If you are a student or parent you can now access your IRS tax return information using the 2012-2013 IRS Data Retrieval Tool. This is an easy and secure way to access and transfer your tax return information directly into your Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.
If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, we highly recommend using the tool for several reasons: It’s the easiest way to provide your tax data. It’s the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA has accurate tax information. You will not need to provide a copy of your or your parents’ tax returns for your financial aid application.
Who can use it?
If you or your parents meet the following criteria, you’ll be given the option to retrieve, display and transfer your federal tax information:
- If you filed a 2011 tax return
- If you have a valid Social Security Number
- If you have a Federal Student Aid PIN (If you do not have a PIN, you will be given the option to apply for one)
- If your marital status has not changed since Dec. 31, 2011.
Who should not use it? If any of the following conditions apply to you or your parents, you should not use this tool:
- If you filed an amended federal tax return for 2011
- If you did not file a federal tax return for 2011
- If your 2011 federal tax filing status is married filing separately
- If you filed both a federal tax return and a foreign return
If you do not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to provide tax information and your college requests a copy of your tax return or your parents’ tax return, you may be required to obtain an official tax transcript from the IRS. To order tax transcripts, go to Order a Return or Account Transcript .
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>>> The following is taken from the free fafsa web site
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How the IRS Data Retrieval Tool Works
- Enter your PIN* and click Link To IRS --- (*You will not be asked to enter your PIN if you entered a PIN to begin your FAFSA.)
- Your FAFSA will be saved and you will be transferred to the IRS Web site.
- On the IRS Web site, enter the requested information.
- Once the IRS has validated your identification, your IRS tax information will display.
- You can either transfer your information from the IRS, or choose to return to FAFSA on the Web from the IRS Web site. If you do not transfer your information or choose not to return from the IRS Web site, you will have to login to open your saved FAFSA.If you transfer your IRS tax information, questions that are populated with tax information will be marked with “Transferred from the IRS.”
