSU)
                                    at 1-800-908-4490. Tax filers who
                                    cannot obtain a TRDBV transcript may
                                    instead submit another official IRS
                                    transcript or equivalent document
                                    provided by the IRS if it includes
                                    all of the income and tax
                                    information required to be verified.
                                    Unless the institution has reason to
                                    suspect the authenticity of the
                                    TRDBV transcript or an equivalent
                                    document provided by the IRS, a
                                    signature or stamp or any other
                                    validation from the IRS is not
                                    needed.
                                   (4) For an individual who filed an
                                    amended tax return with the IRS--
                                   (a) A transcript obtained from the
                                    IRS that lists 2015 tax account
                                    information of the tax filer(s); and
                                   (b) A signed copy of the IRS Form
                                    1040X that was filed with the IRS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income information for nontax      For an individual who has not filed
 filers:                            and, under IRS or other relevant
 a. Income earned from work         taxing authority rules (e.g., the
                                    Republic of the Marshall Islands,
                                    the Republic of Palau, the Federated
                                    States of Micronesia, a U.S.
                                    territory or commonwealth or a
                                    foreign central government), is not
                                    required to file a 2015 income tax
                                    return--
                                   (1) A signed statement certifying--
                                   (a) That the individual has not filed
                                    and is not required to file a 2015
                                    income tax return; and
                                   (b) The sources of 2015 income earned
                                    from work and the amount of income
                                    from each source;

[[Page 18845]]

 
                                   (2) A copy of IRS Form W-2 \2\ for
                                    each source of 2015 employment
                                    income received or an equivalent
                                    document;\2\ and
                                   (3) Confirmation of non-filing from
                                    the IRS or other relevant taxing
                                    authority dated on or after October
                                    1, 2016.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Household Members......  A statement signed by the applicant
                                    and, if the applicant is a dependent
                                    student, by one of the applicant's
                                    parents that lists the name and age
                                    of each household member for the
                                    2017-2018 award year and the
                                    relationship of that household
                                    member to the applicant.
                                   Note: Verification of number of
                                    household members is not required
                                    if--
                                    For a dependent student, the
                                    household size indicated on the ISIR
                                    is two and the parent is single,
                                    separated, divorced, or widowed, or
                                    the household size indicated on the
                                    ISIR is three if the parents are
                                    married or unmarried and living
                                    together; or
                                    For an independent student,
                                    the household size indicated on the
                                    ISIR is one and the applicant is
                                    single, separated, divorced, or
                                    widowed, or the household size
                                    indicated on the ISIR is two if the
                                    applicant is married.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number in College................  (1) A statement signed by the
                                    applicant and, if the applicant is a
                                    dependent student, by one of the
                                    applicant's parents listing the name
                                    and age of each household member who
                                    is or will be attending an eligible
                                    postsecondary educational
                                    institution as at least a half-time
                                    student in the 2017-2018 award year
                                    in a program that leads to a degree
                                    or certificate and the name of that
                                    educational institution.
                                   (2) If an institution has reason to
                                    believe that the signed statement
                                    provided by the applicant regarding
                                    the number of household members
                                    enrolled in eligible postsecondary
                                    institutions is inaccurate, the
                                    institution must obtain
                                    documentation from each institution
                                    named by the applicant that the
                                    household member in question is, or
                                    will be, attending on at least a
                                    half-time basis unless--
                                   (a) The applicant's institution
                                    determines that such documentation
                                    is not available because the
                                    household member in question has not
                                    yet registered at the institution
                                    the household member plans to
                                    attend; or
                                   (b) The institution has documentation
                                    indicating that the household member
                                    in question will be attending the
                                    same institution as the applicant.
                                   Note: Verification of the number of
                                    household members in college is not
                                    required if the number in college
                                    indicated on the ISIR is ``1.''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
High School Completion Status....  The applicant's high school
                                    completion status when the applicant
                                    attends the institution in 2017-
                                    2018.
                                   (1) High School Diploma
                                   (a) A copy of the applicant's high
                                    school diploma;
                                   (b) A copy of the applicant's final
                                    official high school transcript that
                                    shows the date when the diploma was
                                    awarded; or
                                   (c) A copy of the ``secondary school
                                    leaving certificate'' (or other
                                    similar document) for students who
                                    completed secondary education in a
                                    foreign country and are unable to
                                    obtain a copy of their high school
                                    diploma or transcript.
                                   Note: Institutions that have the
                                    expertise may evaluate foreign
                                    secondary school credentials to
                                    determine their equivalence to U.S.
                                    high school diplomas. Institutions
                                    may also use a foreign diploma
                                    evaluation service for this purpose.
                                   (2) Recognized Equivalent of a High
                                    School Diploma
                                   (a) General Educational Development
                                    (GED) Certificate or GED transcript;
                                   (b) A State certificate or transcript
                                    received by a student after the
                                    student has passed a State-
                                    authorized examination (HiSET, TASC,
                                    or other State-authorized
                                    examination) that the State
                                    recognizes as the equivalent of a
                                    high school diploma;
                                   (c) An academic transcript that
                                    indicates the student successfully
                                    completed at least a two-year
                                    program that is acceptable for full
                                    credit toward a bachelor's degree at
                                    any participating institution; or
                                   (d) For a person who is seeking
                                    enrollment in an educational program
                                    that leads to at least an associate
                                    degree or its equivalent and who
                                    excelled academically in high school
                                    but did not finish, documentation
                                    from the high school that the
                                    student excelled academically and
                                    documentation from the postsecondary
                                    institution that the student has met
                                    its written policies for admitting
                                    such students.

[[Page 18846]]

 
                                   (3) Homeschool
                                   (a) If the State where the student
                                    was homeschooled requires by law
                                    that such students obtain a
                                    secondary school completion
                                    credential for homeschool (other
                                    than a high school diploma or its
                                    recognized equivalent), a copy of
                                    that credential; or
                                   (b) If State law does not require the
                                    credential noted in 3a), a
                                    transcript or the equivalent signed
                                    by the student's parent or guardian
                                    that lists the secondary school
                                    courses the student completed and
                                    documents the successful completion
                                    of a secondary school education in a
                                    homeschool setting.
                                   Note: In cases where documentation of
                                    an applicant's completion of a
                                    secondary school education is
                                    unavailable, e.g., the secondary
                                    school is closed and information is
                                    not available from another source,
                                    such as the local school district or
                                    a State Department of Education, or
                                    in the case of homeschooling, the
                                    parent(s)/guardian(s) who provided
                                    the homeschooling is deceased, an
                                    institution may accept alternative
                                    documentation to verify the
                                    applicant's high school completion
                                    status (e.g., DD Form 214
                                    Certificate of Release or Discharge
                                    From Active Duty that indicates the
                                    individual is a high school graduate
                                    or equivalent.
                                   When documenting an applicant's high
                                    school completion status, an
                                    institution may rely on
                                    documentation it has already
                                    collected for purposes other than
                                    the Title IV verification
                                    requirements if the documentation
                                    meets the criteria outlined above
                                    (e.g., high school transcripts
                                    maintained in the admissions
                                    office).
                                   Verification of high school
                                    completion status is not required if
                                    the institution successfully
                                    verified and documented the
                                    applicant's high school completion
                                    status for a prior award year.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Identity/Statement of Educational  (1) An applicant must appear in
 Purpose.                           person and present the following
                                    documentation to an institutionally
                                    authorized individual to verify the
                                    applicant's identity--
                                   (a) An unexpired valid government-
                                    issued photo identification such as,
                                    but not limited to, a driver's
                                    license, non-driver's identification
                                    card, other State-issued
                                    identification, or passport. The
                                    institution must maintain an
                                    annotated copy of the unexpired
                                    valid government-issued photo
                                    identification that includes--
                                   i. The date the identification was
                                    presented; and
                                   ii. The name of the institutionally
                                    authorized individual who reviewed
                                    the identification; and
                                   (b) A signed statement using the
                                    exact language as follows, except
                                    that the student's identification
                                    number is optional if collected
                                    elsewhere on the same page as the
                                    statement:
                                   Statement of Educational Purpose
                                   I certify that I ________ am
                                   (Print Student's Name)
                                   the individual signing this Statement
                                    of Educational Purpose and that the
                                    Federal student financial assistance
                                    I may receive will only be used for
                                    educational purposes and to pay the
                                    cost of attending ________ for 2017-
                                    2018.
                                   (Name of Postsecondary Educational
                                    Institution)
                                   __________ ______
                                   (Student's Signature) (Date)
                                   __________
                                   (Student's ID Number)
                                   (2) If an institution determines that
                                    an applicant is unable to appear in
                                    person to present an unexpired valid
                                    photo identification and execute the
                                    Statement of Educational Purpose,
                                    the applicant must provide the
                                    institution with--
                                   (a) A copy of an unexpired valid
                                    government-issued photo
                                    identification such as, but not
                                    limited to, a driver's license, non-
                                    driver's identification card, other
                                    State-issued identification, or
                                    passport that is acknowledged in a
                                    notary statement or that is
                                    presented to a notary; and
                                   (b) An original notarized statement
                                    signed by the applicant using the
                                    exact language as follows, except
                                    that the student's identification
                                    number is optional if collected
                                    elsewhere on the same page as the
                                    statement:
                                   Statement of Educational Purpose
                                   I certify that I ________ am
                                   (Print Student's Name)
                                   the individual signing this Statement
                                    of Educational Purpose and that the
                                    Federal student financial assistance
                                    I may receive will only be used for
                                    educational purposes and to pay the
                                    cost of attending ________ for 2017-
                                    2018.
                                   (Name of Postsecondary Educational
                                    Institution)
                                   __________ ______
                                   (Student's Signature) (Date)
                                   __________
                                   (Student's ID Number)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ An institution may accept a copy of the original 2015 income tax
  return for tax filers who are--
(a) Consistent with guidance that the Secretary may provide following
  the period after the IRS processes 2015 income tax returns, unable to
  use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool or obtain a transcript from the IRS;
(b) Unable to obtain a transcript at no cost from the taxing authority
  of a U.S. territory (Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands) or
  commonwealth (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands), or a
  foreign central government that lists 2015 tax account information of
  the tax filer;

[[Page 18847]]

 
The copy of the 2015 income tax return must include the signature of the
  tax filer or one of the filers of a joint income tax return or the
  signed, stamped, typed, or printed name and address of the preparer of
  the income tax return and the preparer's Social Security Number,
  Employer Identification Number, or Preparer Tax Identification Number.
For a tax filer who filed an income tax return other than an IRS form,
  such as a foreign or Puerto Rican tax form, the institution must use
  the income information (converted to U.S. dollars) from the lines of
  that form that correspond most closely to the income information
  reported on a U.S. income tax return.
An individual who did not retain a copy of his or her 2015 tax account
  information and that information cannot be located by the IRS or other
  relevant taxing authority, must submit to the institution--
(a) Copies of all IRS Form W-2s or equivalent documents;
(b) Documentation from the IRS or other relevant taxing authority that
  indicates the individual's 2015 tax account information cannot be
  located; and
(c) A signed statement that indicates that the individual did not retain
  a copy of his or her 2015 tax account information.
\2\ An individual who is required to submit an IRS Form W-2 or an
  equivalent document but did not maintain his or her copy should
  request a duplicate from the employer who issued the original or from
  the government agency that issued the equivalent document. If the
  individual is unable to obtain a duplicate W-2 or an equivalent
  document in a timely manner, the institution may permit that
  individual to provide a signed statement, in accordance with 34 CFR
  668.57(a)(6), that includes--
(a) The amount of income earned from work;
(b) The source of that income; and
(c) The reason why the IRS Form W-2 or an equivalent document is not
  available in a timely manner.

Other Sources for Detailed Information

    We provide a more detailed discussion on the verification process 
in the following resources:
     2017-2018 Application and Verification Guide.
     2017-2018 ISIR Guide.
     2017-2018 SAR Comment Codes and Text.
     2017-2018 COD Technical Reference.
     Program Integrity Information--Questions and Answers on 
Verification at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2009/verification.html.
    These publications are on the Information for Financial Aid 
Professionals Web site at www.ifap.ed.gov. Electronic Access to This 
Document: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official 
edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is 
available via the Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this 
site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this 
Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable 
Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 
which is available free at the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a, 1070a-1, 1070b-1070b-4, 
1070c-1070c-4, 1070g, 1071-1087-2, 1087a-1087j, and 1087aa-1087ii; 
42 U.S.C. 2751-2756b.

    Dated: March 29, 2016.
Lynn B. Mahaffie,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Innovation, 
Delegated the duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education.
[FR Doc. 2016-07411 Filed 3-31-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P