FAFSA School Code: 001146

Award Guide

2012/2013
AWARD GUIDE (pdf)
Understand your
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eligibility and
responsibilities

You are here: CSU, Chico | Financial Aid and Scholarship Office | Policies & Conditions | IRS Data Retrieval Option for 2012-13 FAFSA

IRS Data Retrieval Option for 2012-13 FAFSA

Beginning February 5, 2012, you will be able to select the IRS Data Retrieval option on your FAFSA.  We strongly recommend that parents and students select this option when filing the initial FAFSA or when subsequent corrections are made to your 2012-13 FAFSA application.  This option will streamline and expedite the processing of your financial aid application.

Students and parents may use "estimated income" information on the initial FAFSA.  Families may be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval process once their tax returns are filed.  If on the FAFSA you listed your tax filing status as "Will File" because you had not yet filed a tax return, use the FAFSA Corrections process at:  www.fafsa.ed.gov and change this status to "Already Completed". Update all relevant income fields to your FAFSA.

Select the IRS Data Retrieval option located under the parent/student "Financial Information" (see below for eligibility)

  • A filtering question will ask you (and your parents when applicable) when and how you filed a 2011 tax return to determine if you can transfer tax information from the IRS into the FAFSA.
  • Enter your PIN and click "Link to IRS".
  • Your FAFSA will be saved and you will be transferred to the IRS Web site.
  • On the IRS Web site, enter the requested information.
  • Once the IRS has validated your identification, your IRS tax information will display. You can either transfer your information from the IRS, or choose to return to FAFSA on the Web from the IRS Web site.  If you do not transfer your information or choose not to return from the IRS Web site, you will have to login to open your saved FAFSA.
  • If you transfer your IRS tax information, questions that are populated with tax information will be marked with "Transferred from the IRS."  Do not make changes to information marked "Transferred from the IRS".
  • Update your/parent wages earned if not accurate, as this information is not transferred from the IRS.
  • Submit your FAFSA with the corrections.

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

  • A federal tax return filed with the IRS.  Electronically filed tax return information will be available online from the IRS site two weeks after the return has been filed.  Data from paper tax returns will be available eight weeks after filing with the IRS.
  • A valid Social Security number
  • Federal Aid Personal Identification Number (PIN) that you can apply for during the FAFSA process
  • an unchanged marital status since December 31, 2011

The Data Retrieval Process cannot be used in the following circumstances:

  • Parents or students who are married and filed "Married Filing Separately" return
  • Married and filed as Head of Household
  • Marital status changed after December 31
  • Parents with all zeroes for SSN
  • Filed an amended tax return
  • Filed a Puerto Rican or foreign tax return