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Financial Aid

Verification

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Annually, the U.S. Department of Education selects 33% of all students applying for federal aid for verification. All students selected will be notified by the University. If the statement "Your FAFSA has been selected for a review process called verification. Your school has the authority to request copies of certain financial documents from you and your parent(s)"  appears under the comment section of your Student Aid Report, you have been selected for verification.
 
We recommend that student's submit all verification documents by uploading them securely in their SOAR account.  Needed documentation it will be listed on their To-Do-List, which includes an upload document link to submit requested items electronically. Uploading documents is the most efficient way for the Financial Aid Office to receive verification documents, however, student's can also submit them through email, fax, mail, or in person.
 
Fax: 601-266-5769
Mail: The University of Southern Mississippi, Office of Financial Aid
          118 College Drive, Box #5101
          Hattiesburg, MS 39406

Dependent Students

By federal aid definition, dependent students are:

  • Not over the age of 24
  • Not working on a master's or doctorate degree
  • Not married
  • Does not have children for whom the student provides more than half support
  • Not an orphan or ward of the court
  • Not a veteran

Both parent(s) and student must complete a verification worksheet, provide copies of IRS tax transcripts for both parent(s) and student, and all other documentation as requested. 

When submitting the worksheet, please be certain that all sections are completed, the student has signed, and the parent has signed.  All paper forms must have physical signatures, electronic signatures will not be accepted unless you electronically sign the online SOAR verification worksheet.

Complete this form online in your SOAR to-do list under Task tile.
(Note: If you are having difficulties completing the online form, please contact the Financial Aid Office for a paper form.)

The verification process for 2023-2024 (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024) requires us to review the student's and parent's 2021 tax return transcript. An IRS Tax Return Transcript can be obtained online, by phone (1.800.908.9946), or by completing IRS Form 4506T-EZ

Instead of requesting an IRS Tax Return Transcript, some individuals may be eligible to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on their FAFSA. We highly recommend using the tool for several reasons:

  • It’s the easiest way to provide your tax data
  • It’s the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA has accurate tax information
  • You won’t need to provide a copy of your or your parents’ tax return transcript to our office

If the student did not file taxes, an IRS Tax Return Transcript is not required. When the completed Dependent Verification Worksheet is received, a financial aid counselor will waive the Student Tax Transcript item on the Student's SOAR To-Do List. If the student earned income, but was not required to file taxes, that income must be listed on the Verification Worksheet under the Student Income Information page. 


If the parent did not file taxes in the requested tax year, a letter of non-filing is required from the IRS. A letter of non-filing can be obtained online.

 

 

Only submit the below forms if they have been requested by the Financial Aid Office. 

Documentation of Dependents

  • 2023-2024 (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024)

Statement of Educational Purpose

  • 2023-2024 (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024)

Independent Students

By federal aid definition, independent students are:

  • You are working on a degree beyond a bachelor’s, such as a master’s or doctorate
  • You have a child or children, or other legal dependents, who receive more than half their financial support from you
  • You are married (or separated but not divorced)
  • You are at least 24 years old
  • You are a veteran of the United States Armed Forces
  • You are currently serving on active duty in the Armed Forces for other than training purposes
    If, at any time since you turned 13, both your parents were deceased, your were in foster care, or were a ward of the court
  • You are an emancipated child as determined by a court judge
  • You are homeless or at risk of homelessness as determined by the director of a HUD approved homeless shelter, transitional program, or high school liaison

The student (and spouse if married) must complete a verification worksheet, provide copies of IRS tax transcripts, and all other documentation as requested. 

When submitting the worksheet, please be certain that all sections are completed with student signature.  If you are submitting a paper form, it must have physical signatures, electronic signatures will not be accepted unless you electronically sign the online SOAR verification worksheet.

 

Complete this form online in your SOAR to-do list under Task tile.
(Note: If you are having difficulties completing the online form, please contact the Financial Aid Office for a paper form.)

The verification process for 2023-2024 (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024) requires us to review the student's (and spouses if application) 2021 tax return transcript. An IRS Tax Return Transcript can be obtained online, by phone (1.800.908.9946), or by completing IRS Form 4506T-EZ

Instead of requesting an IRS Tax Return Transcript, some individuals may be eligible to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on their FAFSA. We highly recommend using the tool for several reasons:

  • It’s the easiest way to provide your tax data
  • It’s the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA has accurate tax information
  • You won’t need to provide a copy of your or your parents’ tax return transcript to our office

If the student (or spouse if applicable) did not file taxes in the requested tax year, a letter of non-filing is required from the IRS. A letter of non-filing can be obtained online.

Only submit the below forms if they have been requested by the Financial Aid Office.

Documentation of Dependents

  • 2023-2024 (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024)

Statement of Educational Purpose

  • 2023-2024 (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024)

Special Note: Please make sure all signatures (student, spouse, and parents) are on all documents given to our office. We are unable to process your applications if signatures are missing. We recommend that you submit all verification documents through the document upload tool in your SOAR account.

In very limited situations Federal law may allow a school to consider a dependent student independent (for financial aid purposes) when unusual conditions exist and a dependent student is unable to provide parental data on the FAFSA. Circumstances may include...

  • Your parents are incarcerated
  • You have left home due to an abusive family environment
  • You do not know your parents location, are unable to contact them, and you are not adopted

Not all situations are considered unusual. The following would not be considered valid situations:

  • You do not live with your parents or you are self-sufficient
  • Your parents refuse to contribute to your college expenses
  • Your parents do not claim you (the student) as an exemption on their income taxes

Contact The Office of Financial Aid for more information regarding this process. 

Financial Aid awards may be reevaluated due to special circumstances:

  • Divorce of Student or supporting Parent
  • Death of Spouse or supporting Parent
  • Loss of income or unemployment of student, spouse, or supporting Parent
  • Excessive and unusual family medical expenses not covered by insurance
  • Other exceptional circumstances

All requests to revise your award must include supporting documentation (copies of check stubs, medical expenses, etc., and/or thorough written explanation). Students who do not meet one of the above guidelines or students failing to provide proper documentation will have their requests denied. 

Contact The Office of Financial Aid for more information regarding this process.

 

Contact Us

Office of Financial Aid
Kennard-Washington Hall (KWH) 101
118 College Dr. #5101 Hattiesburg, MS 39406

Hattiesburg Campus

Fax 601.266.5769

Campus Map

Email
financial.aidFREEMississippi

Phone
601.266.4774

Contact Us

Student Services One Stop
Gulf Coast Library (GCL) 101
730 East Beach Blvd. 
Long Beach, MS 39560

Gulf Park Campus

Campus Map

Email
OneStop_GPFREEMississippi

Phone
228.214.3370