2013 Verification Changes

Important Changes to the Verification Process for 2013-2014

On July 12, 2012 the Department of Education published changes to the Verification Selection and Documents Requirement process, as a part of the move to "Customized Verification.

As in prior award year verification processes, data-based statistical analysis will continue to be used to select for verification those applicants with the highest probability of error on their FAFSA submissions. For the 2013-2014 FAFSA verification process, the Central Processing System (CPS) will set a Verification Flag on the applicant's Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) to indicate that the FAFSA was selected by the Department for verification (this remains unchanged).

New Verification Items for 2013-2014:

High School Completion

Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose

Verification Tracking Groups (Information required to be verified)

Effective for the 2013-2014 award year, the Central Processing Center will use verification tracking flags to place applicants (and/or parents or spouse), selected for verification, into one of five New Verification Tracking Groups. The applicant (and/or parents or spouse) chosen for verification (by CPS) must verify all information based on the tracking group to which the applicant is assigned.

This information can be located on the last page of your 2013-2014 ISIR. See chart below for Verification Tracking Groups and Requirements:

2013-2014 Verification Tracking Groups
FAFSA Information required to be verified

Verification Tracking Flag	Verification Tracking Group Name	FAFSA Information Required to be Verified
V1	Standard Verification Group	Tax Filers Adjusted Gross Income U.S. Income Tax Paid Untaxed Portions of IRA Distributions Untaxed Portions of Pensions IRA Deductions and Payments Tax Exempt In Interest Income Education Credits Number of Household Members Number in College Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Food Stamps) Child Support Paid Non-Tax Filers Income Earned from Work Number of Household Members Number in College Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Food Stamps) Child Support Paid
V2	SNAP Verification Group	Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Food Stamps)
V3	Child Support Paid Verification Group	Child Support Paid by the student (or spouse), the student's parent, or both
V4	Custom Verification Group	High School Completion Status Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Food Stamps) Child Support Paid
V5	Aggregate Verification Group	High School Completion Status Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose Tax Filers Adjusted Gross Income U.S. Income Tax Paid Untaxed Portions of IRA Distributions Untaxed Portions of Pensions IRA Deductions and Payments Tax Exempt Interest Income Education Credits Number of Household Members Number in College Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Food Stamps) Child Support Paid Non-Tax Filers Income earned from work Number of Household Members Number in College Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Food Stamps) Child Support Paid