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Verification

WHAT IS VERIFICATION?

When you completed your FAFSA, you probably received a message that said "Congratulations, you have successfully submitted your FAFSA for 2023-24 or 2024-25". However, 37% of students that successfully submit the FAFSA will have to complete an additional process called "verification" before their financial aid is official. Please follow the steps below to provide our office with the information necessary to complete the verification process. Near the bottom of this page you will find a list of frequently asked verification questions for more detail. If you have unanswered questions, you may contact the financial aid office at [email protected] or (231) 591-2110.

Step One - Verification Form

If you were selected for the verification process, please print, complete and return the appropriate verification form from the list below. Please note that forms are aid year specific. Please make sure you choose the form for the appropriate aid year.

2023-2024 Forms (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Summer 2024) Tax Year 2021

2023-2024 Dependent Verification Form

2023-2024 Independent Verification Form 

2024-2025 Forms (Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Summer 2025) Tax Year 2022

2024-2025 Dependent Verification Form  (Forms coming soon)

2024-2025 Independent Verification Form (Forms coming soon)

Step Two - Tax Documentation

In addition to the verification form, tax data must be provided from the Internal Revenue Service for both the student and the custodial parent(s). The type of acceptable tax documentation depends on the 2021 or 2022 tax-filing status of the student and the custodial parent(s). IRS Data Retrieval or IRS Direct Data Exchange are the recommended methods of providing tax documentation for the verification process. 

Please read the following instructions for providing tax documentation.

Additional Documentation

Occasionally we must request additional documentation from you after we receive your verification documents due to discrepancies that arise once your file is reviewed. We will notify you if any additional documentation is required. Again, it is important to submit all requested information as quickly as possible to prevent the loss of some forms of aid.

Frequently Asked Verification Questions