What Alternatives Are Currently Available To Request Tax Transcripts and Nonfiling Letters During the COVID-19 Outbreak?

2022-23 Verification Waiver: Beginning May 18, 2022 and for the remainder of the 2022-23 FAFSA processing and verification cycle, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) waives verification of all FAFSA/ISIR information, except for identity/Statement of Educational Purpose in Verification Tracking Groups V4 and V5. See Dear Colleague Letter GEN-22-06 and AskRegs Q&A, How Do We Implement the Verification Waiver For the Remainder Of 2022-23?, for guidance. The following guidance is still relevant depending on context and/or application of the waiver.

This AskRegs Knowledgebase Q&A has been updated to include all of the alternatives that are currently available to request tax transcripts and Verification of Nonfiling Letters from the IRS.

NASFAA has confirmed that the IRS website is accepting online and phone requests for Tax Return Transcripts and Tax Account Transcripts to be sent to the tax filer by mail. The IRS is still not processing IRS Form 4506-T or 4506T-EZ requests at the time of this update.

The following alternatives are available at this time:

• Use the Get Transcript Online tool on the IRS website to view, print, or download a copy of the Tax Return Transcript, alternative tax transcripts, or Verification of Nonfiling Letter in real time as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file. The individual must be able to complete the IRS registration and login process to use this service.
• Use the Get Transcript by Mail option on the IRS website to submit a Tax Return Transcript or Tax Account Transcript request online and receive the transcript by mail to the tax filer’s IRS address of record within 5 to 10 calendar days.
• Call 1.800.908.9946 to receive the transcript by mail to the tax filer’s IRS address of record within 5 to 10 calendar days.
• Submit signed copy of the tax return (along with Schedules 1, 2, and 3 for 2020-21) that was filed with the IRS.
• The student or parent can return to the FAFSA and use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) if he or she is allowed to use that tool. See AskRegs Q&A, Why Are Some Students Not Allowed To Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool?

The IRS Record of Account Transcript, Wage and Tax Statement (W-2 alternative), and Verification of Nonfiling Letter can be requested using only the Get Transcript Online tool or by mailing/faxing IRS Form 4506-T to the IRS. Until the IRS starts accepting IRS Form 4506-T or 4506T-EZ requests, there are no other alternatives at this time. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has not waived the tax transcript/tax return requirement due to COVID-19. However, there are alternatives for the verification of nonfiling. See AskRegs Q&A, Are There Exceptions or Alternatives to Collecting a Verification of Nonfiling Letter?

The student or parent may need to file IRS Form 8822, to change his or her address with the IRS in order to receive a tax transcript or verification of nonfiling by mail.

Note: The IRS web page for students and parents still reads, "Tax Transcripts are only available online. We have stopped processing transcript requests by mail until further notice." This only applies to mailing the 4506-T or 4506T-EZ request to the IRS.

Reference the verification documentation requirements outlined in 668.57(b) and (c) of the regulations and in the Federal Register, Dear Colleague Letter, and Electronic Announcement for the applicable award year.