How Do I Apply For Financial Aid?

Transcription

1 How Do I Apply For Financial Aid? Follow These Four Simple Steps and Achieve Success Hurry! Don t Delay! Apply Today! Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, work study and student loans. Apply today to see if you qualify. Steps to completing the financial aid process: 1 Complete the FAFSA application online at: List Citrus College's school code: By using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, you will be able to expedite the processing of your financial aid file. 2 Once the financial aid office has received your application, students will be sent a tracking in their Citrus College account. This will inform the student of any documentation that will need to be submitted to process and complete the financial aid file. 3 Submit all required paperwork to the financial aid office in a timely manner. Students may submit this paperwork via , mail, fax, or in person. Once all forms have been submitted the financial aid office will verify the information and make all necessary corrections. This process takes time, it is important to respond as quickly as possible and be patient. 4 Now that the financial aid file has been completed and the student has been awarded, an Award Notification will be sent. This will inform the student what they have qualified for. All awards are based on full-time attendance, if you do not attend fulltime your financial aid award will be adjusted based on the number of units you are officially enrolled in.

2 What is the IRS Data Retrieval Tool? The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) is designed to allow applicants to link their tax return information to their FAFSA application electronically. The U.S. Department of Education and the IRS have collaborated to make the filing process much easier. By linking your tax information using this tool, will result in providing more accurate tax information. Applicants who do not use the IRS DRT and are selected for verification will need to obtain an IRS Tax Transcript. Copies of the 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ will no longer be accepted by the Financial Aid Office. The following slides will show you screenshots on how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. To use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool you must meet the following criteria: Have a FSA ID Student and/or Parent must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN). Must have filed the appropriate Federal Tax Return within the time frame below. It will take approximately 1-2 weeks for IRS income information to be available if you filed your tax return electronically, and 6-8 weeks for paper filers. Have not changed your marital status after Dec. 31 of the previous year.

3 How to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing the FAFSA 1. Go to and click Start Here

4 2. Login by creating a FSA ID Login

5 Get Started 3. Determine which application you would like to apply. Click on the corresponding application and continue to create a Save Key.

6 Making Corrections 4. If you have already completed your application and a correction is needed, click the Make FAFSA Corrections link towards the bottom of the page. This will allow you to make any correction to your application including linking your tax information (if you have completed your tax return).

7 Financial Information 5. If you only need to make corrections to the financial information that you reported on the FAFSA, skip to the tab circled in red below. Select Already completed from the drop down box for the appropriate year.

8 Financial Information Continued.. 6. You will be presented with a series of questions. Check all that apply. Click View option to link to the IRS to display the option to Link To IRS using the Data Retrieval Tool (DRT).

9 Financial Information Continued.. 7. If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, enter your FSA ID and click Link to IRS. If you cannot use the DRT and are selected for verification, you will need to obtain your IRS tax transcript from the website.

10 Leaving the FAFSA website 8. After you click Link to IRS, your FAFSA information will be saved and a message will appear informing you that you re leaving FAFSA on the Web. Click OK and you will be transferred to the IRS website to access your tax information.

11 Link Tax Return 9. Your first name, last name, social security number and date of birth will be prefilled for you. You will be required to enter your tax filing status and street address. (MAKE SURE that you type your address exactly as it appears on your tax return for the appropriate year). Then click Submit.

12 Transfer Now 10. Click Transfer Now to link your tax information with your FAFSA. This will return you to the FAFSA on the Web and populate the answers to the appropriate FAFSA questions. If at this point you choose not to transfer your information, you will be required to manually input your tax information into the FAFSA application.

13 Complete 11. You will now be returned to your FAFSA application and see the information that was transferred using the Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). At this point, continue to finish the application making sure to sign and submit at the end.