Verification

Your family size and the number of individuals attending college are a factor in calculating your Student aid index. When selected for Verification, we will generally need to confirm your family size and how many of them are attending a degree-granting program in college. We do this by asking you to complete a Verification form.

The financial aid application has very specific guidelines on who they consider as part of your family. For Dependent Students, the following people should be counted and reported on your Verification form:

Dependent Student Guidelines

• Yourself: Make sure to include yourself, even if you don't live in your parents' house.
• Your Parents: Include all parents listed on the FAFSA. This might include step-parents and adoptive parents. Do not include your non-custodial parent. Find out who counts as your parent on your financial aid application.
• Your Parents' other children: Include siblings that your parents provide more than 50% financial support to during the academic year, even if they don't currently live with your parents.
• Other people: Include any other people who live in your parents' house and who receive more than 50% of their financial support from your parents.

If any of the family members listed on your Verification form, other than your parents, are attending college, you'll need to tell us what school they are attending. If they are a CSUSB student, make sure to also include their CSUSB ID on the form. Note that "attending college" means that the family member is enrolled in a program that will lead to a degree; auditing courses does not count.

For Independent Students, the following people should be counted and reported on your Verification form:

Independent Student Guidelines

• Yourself: Make sure to include yourself.

• Your Spouse: Include your spouse.

• Your children: Include children that you provide more than 50% financial support to during the academic year, even if they don't live in your house.

• Other people: Include any other people who live with you and who receive more than 50% financial support from you or your spouse.

If any of the family members listed on your Verification form, are attending college, you'll need to tell us what school they are attending. If they are a CSUSB student, make sure to also include their CSUSB ID on the form. Note that "attending college" means that the familymember is enrolled in a program that will lead to a degree; auditing courses does not count.

If we are asking you to complete and submit a Dependent Student Income Verification form on your To Do List in your MyCoyote Student Center, you will need to let us know whether you worked; how much income you made; and whether you filed. Depending on your answers to those questions, you might need to provide additional documents along with the Income Verification form.

If you filed a federal tax return

If you filed a tax return, you will need to provide additional documentation confirming your tax return information.

If you filed a federal tax return with a Social Security Number, this will either be in the form of a signed and dated Tax Return, Tax Return Transcript, or successfully using the FA-DDX (Future Act Direct Data Exchange) to transfer your information from the IRS to your FAFSA.

If you filed a federal tax return using an ITIN, you should submit a signed and dated 1040 income tax return form. Please review the sections below on these methods.

If you didn't file a tax return

If you were not required to file a tax return, whether you worked or not, you only need to submit the Dependent Student Income Verification form. Make sure that the entire form is completed. If you did work, you will need to provide a W-2 statement or 1099 statement for each source of income.

If you filed a federal tax return

If you filed a tax return, you will need to provide additional documentation confirming your tax return information.

If you filed a federal tax return with a Social Security Number, this will either be in the form of a signed and dated Tax Return, Tax Return Transcript, or successfully using the FA-DDX (Future Act Direct Data Exchange) to transfer your information from the IRS to your FAFSA.

If you filed a federal tax return using an ITIN, you should submit a signed and dated 1040 income tax return form. Please review the sections below on these methods.

If you were married and filed separately, you will need to provide documentation for each taxpayer. If you were married and filed jointly and are now separated; divorced; or widowed, submit your W-2 statements for us to separate your income.

If you didn't file a tax return

If you did work, you will also need to provide a W-2 statement or 1099 statement for each source of income.

If we are asking you to complete and submit an Independent Student Income Verification form on your To Do List on your MyCoyote Student Center, you will need to let us know whether you worked; how much income you made; and whether you filed. Depending on your answers to those questions, you will need to provide additional documents along with the Income Verification form.

If you filed a federal tax return

If you filed a tax return, you will need to provide additional documentation confirming your tax return information.

If you filed a federal tax return with a Social Security Number, this will either be in the form of a signed and dated Tax Return, Tax Return Transcript, or successfully using the FA-DDX (Future Act Direct Data Exchange) to transfer your information from the IRS to your FAFSA.

If you filed a federal tax return using an ITIN, you should submit a signed and dated 1040 income tax return form. Please review the sections below on these methods.

If you were married and filed separately, you will need to provide documentation for each taxpayer. If you were married and filed jointly and are now separated; divorced; or widowed, submit your W-2 statements for us to separate your income.

If you didn't file a tax return

If you did work, you will also need to provide a W-2 statement or 1099 statement for each source of income.

If you filed a federal 1040 income tax return, the FA-DDX (Future Act Direct Data Exchange) is the fastest and most accurate way to confirm your income information on your FAFSA. With the Tool, you will be transferring your information from the IRS to your FAFSA.

To use the FA-DDX (Future Act Direct Data Exchange):

Navigate to Federal Student Aid - How do I use the FA-DDX (Future Act Direct Data Exchange)?

You will not be able to use the Tool if any of the following apply to you:

• You do not have a Social Security Number (SSN)
• If you are married and filed taxes separately
• If your marital status on the FAFSA is "Unmarried and Living Together"
• If you filed a foreign or Puerto Rican tax return
• If you are married and filed taxes with a status of "Head of Household"
• If you filed taxes electronically within the last three weeks, or if you filed a paper tax return within the last 11 weeks

If any of these situations apply to you, please review the information below about obtaining a Tax Return Transcript or submitting a signed Tax Return.

Note: Due to limited in-person resources, the IRS is unable to provide any documents by mail. You may only access your transcripts via the IRS system. If you are unable to access your documents via the IRS site, please see your alternatives at the top of this page.

If you are unable or don't want to use the FA-DDX (Future Act Direct Data Exchange), you may submit a Tax Return Transcript. This is a document obtained from the IRS that confirms that information that you filed on your tax return. You will be submitting the Transcript to our office along with the requested Income Verification form.

To get a Tax Return Transcript from the IRS:

Request online. Use the "Get Transcript" tool available at the IRS website

You will need to confirm your identity with the IRS through information found on your tax return, such as your Social Security Number, name, and address.

Make sure to submit your Transcripts with any requested CSUSB forms for accurate processing. Do not send any transcripts directly to the University, as we are unable to process them and they will be shredded.

If you filed a tax return, you may submit a signed, dated copy of your income tax return. This will satisfy the income verification documentation for the verification process.

Dependent Students

If you filed a tax return, submit a signed and dated copy of your tax return.

Parents

A signed and dated tax return is required for all parents listed on the FAFSA. If your parents filed separately, each parent must submit their tax return.

Independent Students

If you filed a tax return, submit a signed and dated copy of your tax return. If you are married and your spouse filed separately from you, they will also need to submit a signed and dated copy of their tax return.