Acceptable Documentation
Penny Proud was selected for verification of her income. On the Dependent Verification form, she reported that she worked at the mall in Summer 2021 from May-August and earned $3,000 for that short period of time. What document(s) would she provide as proof of earning income?
W-2 or Wage and Income Transcript or tax form
Cinderella lives in her house with her stepmother and 2 stepsisters since she was 11 years old. With her father passing at age 11, she cannot report her father's income information. Is she considered a dependent student or an independent student?
Independent student
Lizzie McGuire (18 years old) is dating David Gordon and lives with Gordo, her mom, dad, and brother Matt McGuire. Gordo was unemployed and did not work while Lizzie took a two year break after high school to work. Gordo depends on Lizzie's family for support while he finally looks for work. Lizzie decides to go to school. When filling out the FAFSA, how many people would she report in her household?
5 people (herself, Gordo, mom, dad, and Matt)
Teddy worked being the CSUDH mascot in August 2021 until December 2022. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA, would Teddy report earning any income on the FAFSA and would the IRS Direct Data Exchange report this on the ISIR?
Yes. The tax year is 2022 for the 24-25 application.
What verification group(s) require income information to be verified?
V1 and V5
Danny Tanner is the parent of Stephanie Tanner, Michelle Tanner, and D.J. Tanner. Stephanie filled out the FAFSA and manually entered parent income information. Danny filed taxes in 2021 since he made over $40,500. What document(s) would need to be submitted for Danny Tanner for income?
1040 Form/Federal Tax Return or Tax Return Transcript
Lena Adams and Stef Foster live in a household that consists of Lena's biological son, Brandon, twin adopted children Jesus and Mariana, and their adopted teenagers Jude and Callie. Brandon is going to SDSU and was selected for verification of household size. Would Brandon be considered dependent or independent?
Dependent (Brandon has contact and lives with biological mom)
Carly and her older brother, Spencer, live in an apartment in Seattle, Washington. Spencer has a girlfriend that moves into the apartment with them. Carly is in the middle of her Junior year of college and is filling out the household verification form the college asked her to complete for her Senior year. If Carly is 25 years old, who would she report on her household form?
Herself since she is an independent student
What is the name of the form employees get to summarize annual earnings?
W-2
Name a non-income based verifiable item.
Family size
Thor is an incoming transfer student from Marvel Community College and going to attend Disney University. Thor is still a dependent student that has to provide his parents' income information. His parents did not work in 2021. With no taxes filed, what documentation is needed from Thor's parents?
IRS Verification of Nonfiling Letter or signed and dated statement with sources of income, benefits, and amounts.
Li Shang went to high school until he was 18 and then enlisted in the military. After serving for 20 years, he decided to attend Mushu University, a 4-year institution in his hometown. Would Li Shang fill out the FAFSA dependency status questions and be a dependent student or independent student?
Independent student (would either say "yes" to military veteran or active duty military)
Tia and Tamara are twins separated and adopted at birth. Tia wanted to know more about her biological family. She finds out she has a sibling that was adopted and lives in the next town over. She has arranged to meet her sister's adoptive parent and Tamara with her own adoptive parent. She decide it best to live in one household. Tia and Tamara apply to college and are filling out the FAFSA. When selected for verification, who would she put on the household form?
Herself (Tia) and mother.
Tamara would report herself and dad.
What do I do if my situation changes due to loss of employment in September 2023?
Submit an income adjustment appeal and provide documentation and a signed statement.
If I report that I have an unusual circumstance that does not allow a student to provide parent information, what do I do?
Contact the school(s) to determine what to submit
Zeus and Hera are Hercules parents that filled out the FAFSA for their son as an incoming Freshman. Zeus and Hera filed taxes for 2021. They found an error on their taxes when they forgot to add additional income information. When they used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT), an 07 flag came in and indicated taxes were amended. What document would the financial aid office request for amended taxes?
1040X or Record of Account Transcript
Donald Duck and Daisy Duck are not married, living together in the same house, and have children Huey, Dewy, and Louie. The triplets have been accepted and are all going to Toon Town College. When they fill out the FAFSA, would they be dependent or independent? Bonus: What would the household size be?
Dependent
Bonus: Household size: 5
Lily Tucker-Pritchett, adopted as an infant by married couple Cameron Tucker and Mitchell Pritchett, is applying to go to college and is completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA asks her about the number in her household. How many people would she report on the FAFSA?
3 people (Herself, Cameron, and Mitchell)
Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt is applying to an undergraduate program at a 4-year university. He is living with his adopted mother, Angelina Jolie, and was in the orphanage at 7 months old, but then got adopted by Angelina. Would Maddox provide his income information for his adopted mother or be considered independent?
Maddox would provide his adoptive mother's income information since he was adopted before the age of 13.
If parents divorce in 2022, but were married in 2021 and filed taxes as Married filing Jointly, then what would the student need to submit for the parent income?
Each parent's W-2 and tax documents for 2021
Dora Márquez is an explorer that moved from her homeland in the rainforest of South America to now living in the U.S. since she was 10 years old, which is when she has moved into Playa Vista. Dora was selected for citizenship verification. What document(s) are acceptable to prove that Dora is eligible for federal financial aid?
Permanent Resident Card, Certificate of Naturalization, or Passport
Mowgli was raised by his village in Central California and had no knowledge of who his parent(s) are or their whereabouts. He is now 18 years old and decides to go to CSUDH. When filling out his FAFSA, would Mowgli be considered dependent or independent?
Independent
Annie and Hallie are going to college. The twins were separated a birth since their parents' divorced and took one child each. They reunited 11 years later and they decided to find a way to get their parents back together. Nick and Elizabeth remarry a year before the girls' attend their first year of college. They also have their butler Martin, housekeeper Jessie, and their grandfather move into the house in Napa Valley a month later. When the girls' apply for the FAFSA, who would they include in the household?
5 people with 2 in college (Annie, Hallie, mom, dad, and Grandfather).
Tyrion Lannister worked in the government of Westeros' Ministry of Finance Department. Tyrion was a full-time employee in Fall of his Sophomore year and then had to transition to a part time position in January the same place. Since his situation had changed, what would he need to submit for the income appeal?
Signed and dated statement and proof of income changing (pay stub/timesheet).
What does FAFSA stand for?
Free Application for Federal Student Aid