FAFSA verification codes V1 and 'Conflicting Info' appeared in my son's To Do list - what's next?

You've been selected for verification - it happens to about 30% of FAFSA applicants, so don't panic! V1 is the standard verification group that checks basic financial info. The process confirms the info on your FAFSA matches your tax documents. The 'Conflicting Info' flag means something on your FAFSA doesn't match other information they have. Could be something simple like a birthdate typo or more complex like reported income differences. Timeline is usually 2-4 weeks once you submit everything. The financial aid office won't package aid until verification is complete, so gather those documents quickly. Also strange they want 2022 returns when 2025-2026 FAFSA uses 2023 tax info - that might be part of the conflicting information they're trying to resolve.

omg this happened to me too!!! i got the same v1 thing and the conflicting info stuff. took FOREVER to sort out. ended up being cuz my mom put different income on the fafsa than what was on her taxes. stupid system.

For the V1 Verification, you'll need to complete specific forms from your college (they should provide these) and submit documents including: 1. Signed copies of your parent's 2023 tax return or tax transcript from IRS 2. W-2 forms for both student and parents 3. A verification worksheet that confirms household size, college attendance, and other details Regarding the 2022 tax transcript request - this is unusual for a 2025-2026 FAFSA which should use 2023 tax information. This might be where the 'Conflicting Info' flag originated. Perhaps they're checking for income consistency across years or there was a misentry of the tax year. The conflicting information must be resolved before any aid is disbursed, so I recommend calling the financial aid office directly for clarification. Document everything during your call - get names, dates, and specific instructions. Verification doesn't mean you did anything wrong - it's a random selection process in many cases, though certain application elements can trigger it as well.

verification is annoying but not end of world. just give them what they want & don't argue!! my nephew got selected 2 years in a row, still got same aid amount in the end. just make copies of EVERYTHING u send them!!!!

The financial aid system is DESIGNED to be confusing and frustrating! They DELIBERATELY make it hard to navigate so fewer students get the money they deserve. I've been through THREE verifications with my kids and each time it was a NIGHTMARE of paperwork and waiting. That "conflicting info" flag is their favorite trick - they'll claim something doesn't match but won't tell you what exactly is wrong! Then you submit more docs and they find something else to question. It's a game to them!!! My advice - CALL THEM EVERY SINGLE WEEK until it's resolved. Be persistent or your son's file will sit at the bottom of some lazy admin's pile!

I had this exact situation with my daughter last year. The "conflicting info" turned out to be that we had listed her as a dependent on our taxes (correctly) but somehow the FAFSA had been marked that she wasn't claimed as a dependent. Simple fix but took WEEKS to resolve because we couldn't get through on the phone. We finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual FAFSA agent. They have this service where they wait on hold for you and call when an agent picks up - saved us hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ For the V1 verification, your school will have specific forms they want you to complete. Don't use generic forms from the internet.

took me like 5 weeks to fix everything but i started super late. if u do it asap probably like 2-3 weeks maybe?

As someone who works adjacent to financial aid (academic advisor), I can tell you that the verification process is straightforward if you approach it systematically: 1. Contact the financial aid office directly to clarify exactly what they need, especially regarding the 2022 vs 2023 tax transcript confusion. Get specific names and instructions. 2. For the V1 verification, they're checking household size, number in college, and tax/income information. The forms should be available through your son's student portal. 3. The "Conflicting Info" flag typically means there's a discrepancy between FAFSA data and other documents. Common issues include: - Different reported income on FAFSA vs tax returns - Household size discrepancies - Dependency status conflicts - Marital status inconsistencies 4. Provide everything at once, properly labeled, with your son's ID number on each document. Verification doesn't mean your aid amount will change if the original information was accurate. It's just a compliance process.

I just wanted to add that you should check all the numbers you entered on the FAFSA carefully. Sometimes the conflicting information is as simple as transposed digits in an income field or SSN. Also, if your family had any special circumstances like untaxed income, retirement distributions, or educational tax credits, those often trigger verification. For the verification forms themselves, answer exactly what they ask - don't leave anything blank, and if something doesn't apply, write "N/A" rather than leaving it empty.

My daughter got selected for verification 3 times during her college years (seems random but who knows). Once was because we had done an IRA rollover that showed as income on one form but not another - took forever to explain that! The financial aid officers don't always understand tax nuances. Anyway, my experience is get everything to them ASAP because they process in the order received. Nothing worse than being at the back of the line when aid is being distributed. Oh and back to your question about 2022 taxes - maybe they're checking for income consistency across years? Some schools do that if they suspect unreported income.

One additional piece of advice: keep a detailed communication log of everyone you speak with, what they told you, and when. In the verification process, it's not uncommon to get conflicting instructions from different staff members. If your son has a student email through the college, make sure he's checking it daily. Many schools communicate exclusively through their internal systems rather than personal email. Finally, don't hesitate to ask for a timeline once you've submitted everything. A simple "When can we expect verification to be completed?" can help manage expectations. Most schools have internal processing timelines they can share with you.

I went through verification with my twins last year and it was stressful but manageable. A few things that helped us get through it quickly: 1. Create a checklist of every document they request and check them off as you gather them 2. Make copies of everything before you submit - seriously, documents can get lost 3. If possible, submit everything electronically through the student portal rather than mailing The 2022 tax transcript request is definitely unusual for a 2025-26 FAFSA. When I called about a similar issue, it turned out they had flagged our application because of a large difference in income between years (my husband changed jobs). They wanted to verify the income change was legitimate. Don't let your son stress too much - verification is super common and rarely results in aid being denied if you provided accurate information originally. Just respond promptly with everything they ask for. Good luck!