The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) allows students and parents who filed a U.S. tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form and Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan requests by transferring the data directly into their forms.
This tool allows students and parents to import their tax information directly into the FAFSA. If you make any corrections using this tool, make sure you sign and submit your FAFSA to complete the process. View more information on the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
To provide enhanced security and privacy, income and tax return information will not display while using the tool or on the FAFSA after it is transferred from the IRS. Fields populated with IRS data will display as ‘Transferred from the IRS’.
Where do I find the IRS Data Retrieval Tool?
In the finances section of the online form, you will see a “Link to IRS” button if you are eligible to use the IRS DRT. Click the “Link to IRS” button and log in with your FSA ID to be transferred to the IRS to retrieve your info.
If you’re eligible to use the IRS DRT, we highly recommend using the tool for several reasons:
1. It’s the easiest way to provide your tax return information.
2. It’s the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA form and/or IDR plan requests have accurate tax information.
3. Using it on your FAFSA form will mean you won’t need to provide a copy of your or your parents’ tax returns to your college.
If you use the IRS DRT to transfer your tax return information from the IRS, the information won’t display on your FAFSA or IDR plan request form. For your protection, the answer to each question is replaced with “Transferred from the IRS.”
Information for students and parents filling out FAFSA form only:
Students or parents who are married and filed as “Married Filing Separately,” are married and filed as “Head of Household,” or filed a Puerto Rican, foreign tax return, or an IRS Form 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ aren’t eligible to use the IRS DRT and will need to enter their tax return information manually.
The IRS DRT allows you to securely transfer original IRS tax return information, but not Form 1040X amended tax return information. If you filed a Form 1040X amended tax return, you might need to work with the financial aid administrator at your college or career school to ensure that any information you corrected on Form 1040X is reflected in the amounts transferred to your FAFSA form.
If you’re eligible to use the IRS DRT, select “Link To IRS” to transfer your tax return information from the IRS website into your FAFSA form. (Note: If you previously transferred your tax return information from the IRS, the “Link To IRS” button displays once you select the “View option to link to the IRS” hyperlink.)
If you’re ineligible or otherwise choose not to use the IRS DRT to retrieve tax information, your college or career school might require a copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript (or your parents’ IRS Tax Return Transcript, if you’re a dependent student). Information for borrowers completing an online IDR application only:
If you do not want to use your adjusted gross income because your income has changed since you filed your last tax return you can still submit the IDR application electronically. After submitting your online application, you will be provided instructions on how to provide documentation of your current income to your loan servicer. If you do not currently have any income, you will be allowed to self-certify that you do not have income on the online application. If you are married, Income-driven repayment plans are sometimes based on both you and your spouse’s income and loan information. To simplify the process, nearly all applicants will have to have their spouse co-sign their application. Depending on filing status your spouse may need to request their income be transferred using the IRS DRT. Your spouse is not obligated to repay your loan by co-signing the IDR application.