IRS Data Retrieval Tool | Columbia Financial Aid and Educational Financing (2024)

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) allows students and parents to transfer federal tax return information directly to their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The DRT is easy, accurate and secure. If your FAFSA is selected for Federal Verification, the tool is the fastest way to confirm your filed tax information.

How to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool

• Log in to your current year FAFSA, or start a new FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov.
• In the Financial Information section of the FAFSA, you will see a “Link to IRS” button, if you are eligible to use the IRS DRT.
  • Each taxpayer will need to have indicated that they have “Already Completed” the required Tax Return in order to be shown the option to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

• The IRS DRT takes you to the IRS website, where you’ll need to provide your name and other information exactly as you provided it on your tax return. Some information will be prepopulated from your FAFSA form.
• At the IRS site, you’ll see a page that indicates that your tax information is available.
• If you choose to import your information into the FAFSA form, you’ll find that when you return to the FAFSA site, instead of your tax information being displayed, you’ll see “Transferred from the IRS” in the appropriate fields. You won’t be able to make changes to those answers (numbers are masked to protect your privacy and ensure the security of your data); however, the IRS-confirmed answers will securely transfer to each college.
• Please remember to double-check the untaxed income information that FAFSA requests, but which has not been transferred via the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. This includes pre-tax contributions to retirement accounts (W2 Box 12 Code D, E ,F, G, H and S); housing benefits provided by employer; other untaxed income; etc.
• Submit/re-submit the FAFSA. It takes 3-5 business days for a FAFSA transaction to process.