20202021 Standard Verification Worksheet
V1-Independent Student
Your 20202021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was selected for review in a process called
“Verification”. The Financial Aid Office at your college must compare information from your FAFSA with information
you provide on this worksheet and with any other required documents. If there are differences, your Financial Aid
Office may require additional documentation and your FAFSA information may need to be corrected. You will not
receive federal financial aid until all verification requirements are met and the necessary corrections made.
What You Should Do
1. If you (or your spouse, if you are married) are tax filers, obtain a 2018 IRS Tax Return Transcript for
yourself and/or your spouse. Request an IRS Tax Return Transcript online at
www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-
Transcript or by phone at 1-800-908-9946. Make sure you select an IRS Tax Return Transcript and NOT the IRS
Tax Account Transcript. Be sure to specify tax year 2018 when making your request. In place of the
transcript, the Financial Aid Office can accept a complete signed copy of a preparer’s 2018 Federal Income
Tax Return (Form 1040 with all schedules) that was submitted to the IRS. Important Note: If you used
the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer your 2018 income data into your FAFSA, you may not have to submit the
IRS Tax Return Transcript.
2. If you (or your spouse) had income earned from work in 2018, but did not and were not required to file a tax
return, you both must provide a 2018 Verification of Non-Filing Letter dated on or after October 1, 2019,
and all W-2 forms for tax year 2018 issued to you by your employers. Request a Verification of Non-Filing
Letter at www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript
or by phone at 1-800-908-9946.
3. Complete Sections A-C of this worksheet you must sign the Section D certification on page 2 of the worksheet.
4. Submit the completed worksheet, tax return transcript(s) and any other required documents to the Financial Aid
Office at your college.
A. Student’s Information
Student’s Last Name First Name M.I. Student’s Social Security Number
Student’s Street Address (include apt. no.) Student’s CUNYfirst ID / Empl ID
City, State, Zip Code Student’s Date of Birth
Student’s Phone Number (include area code) Student’s Email Address
B. Student’s Household Information
List the people you will support between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. Include:
Yourself and your spouse (if you are married)
Your other children if you (or your spouse) provide more than half of their support, even if they don’t live
with you.
Other people if they now live with you and you now provide more than half of their support and will
continue to provide more than half of their support through June 30, 2021.
Write the name of the college below for any household member who will be enrolled at least half time in a degree,
diploma, or certificate program at an eligible postsecondary educational institution any time between July 1, 2020
and June 30, 2021.
If more space is needed, attach a separate page with student’s name and the last 4 digits of student’s SSN at the top.
Full Name
Example: Jane Smith
Age
18
Relationship
Sister
College
State University
Will be Enrolled at
Least Half Time
Yes
Self
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Student Name: Student SSN: XXX-XX- ____ ____ ____ ____
C. Student/Spouses Income Information to Be Verified
NOTE: Notify your Financial Aid Office if your or your spouse had a change in marital status after December 31,
2018. If you or your spouse filed an amended 2018 IRS tax return, you may be required to submit
additional documentation to the Financial Aid Office at your college.
Check the appropriate box (or boxes):
I used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool in FAFSA-on-the-Web to transfer 2018 IRS income tax information into the
FAFSA. [The income tax information from the FAFSA will be used to complete the verification process.]
I did not (or could not) transfer my/our 2018 income information to the FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval
Tool. I/we have attached to this worksheet a copy of my/our 2018 IRS Tax Return Transcript or a signed
preparer’s copy of the 2018 Federal Income Tax Return (Form 1040 with all schedules) that was
submitted to the IRS. [If you filed a joint tax return, but reported your marital status on the FAFSA as
separated, divorced or widowed, you must include copies of all IRS Form W-2s with the tax return transcript.]
I/we have not filed (and are not required to file) a 2018 federal income tax return and I/we had no income
earned from work in 2018. I/we have each attached a 2018 Verification of Non-Filing Letter to this
worksheet.
I/we have not filed (and are not required to file) a 2018 federal income tax return but I/we had income earned
from work in 2018 as listed below. I/we have each attached a 2018 Verification of Non-Filing Letter to
this worksheet. [List every employer and the amounts earned in 2018, even if an IRS Form W-2 was not
issued. You must attach copies of all 2018 IRS Forms W-2 that were issued to you by your employers.]
Only complete this grid if you are a non-tax filer that had earned income in 2018. If more space is needed, attach a
separate page with student’s name and the last 4 digits of student’s SSN at the top.
Employer’s Name 2018 Amount Earned 2018 IRS Form W2
Attached?
Example: ABC Company $1367.75 Yes
D. Certification and Signatures
I/we certify that all the information reported on this worksheet is complete and correct. I/we understand that if
we purposely give false or misleading information, I/we could be fined, jailed, or both. [If student is married, the
spouse’s signature is optional.]
Student Signature Date
Spouse Signature Date
Do not mail this worksheet to the U.S. Department of Education.
Submit this worksheet to the Financial Aid Office at your college.
If you have any questions concerning the required documentation requested with this worksheet, please
contact a financial aid representative at your college.
You should make a copy of this worksheet and all submitted documents for your records.
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