SIMPLIFYING THE FAFSA: EXAMINATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF IRS DATA RETRIEVAL TOOL FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS By LESLIE HARGER Submitted to The Faculty of the Higher Education Leadership Program Northwest Missouri State University Missouri Department of Educational Leadership College of Education and Human Services Maryville, MO 64468 Dr. Kristy A. Bishop Field Study Advisor Submitted in Fulfillment of Graduation Requirements for 61-657 Introduction to Institutional Research 15 July 2015
Table of Contents Abstract 2 List of Tables and Figures...3 Section One: Background, Introduction to the Study, and Literature Review.... 4 Section Two: Methods...11 Section Three: Results...17 Section Four: Discussion...19 References..21 Appendices. 23 1
Abstract Around half of all undergraduate students in the US attend community college and they receive around a third of total Pell Grants, which can pay for most or all of their tuition and fees, thanks to the affordability at the community college level. However, the FAFSA has proven to be a barrier for most of these students. Students find the application complex and intimidating, which pushes many students away from applying, even though they are likely eligible for funds. This can also cause students to work part-time to pay for their education, which can decrease their success rate. The Department of Education has in recent years taken steps to simplify the FAFSA, most recently with the implementation of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which helps a student transfer tax information from the IRS directly onto the FAFSA, eliminating confusion and potential for error. Since many students who use Pell Grants are also selected for the FAFSA verification process, this study examines whether the IRS Data Retrieval Tool can assist students in completing their FAFSA verification faster, which in turn can get them the money that they need to pay for school sooner. The results indicate that students who use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool completed their verification faster than students who did not. These differences can increase a student s chances of getting into desired classes and persisting through their chosen degree plans. 2
List of Tables and Figures Tables Table 1. Gender Percentages for Total Student Group and Select Student Groups..14 Table 2. Race Percentages for Total Student Group and Select Student Groups..15 Table 3. Mean Age of Student Groups...15 Table 4. Descriptive and t-test Analysis for Students who Transferred and Did Not Transfer 18 Figures Figure 1. Genders of Total Group..13 Figure 2. Genders of Transferred Group...13 Figure 3. Genders of Not Transferred Group.14 Figure 4. Races of Total Group..14 Figure 5. Races of Transferred Group...15 Figure 6. Races of Not Transferred Group 15 Figure 7. Mean Age of Student Groups.16 Figure 8. Independent Samples T-Test of Students that Transferred IRS Data and Students that Did Not Transfer IRS Data on Number of Days to Process Verification..18 3
Section One: Background, Introduction to the Study, and Literature Review Background The biggest obstacle for college students receiving financial aid for college is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which it will be addressed as from this point forward. The FAFSA uses income and household data to determine an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) number, which is the indication to a school of the student s eligibility for Federal Pell Grants, the most significant financial aid that the FAFSA provides. The FAFSA is oftentimes complicated for students to complete, as it is lengthy and tedious, asking for many different types of information from a student. There is also the possibility that the student may be randomly selected for an audit process called verification that requires the student to provide additional documentation to their school to ensure that the information on the FAFSA is correct. Most four year schools have tuition that is too high for the Pell Grant to cover all costs alone. Community colleges are a cheaper and more practical alternative for students in low income situations because the Pell Grant will often cover most of these costs for a student. Many low income students are unable to make payments out of pocket toward their classes, so having financial aid ready to be used as payment for enrollment is an important way for low income students to enroll and stay enrolled in their classes. The Pell Grant also keeps low income students from having to work as much or at all, which has been studied as a negative influence on their success (Douglass, 2012). Practice Under Investigation By Study This study covers whether or not the IRS Data Retrieval tool, a recently added tool on the FAFSA to assist completion and aid verification processes, allows for a significant improvement in processing time. Since the FAFSA can be intimidating for students, it has been streamlined in 4
the past few years to try to make it easier to complete. If this process is aiding students, it proves that there is success in the work being done and that other aspects of the FAFSA can possibly be simplified as well. Conceptual Underpinning Pell Grant recipients are more likely to attend college full time during their first term (Clery, 2006). Students who attend full time are more successful than part time students (Douglass, 2012). Community college students that file are more likely to persist to their second semester of school (McKinney, 2012). These concepts speak to the idea that the FAFSA is an indispensable tool for students. Statement of the Problem The FAFSA is notoriously complex, especially to first-generation or first-time students (Feeney, 2013). The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is one way that the FAFSA has aimed in recent years to eliminate some of the complications that the FAFSA may bring to its applicants. There is no real data to show if the IRS Data Retrieval Tool actually helps students complete their financial aid processes faster than those who choose not to use it. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to discover if there is a relationship between the IRS Data Retrieval Tool being used by a student to complete the FAFSA and their process completion time versus those who choose not to use the tool who have to complete the same processes. Research Question Does the IRS Data Retrieval Tool help students complete the verification process faster and enable them to utilize financial aid faster than students who do not use it and input information on their own? 5
Null Hypothesis: There is no difference between those who use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer tax data onto the FAFSA and those who input the information on their own. Literature Review It was projected by the US Department of Education that 8.74 million students received Pell Grants in the 2011-12 award year with approximately one-third of those recipients attending community colleges (Baime, 2010). Just over six million of those total Pell Grant recipients had a zero EFC, which means that they qualified for the full Federal Pell Grant (Kelchen, 2015), which for that year was $5,550 for a full time student s entire financial aid year. Community colleges enroll almost half of undergraduate students in the US, (Bailey, 2005) and with lower tuition community colleges are often the starting point for low income students. Studies show that FAFSA filing has a direct association with community college student persistence to their second semester of school (McKinney, 2012). However, around 20 percent of students who start at a community college complete more than one semester (Bailey, 2005) and there are many factors that contribute to that statistic. The FAFSA can be complex and cumbersome for a lot of students, especially those who are first generation students, who are shown to file FAFSA applications later than those students who have had a parent go to college (Feeney, 2013). Even with inflating tuition costs, the Pell Grant is a significant portion of financial aid for students, especially community college students, as Pell Grants should be able to cover most or all costs. FAFSAs are filed more often by students in higher income brackets (Feeney, 2013). Unfortunately many low income students do not understand that they may be eligible for financial aid. Low income students either don t know about the availability of aid or think that they are ineligible (Tebbs, 2005). Approximately 8 million students in 1999-2000 6
enrolled for credit at institutions did not apply for a FAFSA, and around 850,000 who did not file would have likely been eligible for a Pell Grant; students at community colleges are also far less likely to apply than students at other institutions (King, 2004). This can cause a student to work while they are attending school and only attend part time, which can decrease their success rate. Community college students in studies average more working hours per week than traditional four year students (Douglass, 2012). Pell Grant recipients are more likely to attend college full time during their first term (Clery, 2006) and students who attend full time are more successful than part time students (Douglass, 2012). Also, community college students receive 9 percent of total program funds for campus based programs like Federal Work-Study as well as other grants and loans (Baime, 2010) so Pell Grants are often times the only free money that a student can receive. This increases their importance, especially to low income students who are unable to pay anything out of pocket. One reason students do not fill out the FAFSA is the complexity of the form and the feeling that it takes too much time to complete (Davidson, 2013; LaManque, 2009). The Department of Education has attempted to change and reduce the amount of information in the FAFSA over the last few years. One of the most significant changes recently was the addition of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool transfers a student or dependent students parent tax information onto the FAFSA directly so there is less information for the student and parent to input and potentially err upon. The Department of Education began implementing the IRS Data Retrieval Tool for new FAFSA applicants in January 2010 for the 2009-2010 Award Year (Douglas, 2009). This process was not available for all applicants until the 2012-2013 Award Year (Bergeron, 2012). Unfortunately, not every student or parent who filed taxes can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. 7
People who are married and filing taxes Married Filing Separately or as Head of Household are disqualified from using the tool. Also ineligible are returns that include a 1040x, amended tax return, and having any Puerto Rican income or foreign income. Additionally, it takes a number of weeks for taxes to process in order to be used for the Data Retrieval Tool. Anyone who has filed within three weeks or by mail within the last ten weeks are also not eligible to use the Data Retrieval Tool until that time passes. There were studies done prior to the implementation of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool where FAFSA applications were integrated into events or actions where people were able to sit and have someone assist them with the application process. One, which was spearheaded by H&R Block in 2008 (Bettinger, 2012) cross-trained tax professionals with financial aid information and experimented by having people file their taxes and FAFSA applications in the same sitting. The study found that those who filed their taxes and a FAFSA at the same time were more likely to get aid due to meeting state deadlines, to enroll in college, and to persist through semesters. Another study (Daun-Barnett, 2012) took three different approaches to the tax filing and FAFSA completion concept: state-sponsored workshops, community service organization services, and a combination of state funding and community organizations working together. It was found that the combination of the two was the most successful, as it reached a broader audience. These studies were done in early 2011, when the IRS Data Retrieval Tool was being tested for a small group of people. There is no information yet as to the success of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which is the focus of this study. Anticipated Benefits of the Study The anticipation for this study is that it shows that the IRS Data Retrieval Tool can successfully aid students in processing paperwork faster, therefore potentially removing some of 8
the hurdles that may exist for students who want to use financial aid. This may also show that more work can be done to simplify other parts of the FAFSA as well. Community college students make up half of total undergraduate college enrollment in the US (Bailey, 2005) and that number is rising, so they are a key group of students. Students attending a community college are negatively affected and are less likely to persist past their first semester if they do not file a FAFSA (McKinney, 2012). By making it easier for students to complete a FAFSA, more eligible community college students can get the aid that they need to be successful. Most of these students are unable to make payments out of pocket to hold their places in class, so there is a possibility that they may not be able to take the classes they need for their degrees without the assistance of financial aid to pay for the classes and hold their place. Limitations and Delimitations The study is limited to community college students at a Midwest urban large college. The students are all independent students, meaning they are only required to put their financial information (or their spouse s as well if they are married) onto the FAFSA. Definition of Terms All definitions are from the IFAP Help: Glossary. Award Year: The period beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the following year. Estimated Family Contribution(EFC): The amount a student and the student's family may be reasonably expected to contribute toward the student's postsecondary education for the academic year. Independent: A student who qualifies as an independent student under section 480(d) of the HEA. A student who satisfies one of the following criteria: is 24 years of age or older by December 31 of the award year; 9
is an orphan, in foster care, or a ward of the court, or was an orphan, in foster care, or a ward of the court at any time when the individual was 13 years of age or older; is, or was immediately prior to attaining the age of majority, an emancipated minor or in legal guardianship as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in the individual's State of legal residence; is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States (as defined in subsection (c)(1)) or is currently serving on active duty in the Armed Forces for other than training purposes; is a graduate or professional student; is a married individual; has legal dependents other than a spouse; has been verified during the school year in which the application is submitted as either an unaccompanied youth who is a homeless child or youth or as unaccompanied, at risk of homelessness, and self-supporting; or is a student for whom a financial aid administrator makes a documented determination of independence by reason of other unusual circumstances. FAFSA: The student aid application provided for under section 483 of the HEA, which is used to determine an applicant's eligibility for the federal student aid programs. Federal Pell Grant Program: A grant program authorized by the HEA under which grants are awarded to help financially needy students meet the cost of their postsecondary education. Verification: The process under which an applicant's FAFSA information is selected by the Department or a school and determined to be accurate (true and complete within certain parameters) or inaccurate. 10
Section Two: Methods Problems and Purposes Overview This study aims to find out if the IRS Data Retrieval Tool can help a student process FAFSA verification information faster and gain ability to use financial aid faster than those who choose not to use the tool. The FAFSA is a complex application that can sometimes scare potential students away from applying even though they may be eligible for aid. Field Study Methods Research Design The design is quasi-experimental. The people who use the tool and do not cannot be randomly assigned. Variables The independent variable is the use or choice not to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA. The dependent variable is the amount of time it takes for FAFSA verification changes to process in order for financial aid to be available to be used by the student for payment. Research Questions and Null Hypothesis The research question we seek to answer is: Does the IRS Data Retrieval Tool help students complete the verification process faster and enable them to utilize financial aid faster than students who do not use it and input information on their own? The null hypothesis is that there is no difference between those who use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer tax data onto the FAFSA and those who input the information on their own. 11
Study Group The 148 students used for this research was obtained using a random sample generator from a pool of over 2,000 independent students that were required to complete verification at a midwestern community college during the 2013-14 FAFSA award year and filed 2012 taxes. The students in the study are divided evenly into two groups and can be classified as: 1) students that were eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and successfully transferred their information onto the FAFSA and 2) students that were eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and did not use it, inputting the information from their taxes onto the FAFSA themselves. Not using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool required the students to submit 2012 IRS Tax Transcripts along with their verification paperwork to the school to complete processing, which had to be either mailed from the IRS to the student directly or obtained from an IRS office by the student. Of the 148 students observed in total, there are 49 male students (33.108%) and 99 female students (66.892%) with an average age of 33.73. There are 78 White students (52.703%), 40 African American/Black students (27.027%), 11 Hispanic/Latino students (7.432%), 1 Asian student (0.676%), and 18 not specified (12.162%). Of the 74 students in the group that successfully used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, there are 49 female students (66.216%) and 25 male students (33.784%) with an average age of 33.243. There are 42 White students (56.757%), 16 African American/Black students (21.622%), 7 Hispanic/Latino students (9.459%), 1 Asian student (1.351%), and 8 not specified (10.811%). Of the 74 students in the group that were eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and did not, there are 50 female students (67.568%) and 24 male students (32.432%) with an average age of 34.216. There are 36 White students (48.649%), 24 African American/Black students (32.432%) 4 Hispanic/Latino students (5.405%), and 10 not specified (13.514%). Results of the 12
data for the total student group and select student groups are shown below in Table 1-3 and Figure 1-7. Table 1. Gender Percentages for Total Student Group and Select Student Groups. Total Group Transferred Not Transferred Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Female 99 66.892 49 66.216 50 67.568 Male 49 33.108 25 33.784 24 32.432 TOTAL 148 100 74 100 74 100 Figure 1. Genders of Total Group Female (99) Male (49) 33% 67% Figure 2. Genders of Transferred Group Female (49) Male (25) 34% 66% 13
Figure 3. Genders of Not Transferred Group Female (50) Male (24) 32% 68% Table 2. Race Percentages for Total Student Group and Select Student Groups. Total Group Transferred Not Transferred Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent White 78 52.703 42 56.757 36 48.649 African American/Black 40 27.027 16 21.622 24 32.432 Hispanic/Latino 11 7.432 7 9.459 4 5.405 Asian 1 0.676 1 1.351 0 0 Not Specified 18 7.432 8 10.811 10 13.514 TOTAL 148 100 74 100 74 100 Figure 4. Races of Total Group 27% African American / Black 53% 12% 1% 7% Asian Hispanic / Latino Not Specified White 14
Figure 5. Races of Transferred Group 57% 22% 11% 9% 1% African American / Black Asian Hispanic / Latino Not Specified White Figure 6. Races of Not Transferred Group 49% 32% African American / Black Hispanic / Latino 14% 5% Not Specified White Table 3. Mean Age of Student Groups. Mean Age Total Group 33.730 Transferred 33.243 Not Transferred 34.216 15
Figure 7. Mean Age of Student Groups 34.400 34.200 34.000 33.800 33.600 33.400 33.200 33.000 32.800 32.600 Total Group Transferred Not Transferred Mean Age The groups are almost equal along gender lines (33% male to 67% female total, 34% male to 66% female in the transferred group, and 32% male to 68% female in the not transferred group). In race comparison, there were more White students who transferred their taxes than did not (57% transferred to 49% did not transfer). There were fewer Black students who transferred than did not (22% transferred to 32% did not transfer). More Hispanic students transferred than did not (9% transferred to 5% did not). The one Asian student in the survey performed the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Of those students that did not specify race, more of them did not transfer than did transfer (11% transferred to 14% did not transfer). The total group had a mean age of 33.73. The group that transferred had a younger mean age of 33.243, where the group that did not transfer had a significantly older mean age of 34.216. 16
Section Three: Results Review of Research Design The data used for this research was taken as a random sample of 148 independent students that completed verification during the 2013-14 FAFSA award year and filed 2012 taxes. The students can be classified within two different groups: 1) students that were eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and successfully transferred their information onto the FAFSA and 2) students that were eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and did not use it, inputting the information from their taxes onto the FAFSA themselves. Not using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool required the students to submit 2012 IRS Tax Transcripts along with their verification paperwork to the school, which had to be either mailed from the IRS to the student or obtained from an IRS office by the student. Presentation of Data Analysis, Finds and Interpretations Research Question: Does the IRS Data Retrieval Tool help students complete the verification process faster and enable them to utilize financial aid faster than students who do not use it and input information on their own? An independent samples t-test was conducted to determine if a difference in verification processing time existed between two groups: one who used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer tax data directly from the IRS, the other did not and input the information on their own. The results were statistically significant (MD = 3.405, t = 3.370, p = 0.001). The students that transferred their tax data from the IRS were processed on average more than three days faster than those who did not transfer data and input it directly on their own. The results are shown in Table 4 and Figure 8. 17
Mean Score Table 4. Descriptive and t-test Analysis for Students who Transferred and Did Not Transfer. Groups n Mean SD Mean D T-Test Eta Squared p-value Transferred 74 3.608 5.239 Not Transferred 74 7.014 6.937 3.405 3.370 0.071 0.001 8.000 7.000 6.000 5.000 Figure 8. Independent Samples T-Test of Students that Transfered IRS Data and Students that Did Not Transfer IRS Data on Number of Days to Process Verification 4.000 3.000 2.000 1.000.000 Transferred Not Transferred 18
Section Four: Discussion The study showed that there was a significant difference between processing times for those students who used the data retrieval tool and those who did not. The students who used the data retrieval tool had lower processing times than the students who did not. For community college students depending on financial aid to keep them in classes, this amount of time can be significant in the scope of enrollment, as they are less likely than other socioeconomic brackets to be able to make any payments out of pocket towards their education. Students should consider transferring their tax data from the IRS if they are eligible in order to process information faster in order to use financial aid. There are some areas in which study needs to go farther. This study focused on solely the completion of verification in relation to the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. There are other factors that can inhibit the completion of verification. There are five different classifications of verification, with only three of them requiring tax data, though they are the three most common verification types. One verification classification requires proof of High School Diploma or GED, which is additional documentation that may take longer to get than IRS Tax Transcripts. There are some that require verification of all forms of untaxed income. There may be a need at a later time to separate the types of verification to see if that type of verification takes longer than others. Other studies may want to look at the processing times for dependent students; as student and parent tax information is needed to complete the FAFSA, this may create additional delays. There is also a need to look at four-year colleges and universities and colleges in other areas of the country to see if this same result occurs. Rising tuition costs and looming student debt has turned many students away from the four-year college model and toward the more affordable community college system. There are 19
many different types of student groups within a community college: traditional college age, working single parents, displaced workers starting a new career, and more. Since one of the biggest draws for the community college is affordability, the FAFSA is significantly more important for these students, as many of them are on a lower income scale and may have all of their costs paid for by Pell Grant funds offered because of FAFSA completion. Many of these students are unable to make payments out of pocket to hold places in the classes they need for their desired degrees, so financial aid is often the only way a low income student is able to hold a place in class. This is a major reason why financial aid is so important to this group of students. The Department of Education simplified the FAFSA with the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, and though it may be a success through this study, there is still a long way to go to truly simplify the process in order for more students to feel less intimidated and to apply for eligible funds. The FAFSA has long been a barrier for students with its complexity. This study shows that a simplified process can assist community college students in receiving eligible funds sooner and can help them persist and thrive in their education. A more educated population is good for the greater society, and opening the doors to that with a combination of proper support through federal funding and the more affordable nature of community college can create a better future for all involved. 20
References Bailey, T. (2005). Student Success: Challenges and Opportunities. Community College Journal, August/September 2005, 16-19. Baime, D. & Mullin, C. (2010) Pell Power. Community College Journal, April/May 2010, 38-42. Bettinger, E., Long, B. T., Oreopoulos, P., & Sanbonmatsu, L. (2012). The Role of Application Assistance and Information in College Decisions: Results from the H&R Block FAFSA Experiment. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 1205-1242. doi: 10.1093/qje/qjs017 Bergeron, D. (2012, April 16). Acceptable Documentation for Verification. Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP), (DCL ID: GEN-12-07). Retrieved from http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/gen1207.html Clery, S. (2006). Do Pell Grants Make a Difference? Achieving the Dream, Volume 1 (Number 4), 1-3. Daun-Barnett, N. & Mabry, B. (2012). Integrating Tax Preparation with FAFSA Completion: Three Case Models. Journal of Student Financial Aid, Volume 42 (Issue 3), 24-45. http://publications.nasfaa.org/jsfa/vol42/iss3/2 Davidson, J. C. (2013). Increasing FAFSA Completion Rates: Research, Policies and Practices. Journal of Student Financial Aid, Volume 43 (Issue 1), 37-54. http://publications.nasfaa.org/jsfa/vol43/iss1/4 Douglas, J. (2009, November 5). Overview of IRS Data Retrieval Process for 2009-2010 FAFSA on the Web. Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP). Retrieved from http://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/110509overviewirsdataretrieval0910.html 21
Douglass, J. & Thomson, G. (2012). Poor and Rich: Student Economic Stratification and Academic Performance in a Public Research University System. Higher Education Quarterly, Volume 66 (Number 1), 65-89. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2273.2011.00511.x Feeney, M. & Heroff, J. (2013). Barriers to Need-Based Financial Aid: Predictors of Timely FAFSA Completion Among Low-Income Students. Journal of Student Financial Aid, Volume 43 (Issue 2), 64-85. http://publications.nasfaa.org/jsfa/vol43/iss2/2 IFAP Help: Glossary. Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP). http://ifap.ed.gov/ifap/helpglossary.jsp Kelchen, R. (2015). Financial Need and Aid Volatility among Students with Zero Expected Family Contribution. Journal of Student Financial Aid, Volume 44 (Issue 3), 177-201. http://publications.nasfaa.org/jsfa/vol44/isss3/2 King, J. (2004), Missed Opportunities: Students Who Do Not Apply for Financial Aid. American Council on Education Issue Brief, October 2004, 1-14. LaManque, A. (2009). Factors Associated with Delayed Submission of the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid. Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, Volume 17 (Number 1), 6-12. McKinney, L. & Novak, H. (2012). The Relationship Between FAFSA Filing and Persistence Among First-Year Community College Students. Community College Review, Volume 41 (Issue 1), 63-85. doi: 10.1177/0091552112469251 Tebbs, J. & Turner, S. (2005). College Education for Low-Income Students: A Caution About Using Data on Pell Grant Recipients. Change, July/August 2005, 34-43. 22
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