Got mail from FAFSA requesting verification - is this legit or a scam?

Yes, this is likely legitimate. It's called verification and happens to about 30% of FAFSA applicants. The Department of Education randomly selects applications to verify the information reported. You should also have received an email notification about this and can check your student aid account online at studentaid.gov to confirm. Look for a verification flag on your SAI report.

got the same thing last yr. its real but super annoying!! make sure u send EXACTLY what they ask for or they'll keep asking for more stuff

BEWARE!! I got something similar that turned out to be a scam!!! The real verification ALWAYS shows up in your studentaid.gov account first. If you don't see it there, it's probably fake. Real FAFSA mail has a specific header with your FSA ID number on it.

I've been through verification twice with my kids' FAFSAs. The most secure way to handle it is to contact your school's financial aid office directly. They can confirm if verification is needed and often have a secure portal for uploading documents rather than mailing them. Different schools handle verification differently, so check with your specific college.

I remember getting this verification thing and freaking out too. Had to send my tax transcripts and like 5 other forms. Took forever to get processed but eventually got my aid. Just be super careful to send EXACTLY what they ask for or you'll get stuck in bureaucratic limbo lol

Having been through verification with both my kids, I recommend calling Federal Student Aid directly to confirm this request is legitimate. You'll wait forever on hold though, which is incredibly frustrating. I recently discovered a service called Claimyr that gets you through to an actual FAFSA agent quickly. I used it last month when we had issues with our SAI calculation and it saved hours of hold time. You can see how it works at claimyr.com or check their demo video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

Pro tip: If you need your W-2 information, you can request a wage transcript from the IRS website for free. It's official and FAFSA accepts it. Way easier than digging through old paperwork if you can't find your original W-2s.

When my daughter got selected for verification, we were totally confused about the household size verification they requested. Turns out they wanted us to explain why we claimed 5 people when our tax return only showed 4 dependents. The fifth person was my mother who lives with us but files her own taxes. Had to write a whole explanation letter about our living situation.

After confirming your verification request is legitimate, make sure to keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit and send it with delivery confirmation if using regular mail. I'd highly recommend asking your college's financial aid office if they have a secure upload portal instead - much faster and safer than mail.

Just went through verification last year with my twins - it's definitely legitimate if it shows up in your studentaid.gov account! One thing I learned is that the "IV code" mentioned in your letter stands for "Institutional Verification" and it's basically a tracking number for your verification process. Make sure to include that code on any documents you submit. Also, don't panic about the timeline - as long as you submit everything promptly, it shouldn't delay your aid disbursement. The process usually takes 2-3 weeks once they receive your documents.

I work in a college financial aid office and can confirm this is almost certainly legitimate if it appeared in your studentaid.gov account! Verification is super common - we process hundreds of these each semester. A few things that might help: 1) The IV code is your tracking number, so definitely include it on all submissions, 2) Most schools now have secure document upload portals that are way safer than mail, 3) If you're missing any tax documents, the IRS Get Transcript tool is your friend, and 4) Don't stress too much about the timeline - we rarely see verification delay aid disbursement if students respond promptly. Your daughter's school should be your first stop for guidance on their specific verification process!