Posted Date:January 5, 2018
| Author: | Federal Student Aid |
Subject: Upcoming Email Notifications to FAFSA Applicants and Parents
In early 2018, Federal Student Aid (FSA) will be emailing certain Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) applicants and parents about renewing the FAFSA form for the 2018–19 award year, using the Internal Revenue Service Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT), and taking advantage of the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program.
FAFSA Renewal
FSA will begin sending the second round of renewal reminders to 2017–18 FAFSA filers (and parents of dependent 2017–18 FAFSA filers) who have not submitted a 2018–19 FAFSA form. Eligible students and parents who have a valid email address in the Central Processing System (CPS) will receive an email between now and early February.
The goals of the email campaign are to make customers aware that the 2018–19 FAFSA form is available and to encourage them to complete the 2018–19 FAFSA form early. Students and parents may receive different messages based on certain factors. The specific email text is attached to an October 12, 2016 Electronic Announcement.
IRS DRT
As part of FSA’s ongoing effort to expand usage of the IRS DRT, FSA will email students and parents of dependent students who did not use the IRS DRT when completing the 2018-19 FAFSA form. The email will encourage them to return to fafsa.gov, transfer their 2016 tax return information into the FAFSA form, and submit the correction. It will also discourage them from revising data that was accurate at the time the FAFSA form was filed, such as household size or number in college. This correction submission will result in a more accurate CPS transaction upon which financial aid administrators can determine a student's eligibility for aid. The full text of the IRS DRT emails is attached in the file “IRS DRT Email Text.”
IRS VITA Program
As part of the partnership between the IRS and FSA, emails will be sent to low-income FAFSA applicants who may be able to take advantage of the IRS’ VITA Program. This program offers traditional face-to-face tax preparation with an IRS-certified volunteer or use of a facilitated self-assistance service where individuals can prepare and file their own tax return with access to an IRS-certified volunteer for questions. The full text of the IRS VITA Program emails sent to students and parents is attached in the file “VITA Email Text.”
Feel free to use language from the attached emails in your own communications.