David Bartnicki Verification Update - IRS System Outage

 

Dear SASFAA,

I know I just sent an update a few days ago but I have two important pieces of information to share (unfortunately it is all worked related).

Verification Documentation

As you know ED recently posted an electronic announcement dated 8/21/12 addressing certain instances where signed paper tax returns and other documents are acceptable to use for verification in lieu of tax transcripts. 

In that announcement we indicated for amended return situations the taxpayer must provide the original signed tax return and the signed amended tax return (1040X) and that transcripts were no longer to be used to verify amended returns.

However, upon further review we have determined that schools can accept a signed copy of the tax return and a signed copy of the 1040X OR can accept an IRS Tax Return Transcript and a signed copy of the 1040X. The IRS Tax Return Transcript would not need to be signed.  However, if there is any “per computer” amount on the IRS Tax Return Transcript (amounts corrected by the IRS) that isn’t amended by the 1040X it will also have to be corrected if it differs from what was reported on the FAFSA.

We hope to provide formal updated guidance to the electronic announcement in the near future.

IRS System Outage

Also, just in case you missed it, our electronic announcement dated 8/20/12 (updated 8/22/12) informs our schools that the IRS system will be down for a planned outage this holiday weekend.  Due to this scheduled power outage at the IRS, the IRS data retrieval tool and all transcript options (paper, phone or online) will not be available.  The outage is planned from 1:00 A.M. (ET) on Thursday, August 30, 2012 through 12:00 P.M. (ET) on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. 

Please see the 8/20/12 electronic announcement attachment for more information.

Have a great day.  Oh, and by the way Ethan had a good weekend and so far has not brought home any more red Xs.   However, when confronted with his pencil throwing incident, instead of hanging his head in contrition, he proudly stated that his pencil went the farthest.  Keep him in your prayers.

Your FED,

DAVE

David Bartnicki

Federal Training Officer

ED/FSA/Atlanta