IRS Data Retrieval Tool

Transfer Information from the IRS to the FAFSA

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) allows students and parents to transfer tax information directly to the 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the IRS.

If you are eligible to use the IRS DRT, we highly recommend using the tool for several reasons:

1. It's the easiest way to provide your tax return information.
2. It's the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA has accurate tax information.
3. It may eliminate the need to provide a copy of your or your parents' tax returns to your college.

If you use the IRS DRT to transfer your tax return information from the IRS, the information will not display on your FAFSA. For your protection, the answer to each question is replaced with "Transferred from the IRS."

Most students and parents who filed a U.S tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) if they have already filed their taxes.

However, there are a few scenarios in which students and parents are ineligible to use the IRS DRT, such as:

• The student/parent is married, and either the student/parent or his/her spouse filed as Married Filing Separately.
• The student/parent is married, and either the student/parent or his/her spouse filed as Head of Household.
• The parents’ marital status is “Unmarried and both legal parents living together.”
• The student/parent filed a Puerto Rican or foreign tax return.

Any students or parents who meet the above criteria will need to enter their tax return information manually. Additionally, students or parents who filed their tax returns electronically within the last three weeks, or through the mail within the last 11 weeks, might need to enter their tax return information manually or return at a later date to transfer their tax return information into the FAFSA.

If you are eligible to use the IRS DRT, then click Link To IRS to transfer your tax return information from the IRS Web site into your FAFSA. (Note: If you previously transferred your tax return information from the IRS, then the Link To IRS button displays once you click the "View option to link to the IRS" hyperlink.)

If you are ineligible or otherwise choose not to use the IRS DRT to retrieve tax information, you may be required to submit a copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript (or your parents’ IRS Tax Return Transcript, if you are a dependent student).

As always, Financial Aid staff are available at the Financial Aid Kiosk located on the lower level of Prahl to assist students in completing their FAFSA’s. Students and parents will need to bring their tax returns with them in order to complete this process.

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If you have any questions call the Financial Aid Office at (810) 762-0144.