Session 34
The Institutional
Information Record
(ISIR)
Virginia Hagins
Sandy Santana
SARs and ISIRsSARs and ISIRs FederalFederal
Output DocumentsOutput Documents
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What has happened so far…?
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Topics
• Where the ISIR comes from
• What does the ISIR tell us
• Rejects, Assumptions and items to look for
• Eligibility issues
• Verification
• Resources
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Data Flowcompletes FAFSA
CPSSchool
NSLDS
SSAVA
DHS
COD
SSS
Review ISIRCorrections
Package
Notification
Disburse
Report
R2T4
PIN Student
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Eligibility Overview
• Student completes FAFSA
• FAFSA processed by CPS
• Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) is
determined
• School determines eligibility of student
• School awards student based on
COA - EFC = NEEDCOA - EFC = NEED
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Output Documents from CPS
• Student receives either:
– SAR
• Filed paper FAFSA
– SAR Acknowledgment
• Filed on FOTW
• School receives:
– ISIR
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Reviewing the ISIR
• Rejects
– Alpha• Verifiable
– Numeric• Non-verifiable
– Responsibility of student to resolve
– Comment explains action necessary for resolution
THE FAA
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Reviewing the ISIR
• Assumptions
– CPS makes a determination
– School should review assumptions
• Comment Codes
– Comment codes provide information regarding eligibility
• “C” Code
– Must be resolved before paying student
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Assumption or Reject?
• Student reports that she is married and provides
spouse’s income but reports only one person in
household.
• Student reports not married yet provides financial
information for spouse.
• Dependent student does not complete parent’s
financial information.
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Non-verifiable or Verifiable?
• Student’s SSN match, but name does not.
• Student has an SSN match with Date of Death.
• Missing DOB
• Missing first or last name
What action should you take?
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Reviewing the ISIRMatch Flags
• Selective Service
– Males 18-25
– Unsuccessful match or student can’t be
registered
• Proof of registration
• Status Information Letter
• School determines if registration was knowing and
willful.
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Reviewing the ISIRMatch Flags
• Veterans Affairs
– Determination of dependency status
– Confirmation of active service
– DD2-14
– Electronic Announcement: 12-23-2004
• NEW for 2006-2007
– Active-Duty Military Automatically Independent
• (Effective 7/1/06)
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Reviewing the ISIRMatch Flags
– National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
• Financial Aid History
– Loans
– Pell
– Overpayment(s)
– Default
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Reviewing the ISIRMatch Flags
• Social Security Administration (SSA)
– Confirmation of SSN• DOB
• Name
– Possible date of death
– Citizenship Status• No match
• Eligible non-citizen with “A-number”– DHS
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Reviewing the ISIRMatch Flags
• Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS)
– Confirmation of immigration status
• Eligible non-citizen
• No confirmation
– Automated Secondary Confirmation
– Paper Secondary Confirmation
– G-845S
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Match Flag Issues
• Elijah, US citizen, comes in with the SS flag set as
“N”, comment code 30: Not registered
• How do you resolve this if:
– He is between the ages of 18 and 25?
– He is 27?
– He served on active duty in the armed forces?
Match Flags: SSN 4 SSA A DHS SS N NSLDS 4 VA
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Match Flag Issues
• On her FAFSA, Emilie claimed to be a US
Citizen, but her ISIR came back with a C Code
and SSA match flag “B” stating that SSA did not
confirm her citizenship status.
• She also has a Reject D, match flag 3 for SSN
(Name is inconsistent with SSA).
• How do you start to resolve this?
Match Flags: SSN 3 SSA B DHS SS NSLDS 4 VA DHS Sec. Conf.
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Match Flag Issues
• According to Emilie, her name is really spelled “Emily”
but she used her stage name on the FAFSA.
• And…she’s not a US citizen yet. She was born in Finland
and has just gotten around to requesting US Citizenship.
She figured she would answer yes since she will be soon.
• What do you do now?
Match Flags: SSN 3 SSA B DHS SS NSLDS 4 VA DHS Sec. Conf.
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Match Flag Issues
• Emily’s 02 transaction has been received with a
successful match for SSN and the SSA match for
citizenship is still a “B”.
• She now has a DHS match of “N” – DHS did not
confirm her noncitizen eligibility.
• What do you do now?
Match Flags: SSN 4 SSA B DHS N SS NSLDS 4 VA DHS Sec. Conf.
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What is Verification? *
• Students selected by the CPS
– Edit checks identify inconsistencies
– Random selection
– Verification codes on ISIR • Y = Student is selected
• N = Student is not selected
• * = Student is selected on a subsequent transaction
• Students selected by the school
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How Many are Verified?
• Selected by the CPS
– All selected applicants
• Some applicants are exempt (See Handbook)
– 30% option
• Schools may choose to limit verification to 30% of
applicant pool
• Selected by the school
– Whomever school selects
– May not include these in 30% option
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What is Verified?• For CPS-selected applicant
– Data elements required by regulation:• Household size
• Number in college
• AGI
• Taxes paid
• Untaxed Income
– Social Security benefits
– Child support
– IRA/Keogh deductions
– Foreign income exclusion
– Earned Income Credit
– Interest on tax-free bonds
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What is Verified?
• School can choose to verify any other application items
such as:
– Untaxed income benefits
– Total income
– Assets
• School defines appropriate documentation for these
additional items
• Need not do all federal data elements
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What Documents are Used?• Generally accepted documents
include:
– Base year tax return
– Verification worksheet
– For untaxed income and benefits:
• Official agency documentation
• Signed statement
• Other acceptable documents listed in the Handbook
• Special tax filing situations
– AVG 82 & 83
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How is the Process Completed?
• Compare the documents with the original FAFSA
information
– Use of checklist in the file
– Can use Verification Tool in FAA Access
• Determine that
– information is correct or...
– corrections must be made
• May use tolerance option if all errors are $ amount errors
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Updating Selected Applicants
• For students selected by the CPS, schools must
update (unless due to change in applicant’s
marital status):
– Dependency status
– Household size
– Number enrolled in postsecondary school
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Verification issues
• Tatiana, independent,
unmarried, with 3
dependents according to her
FAFSA has been selected for
verification.
– She brings you a copy of
her 1040 form to verify
her income.
– She completes her
verification worksheet.
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Verification issues
• According to her 1040, she claims to be head of household, and lists her 2 children as dependents. Her income and taxes match what she listed on her FAFSA.
• Her verification worksheet lists herself, her 2 children and a friend as living in the household. You determine the friend doesn’t qualify as a dependent for federal aid and Tatiana agrees.
• What do you do with her ISIR?
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Verification issues
• You make the correction, receive the ISIR back, and are ready to process Tatiana’s aid.
• Tatiana is packaged and funds are disbursed to her..everybody’s happy…
UNTIL….
• While watching TV, you happen upon a news brief that shows a local former pro football player at a ceremony retiring his number. With his wife and kids. Tatiana and her kids.
• What do you do now???
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Suspicious Information….?
• Attempt to increase student aid eligibility by:
– Intentional misreporting of information
– Altering documentation
– Contact the Office of Inspector General
– 1-800-MISUSED
– http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/hotline.html
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Remember
• You must review all ISIRs transactions received
• Must resolve all “C codes”
• Must resolve all conflicting information
• Separate process from verification
• Involves any information of which the school has
knowledge
• Must resolve before disbursing any aid
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Resources & Training• FSA Handbook
– Application & Verification Guide (AVG)
– Volume 1 – Student Eligibility
• ISIR Guide
• FSA Coach (CBT)
• EDExpress Basics (CBT)
• Financial Aid Basics
• FAA Access Demo Site
– fafsademo.test.ed.gov• User name: eddemo Password: fafsatest
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Additional Beginner’s Track Sessions
• Session #35 - Awarding Aid
• Session #36 - Disbursing Aid
• Session #37 - IFAP, NSLDS, COD, FAA Access
to CPS On -Line
• Session #38 - Financial Aid Professionals (FAP) Portal
and Beyond - How We Communicate With You?
• Session #39 - Uncover the Mysteries of How a Law
Becomes Operational
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We appreciate your feedback and comments.We can be reached at:
Virginia Hagins
415-486-5621
Sandy Santana
646-428-3754