When you access FAFSA online, you will be asked if you (and your parents, if applicable) have or will complete a federal income tax return. If you have completed an income tax return, you may be eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which is the best and easiest way to provide accurate tax information. With just a few simple steps, you can view the information from the IRS tax return and transfer that information directly into your FAFSA. If you indicate you will file, you can estimate income information and update the FAFSA later. Once you (and your parents, if applicable) have filed a tax return, you must update the information reported on the FAFSA to reflect the actual information from the tax return filed.

If you have any questions, you can contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). Their customer service team is a great resource and can answer questions you may have about the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

Please veiw the following video for additional assistance: