The Delaware Department of Education reminds high school seniors and their families that although a useful IRS online tool is unavailable, they still should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA).
IRS officials are working to fix the data retrieval tool on fafsa.gov and StudentLoans.gov but anticipate it will be unavailable for several weeks. The tool provides tax data that automatically fills in information for part of the FAFSA as well as the Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan application.
“Families still can apply for financial aid at this time,” said Shana Payne, director of the department’s Higher Education Office. “When applicants fill out the FASFA and apply for the IDR plan, they can use the information from their tax returns to manually fill in the requested financial information.”
The deadline to complete the forms for those applying for the Scholarship Incentive Program (SCIP) and professional incentive loans in Delaware is April 15.
Both the online FASFA and IDR application are operational despite the data retrieval tool being unavailable.
The IRS temporarily suspended the data retrieval tool as a precautionary measure while officials work to improve its data security.
Those who need copies of their tax returns can request them online by visiting www.irs.gov/transcript to view and download summaries, called tax transcripts, at Get Transcript Online. Or one may visit Get Transcript by Mail or call (800) 908-9946 and a transcript will be delivered to the address of record within five to 10 days.
For more information on or for help with completing the FAFSA, visit StudentAid.gov/fafsa or call (800) 4FED-AID (800-433-3243). For more information or help applying for an IDR, visit StudentAid.gov/idr.
Delaware high school seniors also can request assistance from the StandByMe advisors supporting their schools. Requests should go through their school counselor office.
