2012-2013 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Available at www.fafsa.ed.gov beginning January 1, 2012
2012-2013 FAFSA IRS Tax Data Retrieval Tool Guide (YouTube)
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT EVERGREEN'S FINANCIAL AID PRIORITY DEADLINE HAS BEEN UPDATED TO MARCH 1, 2012
Your official FAFSA must be received AND processed by the Federal Processor no later than March 1, 2012. Your FAFSA cannot be rejected by the Processor for any reason to be considered official. Only students meeting this deadline will be considered for priority financial aid packaging.
FILE YOUR TAXES AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE!!!!
Beginning February 1, 2012 we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you and/or your parent to take advantage of the IRS data retrieval tool. This tool will allow you to retrieve your IRS tax information from the IRS data system and populate your FAFSA with the appropriate tax information needed to determine your eligibility for aid. Only certain tax filing statuses are eligible to use the IRS data retrieval status. To file your FAFSA by the priority deadline of March 1, 2012, you and/or your parent may still file with estimated tax information, and later use the IRS data retrieval tool once the 2011 IRS Tax Return has been processed. According to the IRS, this tool cannot be used until 2-4 weeks after electronically filing a tax return and 6-8 weeks after filing paper tax returns.
Under certain conditions students and parents are not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if:
- Your tax filing status is Married Filing Separately
- Your tax filing status is Head of Household
- You filed an amended tax return
- You filed a foreign tax return
- The home address on the FAFSA does not match the address on the tax return
After your FAFSA is processed, view and print a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR). This is a very important document as it will let you know if your FAFSA is complete, if you have been selected for federal verification, and other corrections you may need to make.
If you are selected for federal verification, you will need to supply the Evergreen Financial Aid Office with the necessary documentation to complete your file. Once Evergreen receives your FAFSA, a paper letter will be sent to the student's mailing address with details about documents required. Required documentation can also be viewed on the student's my.evergreen.edu account. Evergreen begins to receive FAFSA applications from the federal processor around early to mid-February. Files are reviewed and packaged in the order they are completed. A delay in providing us the necessary documentation will result in a delay in packaging financial aid and possibly move the student out of the eligible queue for priority packaging.
NOTE: FULL ADMISSION TO THE COLLEGE IS REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR YOUR FILE TO BE CONSIDERED COMPLETE. A delay in becoming fully admitted can possibly move the student out of the eligible queue for priority packaging. Students who are provisionally admitted or admitted as a special undergraduate are not considered fully admitted and are not eligible for financial aid.
TAX DOCUMENT CHANGES FOR 2012-2013
If we require you to provide a copy of you and/or your parent's 2011 taxes and you have not or cannot use the FAFSA IRS data retrieval tool, you must supply us with an official IRS tax transcript. Per changes in federal regulations, we can no longer accept copies of your handwritten, printed, or copied 1040, 1040A, or 1040 EZ forms.
You can request an IRS Tax Transcript:
- Online at www.irs.gov *fastest*
- Calling (800) 908-9946
- Filing form 4506T-EZ