Verification

Once you file your FAFSA, you may be selected by the U. S. Department of Education for review in a process called verification.  A message included on your Student Aid Report (your FAFSA confirmation report) will inform you of your selection for this process.  Students selected for federal verification are required to submit additional documents to the Financial Aid Office at Tompkins Cortland Community College before federal student aid can be awarded to you.  The U.S. Department of Education authorizes colleges to compare data reported on the FAFSA with other agencies and documents to verify the accuracy of information reported on the FAFSA.

Students selected for verification will receive a letter or email from us asking for additional information or forms.  Students may view the documents the Financial Aid Office is missing in their myTC3 Self Service. The student will hover on "Finances" then click on "Financial Aid".  Students may download, print forms and submit them to our office via fax, mail or email.

Records selected for verification are reviewed once the Financial Aid Office has received all requested documents properly completed and signed.  We may ask for additional documents once we begin the verification process to resolve conflicting information or to verify the accuracy of certain data elements of the FAFSA.

The deadline to submit verification documents to the financial aid office is ninety days from the last day of classes for the fall and spring terms and thirty days after the end of the summer term.  Submission of verification documents after the last day of classes eliminates some forms of financial aid available to you.  Most aid programs require classes to be in session when the funds are given to the student.

Taxpayers with Amended Tax Returns

For students and/or parents who filed an amended federal income tax return, the following documents are required to complete federal verification:

  • IRS Tax Return Transcript that includes information from the original tax return AND
  • A signed copy of Form 1040X that was filed with the IRS.

Victims of IRS Identity Theft

A victim of IRS identity theft who is not able to obtain an IRS Tax Return Transcript or use the IRS DRT must complete the following steps:

  • Contact the IRS at 1-800-908-4490.
  • Upon authentication of the taxpayer’s identity, the IRS will provide, by U.S. Postal Service, an alternative transcript, Tax Return DataBase View (TRDV), of the taxpayer’s IRS income tax return information. Send the TRDV to the Financial Aid Office. Remember to write the student’s name and TC3 ID at the top of the TRDV.
  • Provide a statement, signed and dated by the tax payer, indicating that he/she was a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft and that the IRS has been made aware of the tax-related identity theft.

Individuals Who Filed Foreign Income Tax Returns

An individual who filed or will file an income tax return with Puerto Rico, another U.S. territory (e.g., Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Marianas Islands), or with a foreign country, must provide a signed copy of their foreign income tax return(s).

Other Verification Data Elements

While income is the primary verification data element, schools are also required to verify household size, number in college, high school completion status, untaxed income, citizenship and unusual enrollment history.  The College will notify you of the documents needed to complete all verification requirements.