Verification

Verification is the process in which additional information is requested either by the U.S. Department of Education, New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and/or the Office of Student Financial Aid to verify information on a student’s FAFSA. Not all students are selected for verification.

Please note that the verification process has changed starting with the 2012-2013 academic year. Please review the documents that you need to complete the verification process as they have changed. Updated information will be posted on this website in March.

Why was I selected?

A student's financial aid application (FAFSA) can be selected for the verification process in one of three ways:

• The U.S. Dept. of Education (DOE) selects a minimum of 30% of Montclair's aid population. In any given academic year, this represents over 2,000 selected FAFSAs. The DOE establishes the criteria and selects the financial aid applicants. Although selected by DOE the verification takes place in Montclair's Financial Aid Office.
• The New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) will select student applications for state verification. This process is separate from the DOE process. All document requests will come directly from HESAA and should be returned directly to HESAA. It is possible for a student to be selected by both DOE and HESAA.
• In certain cases (less than 1%) Montclair's Financial Aid Office will select a student's file for verification. The SFA will select applications in order to resolve issues related to conflicting information.

How are students notified they are selected for verification?

Federal Verification:

New students receive a letter notifying them of the required documents.  Continuing students receive an email notification via their MSU email address.   The email message directs the student to review the requested documents on the WESS web site. All students will see the required documentation listed on under the "Student Requirements" on their WESS account.

State Verification:

NJ HESAA sends notification to students directly. Students will not be able to see this on their WESS accounts.

What documents are required to complete the verification process?

Generally the required documents are:

• Tax Transcript - The verification process for the 2012-2013 academic year is changing due to new Federal Policy. The Federal Government is now requiring students to obtain a tax transcript instead of submitting the Federal 1040. Please note that we cannot and will not accept a 1040 under any circumstances. Students will need to contact the IRS to request the tax transcript. You can request the transcript by completing and faxing the transcript request form or by contacting the IRS at 800-908-9946 and requesting form 4506T-EZ. Dependent students will need to submit this form for themselves and for their parents. Independent students that are married will need to submit this form for themselves and for their spouse.
  
• If you do not file taxes, we will need a copy of your W-2s and a non-filing statement.
  
• Proof of Food Stamps
  
• Verification worksheet
  

In addition to the documents listed above the Financial Aid Office may require a more detailed explanation of the students/family's income, investment value, or statement of monthly income vs. monthly household expenses. If that is the case, the information required will be posted to the student’s WESS account under “Student Requirements” in the Financial Aid section.

Generally how long does this verification process take?

The verification process can take 7 to 8 weeks depending on the time of the year.

If additional documentation is necessary after the initial review is completed, then the processing time will be extended until the additional documents are received and reviewed.

Why are additional documents requested?

Generally there are two reasons:

• Incomplete documents;
• The original documents reveal information that was not indicated on the FAFSA and requires further clarification.

Will the verification process affect my financial aid award?

Significant differences in the information reported on the FAFSA compared with the actual tax return or household size documentation may result in a change in one or more of the financial aid awards. A student is notified of any changes by an email message to their MSU email account. The email message notifies the student to review their aid on WESS.

Other FAQs about verification

• Will I get selected every year I apply for aid?
  If the information on the FAFSA meets the DOE's selection criteria in a subsequent year the student's FAFSA data will again require verification in the new academic year.
• Why was I selected this year and not in previous years?
  Every academic year is considered independently from the previous year. The fact that a student's file was selected or not selected in the previous year has no bearing on why a student was selected in the current academic year.
• Why is the State asking for documentation?
  HESAA's verification criteria and processes are completely separate from the federal process.   The documentation must be submitted to HESAA by the student prior to their deadlines to complete the student's state award.   A student's FAFSA might be selected by both DOE and HESAA and therefore require submission of the same documentation to both MSU and HESAA.
• Why does MSU select a file for verification?
  If the Financial Aid Office has information on a student or parent's income or household which conflicts with information on the FAFSA, then it is a federal regulation to resolve the conflict. MSU resolves the discrepant information by institutionally selecting the student's FAFSA for verification.