How to Submit the Electronic Independent Verification Form

  1. Go to the CSUN home page and log into the CSUN Portal.
  2. Once you are logged in, navigate to My Finances and select Financial Aid & Scholarships. Financial Aid & Scholarships
  3. Scroll down to the Financial Aid Essentials section and select To-Do-List todo-list
  4. Select the Independent Verification to-do item. independent verification
  5. Click to Submit your Independent Student Electronic Verification (e-verification) Worksheet Student Electronic Verification (e-verification) Worksheet

The Independent Verification electronic form (E-form) will open in a new window. 

Please complete all sections of the E-form. The last step is to electronically sign and submit the E-form through the Portal.

You are required to turn in income documentation such as an IRS Tax Return Transcript or copies of your singed Tax Returns to the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department only if you will not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IDRT) through the FAFSA. 

Step One: Student Information
Note: Your Last Name, First Name, CSUN ID and Award Year will already be populated. 

For Application Type, indicate whether you filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California DREAM application.

Application Type

Step Two: Household Information 

Family Information – List yourself, your spouse (if married) and your dependent children. Provide the person’s full name, relationship to you, age and college information (if attending college/university for the school year indicated). 

  • Click the Add New Family Member button to add each person to the chart, start with yourself. The form will assume you will be enrolled at least half time at CSUN and will only ask for enrollment status of other family members.
Add new family member
  • Do not include Foster Children.
  • For members of the Household who will be attending college/university at least half-time in a degree or certificate program for the school year indicated, refer to the guidelines below:
    • CSUN Spouse or Child – Select CSUN from the college drop down menu, enter the person’s CSUN ID number and indicate whether he/she plans to attend at least half-time.
    • Spouse or Child Attending Another College/University – Select Other from the college drop down menu, enter the name of the other college and indicate whether he/she plans to attend at least half- time.
    • Select None from the college drop down menu for all members of the Household who will not be attending college/university at least half-time toward a degree or certificate for the school year indicated.

If you make an error, use the Delete button within the chart to remove a family member.

delete option

Special Instructions for Reporting an Unborn Child – If your child will be born during the school year (refer to the date on the form), select Unborn Child from the Relationship drop down menu and provide the Due Date. 

a. The Due Date must be in MM/DD/YYYY format.

Step Three: Student/Spouse Income
Select the “Student Income” tab or click the Next-Student Income button under the Household Information tab to go to the next section of the form.

Student income

NOTE: Answer income questions about yourself (the student). If you are married or remarried include information about your spouse. 

Tax Filing Status – Indicate whether you filed or will file a federal income tax return; otherwise, indicate that you are not required to file a federal income tax return with the IRS. 

a. If you Filed Taxes and used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IDRT):

  • Select the Tax Return Filer option
  • Select “I, the student (and spouse), have used or will use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IDRT) in FAFSA on the Web to transfer my IRS income tax return information into my FAFSA.
    • Note: The tax year is indicated on the E-form
  • You do NOT need to submit any tax documentation
  • Note: The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IDRT) option is not available to California Dream applicants.
Student income

b. If you Filed Taxes and Will Submit IRS Tax Return Transcript or other acceptable income tax documents:

  • Select the Tax Return Filer button
  • Select “I, the student (and spouse), am unable to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IDRT) in FAFSA on the Web, and instead will provide the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department my IRS Tax Return Transcript(s) or other acceptable income documentation.
    • Note: The tax year is indicated on the E-form
  • Dream students select “I, the student (and spouse), will provide the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department my IRS Tax Return Transcript(s) or other acceptable income documentation.

 

Student income

c. If you Did Not Work Or Earn Income:

  • Select the Tax Return Non-Filer button.
  • Select “I, the student (and spouse), was not employed and had no income earned from work during the tax year.
    • Note: The tax year is indicated on the E-form
  • Select “I, the student (and spouse), will provide the Financial Aid and Scholarship Department with a Verification of Non-Filing from the IRS or other acceptable documentation confirming non-filing status.”
Student income

d. Student Earned Income Below the IRS Requirement to File

  • Select the Tax Return Non-Filer button
  • Select “I, the student (and spouse), was employed during the tax year and earned money, but was NOT REQUIRED to file an income tax return with the IRS.”
    • Note: The tax year is indicated on the E-form
  • Select “I, the student (and spouse), will provide the Financial Aid and Scholarship Department with a copy of all the tax year's IRS W-2 forms issued by employers as well as my Verification of Non-Filing from the IRS or other acceptable documentation confirming non-filing status.”
Student income
  • Complete the Student/Spouse Earnings section.
    • Report the name and year-end wages for each employer
    • Click the Add Wages button to add each employer to the chart.

 

add wages
    • Total earnings will automatically be calculated for you. If you make an error, use the Delete button to remove a row.
delete option

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS MARRIED/REMARRIED AS OF FAFSA/DREAM APPLICATION FILING DATE BUT NOT MARRIED BY END OF PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR: 

If you are married/remarried on the day the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California DREAM application is initially submitted, BUT you and your spouse did not file taxes together for the previous year because you were not married at the time, you must still report combined income for you and your spouse on the FAFSA or California DREAM application.

You cannot use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IDRT) in FAFSA.

On the Independent Verification Worksheet E-form, please answer questions regarding Tax Filing Status and Tax Non-filer as they apply to the student. Students should submit income documentation for both student and spouse to our office (i.e. separate income tax transcripts or W-2 wage statements for Non-filers).

Example – You and your spouse each filed taxes separately as “Single” for the previous year. You were married the next calendar year on January 7 and you submitted your FAFSA on February 21. On the E-form you will select you are a “Tax Return Filer” and indicate you will provide our office with your IRS Tax Return Transcripts and mail or bring in person both Tax Return Transcripts. You will answer all other sections of the E-form, such as assets, child support paid, etc. as they apply to both you and your spouse.

Step Four: Certify, Review, Print and Submit Form Electronically

Certification and Signature – You must check the box to sign your electronic form.

 

certification & signature

Review and Print E-form – It is important that you provide accurate responses to all questions, especially required fields which are denoted with an asterisk.

a. Use the Print button to review and print the Electronic Independent Verification Worksheet.

  • Click the Print button located at the bottom of the form.
  • Please keep the printout for your records. You do not have to submit a copy to the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department.
print option
  • The system will review the electronic form for completeness and/or errors.
  • You will not be able to print if your electronic form is missing information or if there are errors to resolve.

a. After you successfully print the E-form, the Submit button will become available.
b. Click the Submit button once located at the bottom of the form.

Submit the E-form ONCE – Click the Submit button one time to transmit your data to the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department.

submit

c. If you make an error, do not resubmit this form.

  • Please contact the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department at (818) 677-4085 or come into the Bayramian Hall lobby windows for further instructions

d. You will receive the following message. Click OK to proceed and submit your E-form to the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department. 

pop-up message

e. You will receive a confirmation page.

Confirmation

Step Five: Upload or Mail Documents 

If required, submit IRS Tax Return Transcripts or any documents to the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department using any ONE of the following options: CSUN Portal or mail. 

CSUN Portal – submit the documents by logging onto the CSUN Portal. Once you are logged in, the Financial Aid Document Upload page is located under – My Finances – Financial Aid & Scholarships – Financial Aid Essentials - Financial Aid Forms. You can view the tutorial on How To Submit Documents to learn how to navigate to the Financial Aid Document Upload page.

Mailing address: 

California State University, Northridge
Financial Aid & Scholarship Department 18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8307 

For detailed information about documents you may need to return to us, please review our Verification Guide.