Once you submit your FAFSA or CADAA, you might be required to provide additional documentation. This process, known as verification, involves confirming the information provided. Each year, 30% of Cal State L.A. students are selected for verification. As part of this process, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will request specific documents to verify the details reported on your FAFSA or CADAA.
If you're selected for verification, you will receive an email from Financial Aid and Scholarships, prompting you to check your To Do List on GET. It's important to submit the required documents by the deadline to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. Failure to do so may affect your priority file review and eligibility for funding.
Students can be selected for financial aid verification at any time, including before or after they submit a Financial Aid Application. Students may also be selected during the academic year if their Financial Aid application information changes.
- Check your FAFSA Submission Summary at studentaid.gov or CADAA Submission Summary at csac.ca.gov
- Look for a note on your Submission Summary indicating you are selected for verification
- Refer to the email sent to you from FAFSA or CSAC notifying you that your Financial Aid Application results are being sent to Cal State LA.
- Financial Aid and Scholarships at Cal State LA will email you and refer you to GET to view your To Do list and all pending documents needed from you to complete your Verification.
You can access your IRS personal tax records online or by mail, including transcripts of past tax returns, tax account information, wage and income statements, and verification of non-filing letters.
We recommend getting a transcript online since that’s the fastest method. If you’re unable to register, you can get a tax return or tax account transcript mailed to you instead.
For more information, visit the irs.gov
IRS Form W-2, also known as a “Wage and Tax Statement,” reports an employee’s income from the prior year and how much tax the employer withheld. Employers send out W-2’s to employees in January. A copy goes to the IRS.
Most U.S. citizens or permanent residents who work in the U.S. have to file a tax return.
Generally, you need to file if:
- Your income is over the filing requirement
- You have over $400 in net earnings from self-employment (side jobs or other independent work)
- You had other situations that require you to file
More information available at irs.gov
Submitting your required documents on time is crucial to ensure your financial aid process stays on track. If you miss the deadline to submit the requested documents, it can delay the review of your financial aid application. This delay could affect your eligibility for certain funding and may result in a later disbursement of your aid.
Additionally, failing to meet the deadline may cause you to lose priority for receiving financial aid, potentially impacting your ability to cover tuition and fees on time. To avoid any delays and ensure your financial aid is processed smoothly, make sure to submit all required documents by the specified deadline.
If you amend your tax return after filing, please provide the following to Financial Aid and Scholarships:
- A signed copy of your tax return transcript
- A signed copy of the 1040x form you submitted to amend your taxes