Application Review Process

When the Financial Aid office receives your FAFSA, there may be additional information needed. When that happens, you may receive a notification or have a red flag on your myIPFW account in the Financial Aid Requirements box. Below you will find explanations for these requirements, as well as information on what is needed to clear the red flag.

Verification

Red Flag	Explanation	How to fix
Rejected FAFSA	Your FAFSA has been rejected for one or more reasons.	Contact the FAFSA processing center at 1-800-433-3243
No Registration Record	You are not in the system as admitted to IPFW	Contact Admissions at 260-481-6812
No Admissions Application	You are not in the system as admitted to IPFW	Contact Admissions at 260-481-6812
Inactive Student Records	You are not in the system as admitted to IPFW	Contact Admissions at 260-481-6812
Non Degree Status	You are currently admitted into a non-degree program. To receive financial aid, you must be admitted into a degree seeking program.	Contact Admissions at 260-481-6812 or your academic advisor.
Degree Clarification A	According to IPFW records and/or your FAFSA, you have already earned a bachelor's degree and may not be eligible for financial aid.	No action required by student, the Financial Aid office will review your degree status and notify student about future eligibility.
Degree Clarification B	You indicated on your FAFSA that you are a graduate student, but are currently classified as an undergraduate in the system.	Stop in to the Financial Aid office or download and print the form online and take to your advisor. 2009-10 Form
Degree Clarification D	You indicated on your FAFSA that you are an undergraduate student, but are currently classified as a graduate student in the system.	Stop in to the Financial Aid office or download and print the form online and take to your advisor. 2009-10 Form
Social Security Documents	The Social Security information you submitted on the FAFSA does not match the government's files.	Submit a photocopy of your signed Social Security card.
Proof of Citizenship	The information you submitted on the FAFSA does not match the government's files.	Submit a clear photocopy of your US Passport, Naturalization certificate or US Birth Certificate.
Overpayment/Default	You defaulted on a student loan or received an overpayment from your Pell grant	Contact the Financial Aid office at 260-481-6820 or go online to the NSLDS website to see the status of your student loans.
Drug Abuse	You incorrectly or failed to answer the drug conviction question on your FAFSA form.	Correct your FAFSA online or Call 1-800-433-3243
Degree Discrepancy	The degree information we have received on your FAFSA appears inconsistent with information you have supplied the Admissions department.	Contact the Financial Aid office at 260-481-6820

Verification

Each year the government randomly selects one third of FAFSA applications for verification. This process requires the financial aid office to verify the information on your FAFSA with information on the tax forms you are requested to provide.

Your information is confidential and will not leave the office. It will be kept for 5 years and then shredded. You will be required to make copies for your student file, as the financial aid office can not make copies for you.

*Note: If you have additional questions about Verification, please check the Verification FAQs.

2009-2010 Forms (Fall 09/Spring 10/Summer 10)

• Dependent Verification Worksheet
• Independent Verification Worksheet

Tax forms

Copies of your federal tax forms are required for the verification process. The tax forms must be signed, or we cannot accept them as valid forms. The forms must be signed, even if the tax return was submitted electronically (over the internet.)

Acceptable forms include the following:

• The 1040 tax form—the first two pages (Lines 1-77)
• The 1040A tax form—the first two pages (Lines 1-48)
• The 1040EZ tax form—the first page (Lines 1-13)
• The 1040X tax form—the first two pages and the original tax form filed

Note: Summary forms cannot be accepted unless they are official IRS documents that show line by line the amounts on the tax form. Before submitting as a verification document, please contact the Financial Aid office to see if your summary is an acceptable document or if you need to provide an alternative.

If you cannot find your copies of you tax forms, you may request them from the IRS by calling 1-800-829-1040. If you filed your taxes online (for example, turbotax.com or taxact.com) you may be able to print out prior year tax returns.

If you did not file taxes, we will need a statement from you explaining how you were able to support yourself without income and have Worksheet B completed from the verification form. If you did work, but just did not file, provide copies of your W2s.

If your parents did not file taxes, they will need to provide a statement how they were able to support themselves and a family without income and have Worksheet B completed from the verification form. If your parents worked, but just didn’t file, provide copies of all W2s.

Keep in mind:

If you made $8,450 ($16,900 if married filing jointly), then you are required to file taxes. If you did not file, but your W2s add up to more than these figures, you must file a tax return before we can complete your verification and award you.

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