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VERIFICATION
SELECTION
OF STUDENTS FOR VERIFICATION
The
U.S. Department of Education (DOE) selects 33% of the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications at random for verification.
In addition, the DOE or South Texas College may select
a student for verification if the information submitted appears
to be incorrect or fraudulent.
The
Office of Financial Aid at South Texas College verifies
all financial aid applications for students who are selected
for verification by the U.S. Department of Education who attend
South Texas College during the Award year in which
they are selected. In addition, South Texas College
reserves the right to select additional applications as deemed
appropriate by financial aid professionals.
Students
who are selected for verification must submit the required
documentation to the STC Office of Financial Aid thirty
days before they expect to see the verification resolved
and their account cleared for disbursement. The STC OFA
will endeavor to review verifications sooner that 30
days after submission, but during peak times this may
not always be possible. The STC OFA will continue to
accept and review verification information until the
Department of Education’s published correction
deadlines for each award year.
IF
THE DOCUMENTATION IS NOT ON TIME
If
the student does not submit documentation in time for
any changes to be confirmed by the DOE, South Texas College
is not responsible for any eligibility lost. It is the
student’s
responsibility to provide documentation in a timely manner
so that deadlines can be met.
ACCEPTABLE
DOCUMENTATION
Below
is a list all acceptable documentation and forms used:
- Verification
Worksheets
-
For the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 Award Year, STC will use the
federal worksheets. Please click on the following link to
go to the financial aid forms page. Verification forms are
available there. http://www.southtexascollege.edu/finaid/fa_forms.html
- STC
will accept copies of federal tax return forms. STC will
also accept IRS form 1722, and IRS generated tax return transcripts
(RTFPT).
- In
cases where a conflict is perceived, STC OFA may request
additional proof of untaxed income and benefits beyond what
is shown on tax returns and verification worksheets from the
student. This proof will vary by agency. For Example:
- Untaxed
Social Security Benefits – A statement
from the Social Security Administration
- Unemployment
Benefits – A statement from the Unemployment
benefits providing agency
- Signature
requirements:
- Verification
Worksheets
- Dependent
Students – Must be signed
by the student and one parent.
- Independent
Students – Must be signed
by the student
- Income
Tax returns
- May
be signed by the tax payer
-
May be signed by the tax preparer
- In
lieu of a signature from the tax
payer or preparer, if the preparer’s
firm name and EIN number of Social
Security number appear on the tax
return this is acceptable. Tax
returns prepared by Vita, or self
prepared must be signed by the
taxpayer.
CONFLICTING
INFORMATION
For
the purposes of verification, conflicting information is any
information that is reviewed during the verification process
which does not match the information that the student and parent
provided initially. The financial aid professional who is reviewing
the information will make the determination that conflicting
information exists.
The
applicant can reconcile conflicting or inaccurate information
with the financial aid office by submitting documents
showing correct information from the information provider.
For example if conflicting information is perceived related
to income tax information, the OFA will request that
the student provide a tax transcript from the IRS, rather
than a copy of the form that they submitted. If the student’s
record is incomplete, no funds are approved for disbursement
until the conflicting information is resolved.
NOTIFICATION
OF COMPLETION OF VERIFICATION
STC
Office of Financial Aid will rely on the U.S. Department of
Education to mail students a copy of their corrected Student
Aid Report for notification that the verification changes are
complete. If the student wishes, he or she may check with the
Office of Financial Aid and see how verification affected their
EFC.
The
change will be reflected in the award amounts (if any) on the
award letter.
Award
letters are mailed to students after all issues related
to verification are resolved and any other eligibility
issues are resolved.
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