To Do List Notifications

Using IRS Data Retrieval on the FAFSA

IRS Data Retrieval on the FAFSA allows tax-filers to import data from their tax return directly into the FAFSA form.

To use IRS Data Retrieval after your FAFSA has been submitted, go to fafsa.gov and click on the "Make correction" link.

• After logging in, navigate to the Financial Information section.
• Under “For (tax year), have you/your parents completed your/their IRS income tax return…” choose “Already Completed.” Answer filing status and foreign tax return questions. Pay attention to side bar for reasons you may not be eligible to use IRS Data Retrieval.
• Click “Link to IRS.”
• Enter FSA ID (NOTE: The person whose tax information is being transferred should enter his/her own FSA ID.) Click “Proceed to IRS Site.” You will be transferred to IRS Website. Click “OK."
• On IRS Website, enter the requested information exactly as it appears on your tax return.
• Check the box under “Transfer My Tax Information into FAFSA” and click “Transfer Now.”
• Your tax data will be transferred from the IRS. Remember to sign and submit the correction.
• Please allow 3 to 5 business days for SSU to receive notification of your successful retrieval.

Some tax-filers cannot use IRS Data Retrieval. If the following applies to you or your parents, see the section below Instructions for Submitting a Tax Return Transcript.

Tax-Filers Who Cannot Use IRS Data Retrieval

• Married couples who filed separate federal tax returns
• Joint tax-filers who are separated, divorced, or widowed at the time the FAFSA is filed
• Filers of Puerto Rican or foreign tax returns

Instructions for Submitting a Tax Return Transcript

Tax-filers who cannot use or chooses not to use the IRS Data Retrieval on the FAFSA must request a Tax Return Transcript from the IRS if the student has been selected for Verification and there is a corresponding task in your MyFA Forms.

Tax Return Transcripts must be requested by the tax-filer directly from the IRS at www.irs.gov by clicking on "Get Your Tax Record" or by calling 1-800-908-9946. The Tax Return Transcript is the type of transcript required for income verification. In some cases, tax-filers will also be required to provide the account transcript. DO NOT request the Tax Account Transcript unless the student’s To Do List specifically asks for that type of transcript.

NOTE: For the 2022-2023 academic year a signed federal tax return (1040) and all applicable schedules that were filed with the IRS will also be accepted to verify income for verification purposes.

Failure to Submit To Do List items has DIRE Consequences

Be sure to complete all tasks in MyFA Forms by the due date. If you cannot meet the due date, contact the Financial Aid Office by email at finaid@sonoma.edu or by phone at (707) 664-2389. We will extend your due date and advise you of the specific consequences of the delay. Viewing the due date is explained in the section below When To Do List Items are Requested. Also, more information is provided in the Potential Consequences of Failure to Submit To Do List Items section of this page

Benefits of Prompt Submission of To Do List Items

There are two primary benefits given to students who apply for financial aid and promptly submit their tasks in their MyFA Forms through your Online Services portal, which are deferment of registration charges and first-of-semester on campus housing payments, and early availability of refunds of excess financial aid.

Financial Aid Deferments

If you have a financial aid award offer in place that is sufficient to pay your mandatory registration charges and first-of-semester housing payments prior to the payment deadlines, you do not have to make those payments out-of-pocket. In this case, your mandatory registration charges and housing payments are deferred until your financial aid funds disburse to your student account at the start of the semester. More information on financial aid deferments can be found in the Paying Mandatory Registration Charges and On Campus Housing Charges section of the Your Financial Aid Award Offer page of the Help Book.

Refunds of Excess Financial Aid

When you meet the due dates for completing your tasks in MyFA Forms, you have the best chance of receiving a check for any excess financial aid funds early, right when the semester begins. More information can be found in the Using Financial Aid Funds to Pay for Books and Other Expenses section of the Your Financial Aid Award Offer page of the Help Book.

When To Do List Items are Requested

Admitted applicants and continuing students will receive an email notification when tasks need to be completed in your MyFA Forms portal. You can get to your MyFA Forms portal by going to your To Do List through MySSU and clicking on the MyFA Form link to the right of the request or through the MyFA Forms tile under Online Services. For new admits who have access through Self Service, click on “Campus Personal Information” and then "To Do List". You will need your Seawolf username and password to access MySSU and MyFA Forms through the Online Services login page. New Admits: Detailed instructions on accessing MySSU are available at the Using MySSU webpage of our Help Book.

Remember to keep copies of all forms and originals of all documents you give to our office. Everything you submit to our office becomes the property of SSU.

Tasks may change after further review of your application information or submitted items. Watch for additional requests and respond promptly to them. Your financial aid file will not be complete and funds cannot disburse until all tasks have been completed (submitted and reviewed by a Financial Aid Representative).

When You Have Zero To Do List Items

If you were assigned tasks and the tasks have been completed, those items disappear from your To Do List.  After items are logged in, priority for review of those items is determined by two basic considerations. First priority is given to items related to basic financial aid eligibility requirements, which are reviewed within ten business days of receipt. Second priority is given to newly admitted students who appear to be eligible for grants, because they will not receive an award offer until their To Do List items have been reviewed by their Financial Aid Representative. Third priority is given to newly admitted students whose award offers will consist of only student/parent loans, and to continuing students. Loan-only award offers will be generated even if your To Do List items have not yet been reviewed. Please note: If your only grant eligibility is for the Cal Grant program, you may receive an award offer prior to review of your To Do List items. Continuing students will not receive award offers for the upcoming academic year until after Spring semester grades have been posted in June.

To Do List items may change after further review of your application information or submitted items. Watch for additional requests and respond promptly to them. Your financial aid file will not be complete and funds cannot disburse until all To Do List items are received and processed.

Turnaround Time for Review of Submitted To Do List Items

Items related to basic financial aid eligibility requirements are reviewed within ten business days of receipt. Basic eligibility issues are explained on the Eligibility page of the Help Book.

Items related to satisfactory academic progress petitions are also reviewed within ten business days of receipt.

Turnaround time for other To Do List items varies based on our processing cycle. The most common reason we assign To Do List items is for the purpose of verifying the accuracy and completeness of the information you reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For a full explanation of the verification process, see the What Does It Mean to be Selected for "Verification?" section of this page.

Verification-related To Do List items are reviewed as a complete set, which means you must have submitted all of the To Do List items before the set is forwarded on to your Financial Aid Representative. Timelines for review of verification items are posted on the Financial Aid Office Things 2 Know page, beginning in March for the upcoming academic year.

To Do List items may change after further review of your application information or submitted items. Watch for additional requests and respond promptly to them. Your financial aid file will not be complete and funds cannot disburse until all To Do List items are received and processed.

NOTE: Review of documents for completeness and accuracy will not occur until ALL outstanding tasks have been completed/uploaded into MyFA Forms.  

Potential Consequences of Failure to Submit To Do List Items

Missing the Deadline to Establish Eligibility

You must complete all tasks SSU must receive all To Do List items necessary to establish your eligibility for financial aid one month prior to the last day of finals if you complete the Fall or Spring semester. If you withdraw from SSU prior to completing the semester, you must submit any outstanding items immediately upon withdrawal. If you complete the Fall semester and return in Spring, the Spring deadline applies. For Federal Pell Grant only, continuing students who take eligible courses at SSU during the following Summer may have this deadline extended to the last day of your summer courses.

Disenrollment: Loss of Classes for Non-payment of Mandatory Registration Charges

If you do not have an award offer in place that is sufficient to cover your mandatory registration charges at the time of the payment deadline, you are subject to disenrollment from those classes. You may have to pay your mandatory registration charges from other sources in order to keep the classes.

No Award Offer

If you do not submit your To Do List items, you will not receive an award offer if you appear to be eligible for grants. If you registered for classes, you may have to pay your mandatory registration charges from other sources in order to prevent disenrollment at the time of the payment deadline. Please note: If your only grant eligibility is for the Cal Grant program, you may receive an award offer prior to review of your To Do List items.

Closure of Grant and Work-Study Programs

Funding for programs such as Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Educational Opportunity Program Grant (EOPG), and Federal Work-Study is limited. We typically have more potentially-eligible students for those programs than we can support with the limited funding. The longer it takes you to complete your financial aid file, the more likely it is that those programs will be closed when your award offer is constructed.

Cancellation of Award Offer

Sometimes an award offer which includes grants is generated because you had no To Do List items at the time, then conditions change and To Do List items are added later. Award offers that include grants are subject to CANCELLATION if To Do List items are not submitted by the due date. If you registered for classes but there is no award offer in place at the time of the payment deadline, you may have to pay your mandatory registration charges from other sources in order to keep the classes.

Prior to July, award offers that consist only of student and/or parent loans will be generated even if To Do List items are outstanding. These loan-only award offers will be CANCELLED once Fall classes are underway if the To Do List items have not been submitted. Tentative Cal Grant awards may be included on loan-only award offers and are also subject to cancellation. After July, even loan-only award offers will not be generated unless To Do List items have been submitted and reviewed.

No Refund of Excess Financial Aid

If you do not submit your To Do List items, we cannot disburse any federal or state financial aid for which you may have potential eligibility. If you expect a refund of excess financial aid for books, living expenses, etc., those funds cannot be made available to you until all To Do List items are received and processed.

What Does It Mean to be "Selected for Verification?"

The FAFSA processor selects some financial aid applicants for a process called "Verification." If you are selected for verification, this means you must submit certain kinds of documentation to our office. Most often, the documentation verifies your income reported on the FAFSA and your household size. Please refer to your To Do List in MySSU for your specific income documentation requirements.

Required verification forms can be found in the MyFA Forms portal through Online Services. Dependent students must also submit their parent's income documentation. We will compare the information on your income documentation and other forms to the information you reported on your FAFSA, and make corrections if necessary. These corrections could result in a change to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which could result in changes to your award. If you have previously been notified of your award offer, we will send a modified award offer notification to you by email or letter explaining the changes.