Can I use delayed tax return for FAFSA when IRS has been holding it since February?

Yes, you can definitely use your filed tax information for the FAFSA even if the IRS hasn't fully processed your return or issued your refund. What matters is that you've FILED your taxes - not whether the IRS has finished processing them or sent your refund. The FAFSA asks for filed tax information, which you have already completed. When you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool in the FAFSA, it should still pull your tax information even if your refund is delayed. If for some reason the Data Retrieval Tool doesn't work, you can manually enter the information from your tax return copy.

my brother had this exact problem last yr. dont worry about it. the fafsa only cares that u filed ur taxes not if the irs gave u money back yet

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Filed in January, still "processing" in May with no explanation. I called the IRS about 20 times (literally) and never got through to a human. Finally used the Data Retrieval Tool anyway for my son's FAFSA and it worked perfectly - pulled all our tax info even though our return was still in limbo. The financial aid office told me this happens ALL THE TIME now with IRS delays and it's totally fine.

You're absolutely fine to use your completed tax return information for the FAFSA. The FAFSA specifically needs the information you reported on your tax forms, not the IRS's final processing status. You've fulfilled your obligation by filing the return. One technical detail: If you try to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and it doesn't work because of the processing delay, you can manually enter your tax information. Just be prepared - there's slightly higher chance of being selected for verification if you manually enter the data rather than using the IRS DRT. Not guaranteed, but worth being aware of.

To add to what others said - I went through verification last year because my return was delayed and I manually entered my information (IRS DRT wasn't working for me). The financial aid office just needed me to submit a signed copy of the tax return I filed. It was annoying but not the end of the world. Also, have you tried calling the IRS about your delayed return? Good luck with that - I spent HOURS trying to get through last year and kept getting disconnected.

I had a similar issue two years ago when the IRS flagged my return for "review" which took MONTHS. I eventually discovered that using Claimyr (claimyr.com) got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of calling endlessly myself. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I finally talked to someone, they explained exactly why my return was delayed (missing form) and I was able to fix it. Might be worth trying so you at least know why your return is stuck. For the FAFSA though, everyone else is right - you can and should use your filed tax info regardless of processing status.

One more thing - make sure to save a copy of your filed tax return just in case you do get selected for verification. The financial aid office might ask for it, and having it ready will save you time.

yall stressing too much lol. the fafsa ppl and the irs barely talk to each other anyway. my cousin works in a financial aid office and says returns on hold happen ALL THE TIME and its never an issue

I went through this exact situation last year and can confirm what others are saying - you absolutely can and should proceed with your FAFSA using your filed tax information. The key word here is "filed" - the IRS processing delays don't affect your ability to complete the FAFSA. A few practical tips from my experience: 1. Try the IRS Data Retrieval Tool first - it often works even when returns are still processing 2. If the DRT fails, manually enter your information from your tax return copy 3. Keep detailed records of what you entered in case of verification 4. Don't wait for the IRS to finish processing - financial aid deadlines are more important than IRS processing timelines The good news is that these IRS delays have become so common that financial aid offices are very familiar with this situation. They won't penalize you for something completely outside your control. Focus on meeting your daughter's financial aid deadlines rather than waiting for the IRS to catch up!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! My family is in a similar boat - we filed our taxes in March and they're still showing "processing" on the IRS website. I was panicking thinking we'd miss all the financial aid deadlines because of this delay, but reading everyone's experiences here has been such a relief. It sounds like the consensus is pretty clear: use your filed tax information regardless of IRS processing status. I'm curious though - for those who had to go through verification later, how long did that process typically take? I want to make sure we're prepared if that happens to us too. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for newcomers like me who are trying to navigate all this financial aid stuff!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in a college financial aid office! You're getting great advice here - definitely proceed with your FAFSA using your filed tax information. We see this situation constantly, especially during peak tax season when the IRS gets backlogged. A couple of insider tips: - If you do get selected for verification and need to submit tax documents, we accept your filed tax return copy along with a "Record of Account Transcript" from the IRS (which you can get online even when your return is still processing) - Don't stress about small discrepancies if the IRS makes minor adjustments later - we can handle those easily - The absolute worst thing you can do is miss financial aid deadlines waiting for IRS processing Your daughter's aid won't be affected by this delay as long as you submit everything on time. We're much more concerned with students who don't file at all than those dealing with IRS processing delays!

As someone who went through this exact scenario two years ago, I can't stress enough how important it is to NOT wait for the IRS to finish processing your return. I made that mistake initially and almost missed my son's priority financial aid deadline at his top choice school. Here's what I learned: The FAFSA system is designed to handle these IRS delays - they happen every single year to thousands of families. The Department of Education knows the IRS gets backlogged, especially during busy filing seasons, so they don't penalize students for something completely outside their control. My advice: Log into your FAFSA account today and try the IRS Data Retrieval Tool first. Even with your return still "processing," there's a good chance it will pull your tax information successfully. If it doesn't work, manually enter everything from your filed tax return. Yes, there's a slightly higher chance of verification with manual entry, but that's still better than missing deadlines. Also, keep checking the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool every few days. Sometimes returns suddenly move from "processing" to "approved" without any notice. But don't let that delay your FAFSA submission - your daughter's financial aid is too important to risk over IRS timing issues!

I'm new to this community and this discussion has been incredibly helpful! My family is facing the exact same situation - we filed our 2023 taxes in early March and they're still stuck in "processing" limbo with no explanation from the IRS. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief because I was starting to panic that this would derail my daughter's financial aid completely. It's amazing to see how common this issue is and how many families have successfully navigated it. The advice about using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool first, then manually entering if needed, seems like the smart approach. I especially appreciate the insight from Mikayla who works in financial aid - hearing that perspective from someone on the inside really puts my mind at ease. I think the key takeaway for me is what several people have emphasized: don't let IRS processing delays cause you to miss financial aid deadlines. The IRS problems are completely outside our control, but meeting those FAFSA deadlines is something we CAN control. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and advice - this community is exactly what stressed parents like me need during this confusing process!

I'm so grateful to have found this discussion! My family is dealing with the exact same IRS processing nightmare - we filed our taxes in January and it's now been over 4 months of "still processing" with zero communication from the IRS. I was absolutely panicking that this would somehow disqualify us from financial aid or cause major delays for my son's college applications. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. The consistent message seems to be: don't let IRS delays derail your FAFSA timeline. I'm particularly grateful for the professional insight from those who work in financial aid offices - knowing that this situation is routine and that there are established procedures to handle it makes me feel so much better. I'm going to follow the advice here and attempt the IRS Data Retrieval Tool tomorrow, with manual entry as backup if needed. It's clear that meeting financial aid deadlines is far more important than waiting for the IRS to get their act together. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and helping anxious parents like me navigate this stressful process!

Welcome to everyone who's dealing with this frustrating IRS processing delay! I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to this exact problem. We filed our 2023 taxes in late February and have been stuck in processing limbo ever since - no letters, no explanations, just the dreaded "still processing" message every time we check. Reading through this entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly such a relief! I had no idea how common this issue was or that the FAFSA system was designed to handle these delays. I was genuinely worried that somehow our delayed return would make us look unreliable to financial aid offices or cause problems with my daughter's aid package. The professional insights from those working in financial aid offices have been particularly valuable - knowing that they see this situation constantly and have established procedures to deal with it takes so much pressure off. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here: try the IRS Data Retrieval Tool first thing Monday morning, then manual entry if needed, and focus on meeting our financial aid deadlines rather than waiting for the IRS to catch up. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and advice. It's amazing how much stress this community has helped alleviate for families like ours who are navigating this process for the first time!