What should I do if my FAFSA is selected for verification?

If your FAFSA is selected for verification, it usually means the college’s financial aid office needs to confirm some of the information you submitted before they can finalize your aid. It does not mean you did anything wrong, and it is fairly common. The most important thing to do now is check each college’s financial aid portal or email carefully, because schools often ask for slightly different documents and set their own deadlines.

Start by logging into every college portal where you applied and look for a checklist or missing documents section. Verification often involves things like tax return information, W-2s, proof of non-filing, household size, or confirmation of certain untaxed income. If a parent or student used imported IRS tax data, the school may still ask for follow-up documents if something needs clarification.

Complete exactly what each school requests, and do it as soon as possible. If a form asks for a verification worksheet, fill it out fully, sign it if required, and upload or submit it the way the school instructs. Missing signatures, incomplete forms, and sending the wrong tax year are common reasons verification gets delayed.

If your financial situation has changed since the tax year used on the FAFSA, still finish verification first unless the school tells you otherwise. After that, contact the financial aid office and ask about a professional judgment or special circumstances review. That is separate from verification.