Important Information about the IRS Data Retrieval Tool

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) provides tax data that automatically fills in information for part of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ® ), as well as the income-driven repayment plan application for federal student loan borrowers.

To protect sensitive taxpayer data, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on fafsa.gov and StudentLoans.gov will be unavailable until extra security protections can be added. For borrowers who need to complete the Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request on StudentLoans.gov, the tool will be available in late-May. The tool will be available to use on the 2018–19 FAFSA form on October 1, 2017.

In the interim, please continue to complete the FAFSA or apply for an income-driven repayment plan by manually providing your tax information. The income information needed to complete these applications can be found on a previously filed tax return.

If you don’t have a copy of your tax return, access the tax software you used to prepare the return or contact your tax preparer to obtain a copy.
If you still can’t access your return, you can get a summary of a previously filed tax return, called a Tax Return Transcript, at irs.gov/transcript.

Here’s what you should know:

1. You can still submit the FAFSA online at fafsa.gov.

You will need to manually provide your 2015 tax information to complete the FAFSA. Do not use your 2016 tax information. For more info: StudentAid.gov/fafsa-changes
If your financial situation has changed since 2015, you should complete the FAFSA using the information it requires (2015 tax info), then contact your school’s financial aid office to discuss your circumstances. The financial aid office can make updates to your FAFSA information if appropriate.

If you are using your 2015 income tax return to manually enter information on your FAFSA, the FAFSA instructions provide guidance on which line number to reference depending on the IRS tax form you filed. That information is also provided in the table below. For more specific guidance on each item, visit fafsa.gov/help.htm.

2015 Income Tax Item	2017–18 Paper FAFSA Question	1040	1040A	1040EZ	IRS Tax Return Transcript
Adjusted gross income (AGI)	36 and 85	Line 37	Line 21	Line 4	Adjusted Gross Income Per Computer
Income tax paid	37 and 86	Line 56 minus line 46	Line 28 minus line 36	Line 10	IRS Form 1040 Transcripts: “Income Tax After Credits Per Computer” minus “Excess Advance Premium Tax Credit Repayment Amount” For IRS Form 1040A Transcripts: “Tentative Tax Per Computer” minus “Total Credits Per Computer” For IRS Form 1040EZ Transcripts: * “Total Tax Liability TP Figures Per Computer” minus “Health Care: Individual Responsibility”* For all transcripts, if taxes paid is negative, enter ‘0’ (zero)
Exemptions	38 and 87	6d	6d	See details.	Exemption number
Wages earned from working	39 and 88/89	Line 7*

Form W-2 Item	Boxes
Payments to tax-deferred pension and retirement savings plans	Boxes 12a through 12d, codes D, E, F, G, H and S

2. You can still apply for and recertify your income-driven payments on StudentLoans.gov.

While the IRS Data Retrieval Tool is unavailable, there is an additional step you may need to take to apply for or recertify your income-driven payments.
After you complete and submit the online income-driven repayment application on StudentLoans.gov, you’ll be instructed to submit income documentation to your federal loan servicer.
Valid income documentation may include a copy of your tax return, copies of pay stubs, or other acceptable forms of documentation explained online in the application process.
The easiest way to submit documentation to your servicer is to log in to your servicer’s website and upload the documentation in your online account.
If you need to recertify your income-driven payments, start the process early! Your servicer will inform you of your recertification deadline. Make sure you submit any documentation required by that deadline. If you don’t, your payments will increase, often significantly.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why was the IRS Data Retrieval Tool turned off?

The IRS suspects identity thieves may have used personal information obtained outside the tax system to access the FAFSA form in an attempt to secure tax information through the DRT. The DRT will be restored once security enhancements are added.

When will the IRS Data Retrieval Tool be available?

After security and privacy protections are added, the IRS DRT will be available for use within the Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request on StudentLoans.gov in late-May, and will be available for use on the 2018–19 FAFSA form on October 1, 2017.

Do not wait until the tool is available to fill out your FAFSA; you can enter your tax information manually at fafsa.gov. Do not wait to apply for an income-driven repayment plan, or recertify your income-driven payments; you can provide documentation of your tax information instead of using the IRS DRT.

What if I don’t have a copy of my 2015 tax return?

If you don’t have a copy of your 2015 tax return, access the tax software you used to prepare the return or contact your tax preparer to obtain a copy.

If you still can’t access your return, you can get a summary of a previously filed tax return, called a tax transcript, at www.irs.gov/transcript. If you’re applying for or recertifying for an income-driven repayment plan, you can use your transcript as documentation of your income.

Will my FAFSA deadline be extended?

You need to ask your school’s financial aid office how they will handle upcoming deadlines.

That said, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool being down does not prevent you from filling out the FAFSA. Regardless of how your school decides to handle any upcoming FAFSA deadlines, we highly recommend submitting your FAFSA as soon as possible to avoid financial aid issues and delays.

Will my deadline to recertify my income-driven repayment plan be extended?

No. You should still recertify your income-driven repayment plan by the deadline listed in communications you receive from your federal student loan servicer. We recommend starting the process as soon as you get your recertification notice to avoid any issues.

Contact your servicer if you have questions or need help. If you need to locate contact information for your servicer, visit StudentAid.gov/login.

If I used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, how will I know if my information was compromised?

As a precaution, the IRS is notifying taxpayers (by mail) who may have been affected and offering free credit monitoring.

Nicole Callahan is a Digital Engagement Strategist at the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid.

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