FAFSA Verification
FAFSA Verification is a process in which the college and Department of Education audit income and household information provided by the student and parents against actual tax documents. Being selected for verification does not mean that you completed the application incorrectly or did something wrong. Most selectees are chosen at random, though reporting zero income will normally require verification.
The Department of Education will email you a Student Aid Report indicating that you were selected for verification. You also will be notified by KCTCS by email and have checklist items in your Student Center Tasks tile to complete.
You will see a "FINANCIAL AID ISSUE" message in your "To Do" list on the right hand side of the screen. The link will take you to a message and a link to your "portal". The portal will list all of the required actions needed. Verification requires completion of an online verification worksheet, and you may be required to submit your tax paperwork, a tax transcript, W2, or other required documents. Each item required in the portal will have specific directions on how to obtain the needed documents. Once items are uploaded or completed they will show a status of received, satisfied, or declined status in your portal. The completion of the verification process is not optional and must be completed before any financial aid awards will be offered. The failure to submit verification in a timely manner may delay disbursements and could exempt a student from utilizing bookstore charge dates.
You can order and IRS Tax Transcript online. While a Tax Return Transcript is preferred, a signed copy of the 1040 sent to the IRS (including all attached schedules) can be submitted instead of a Tax Return Transcript. The 1040 must include a physical (wet) signature from the filer or it is not acceptable for verification purposes.
If a Tax Return Transcript is required, it will be for the tax year used on your current FAFSA. This is called the “prior prior” year, and is for two years before the FAFSA year.
For example, the 2025-2026 FAFSA will require your 2023 Tax Return Transcript, the 2026-2027 FAFSA will require 2024 Tax Return Transcript, and so on.
If you are unsure what is needed, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
The preferred submission method is uploading directly into the Student Service Center portal.
We also will accept your documents by email to Jefferson-FinancialAid@kctcs.edu.
Documents can also be faxed to (502)213-2498 or mailed to:
JCTC Financial Aid
109 E. Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202
You may also submit documents to Financial Aid staff in-person Monday through Friday in Suite 400 of the J.E.C. building during normal business hours.
Verification processing time is unique with each student. During peak times, the process may take several weeks. To expedite the process, you should read and complete your forms carefully and submit all requested documents in a timely manner.
