Session 33

1. Session 33 The ISIR - What It Is And How To Use It Devin Croft Tom Threlkeld

2. Data Flow Student PIN completes FAFSA School CPS Corrections Review ISIR SSA SSS VA Package NSLDS DHS Notification Disburse R2T4 COD Report

3. Eligibility Overview • Student completes FAFSA • FAFSA processed by CPS • Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) is determined • School determines eligibility of student using ISIR/SAR • School awards student based on COA - EFC = NEED

4. ISIR • An electronic output document containing all information reported on the FAFSA and the resulting EFC • Sent from CPS to school’s SAIG mailbox • Used by school to determine student’s Title IV aid eligibility • School must maintain in electronic format received for record retention period

5. Output Documents from CPS Student receives either: • Paper SAR • Filed paper FAFSA without email address • E-mail notification of SAR • Filed paper FAFSA or FOTW with valid e-mail address and successful SSN match • Paper SAR Acknowledgement • Filed FOTW without valid e-mail address

6. Student Identifier 000-00-0000 RA 01 • Found on each page of ISIR • Student’s SSN • First two letters of last name • ISIR transaction number • Changing SSN in question 8 will not change the student identifier

7. “C” • Will show next to EFC: 2750 C • Comment on ISIR related to • Database match issue • School must resolve issue before awarding aid

8. Assumptions • EFC is calculated • CPS makes a determination of appropriate answer • * to left of ISIR field • SAR/ISIR will include comment code 117

9. Rejects • No EFC calculated • “Rejects Met” field in FAA Information section • Alpha reject reason codes • Verifiable • Numeric reject reason codes • Non-verifiable • Responsibility of student to resolve • Comments explain action necessary for resolution

10. Non-verifiable or Verifiable Reject? • Student’s SSN match, but name does not. • Student has an SSN match with Date of Death. • Taxes paid is > 0 and =/> than AGI • Mother’s SSN contains all zeroes and reported as a tax filer

11. 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 but provides financial information for spouse • Independent student’s household and number in college are reported as 3 or more

12. Processed Date • Found in “Office Information” Section • Department considers school to have received ISIR on ISIR processed date • ISIR will be in school’s SAIG mailbox within 24 hours of processing

13. Source of Correction Flag • Found in “Office Information” section • Identifies source of correction transaction • “A” – applicant • “D” – CPS • “S” – school • Federal school indicator is in field below to identify originating school

14. Verification Flags • Found in “FAA Information” section • Verification Flag • Indicates if student selected on any transaction • Y, N, * • Verification Tracking Flag • Identifies priority for selection based upon likelihood of error • Range is 0001 to 9999 • Higher number is higher priority

15. FAA Adjustment Flag • Found in “FAA Information” section • 1 - transaction resulting from a professional judgment • 2 – professional judgment adjustment failed • Resulting transaction will only go to school processing PJ adjustment

16. Dependency Override Flag • Found in “FAA Information” section • 1 – transaction resulting from a dependency override • 2 – dependency override failed • Not required to use another school’s override

17. EFC’s • Primary EFC must be used for Title IV eligibility • Result of full formula unless student met criteria for simplified needs test • Secondary EFC • Result of full formula when student met criteria for simplified needs test • May be used for institutional aid

18. EFC’s • Found in “FAA Information” section • Provides EFC’s for months 1 through 12, both primary and secondary • 9 month EFC always used for Pell Grant • EFC for number of months in period of enrollment used for determination of need

19. EFC Flags • Found in “FAA Information” section • Auto Zero EFC Flag • “Y” - criteria met • EFC Change Flag • 1 – EFC increased • 2 – EFC decreased • SNT Flag • “Y” - criteria met • “N” - criteria not met

20. Intermediate Values • Found in “FAA Information” section • Represent the values calculated in the EFC calculation • Helpful in understanding the resulting EFC • Useful in making professional judgment adjustments to data elements

21. Match Flags • Alpha or numeric values that show results of database matches • Appendix B of ISIR Guide explains required action and corresponding comment code. • Found in “FAA Information” section

22. SSN Match Flags • Match flag code is “SSN” • Matches SSN with Social Security Administration database • Number • Name • Date of birth • SSA also checks number against date of death file

23. U.S. Citizenship Match Flag • Match flag code is “SSA” • Verifies U.S. citizenship with Social Security Administration using place of birth • Citizenship documentation includes • Birth certificate • U.S. passport • Naturalization certificate

24. DHS Match Flag • Match flag code is “DHS” • Matches immigration status with Department of Homeland Security to document eligible non-citizen • “Y” – match conducted and status confirmed • “N” – match conducted; secondary confirmation by DHS in progress • “blank” – match not conducted

25. DHS Secondary Confirmation Flag • Will indicate if school should submit paper G-845S • Requires DHS Verification # found below Match Flags • G845S in FSA Handbook, Volume 1, pages 1-31 & 1-32

26. Selective Service Match Flag • Match flag code is “SS” • Registration required for males, ages 18-25 • Student not yet 26 may provide proof of registration or request CPS process registration (FAFSA question 22) • Student over age 26 must prove failure not knowing and willful

27. NSLDS Match Flag • Match flag code is “NSLDS” • Matches student against financial aid history data in the National Student Loan Data System • Looks for defaults, discharged loans, borrowing in excess of loan limits, overpayments

28. Veterans Affairs Match Flag • Match flag code is “VA” • Confirms veteran status for independence • Title IV definition of veteran is at least one day of active duty and discharge is other dishonorable

29. Parent SSN Match • Match flag code is “Father SSN” and “Mother SSN” • Matches SSN with Social Security Administration database • Number • Name • Date of birth • At least one parent’s SSN must match or FAFSA will reject

30. Parent SSN • Parent without SSN must report all zeroes in SSN field on FAFSA • Parent without SSN may file tax return with TIN – report zeroes for SSN on FAFSA

31. Remember • You mustreview all ISIR transactions received • You mustresolve all “C codes” • You mustresolve all conflicting information • Separate process from verification • Involves any information of which the school has knowledge

32. Resources • ISIR Guide • FSA Handbook • Application & Verification Guide (AVG) • Volume 1 – Student Eligibility • FSA Coach (CBT) • FAA Access Demo Site • fafsademo.test.ed.gov • User name: eddemo • Password: fafsatest

33. Tom Threlkeld Phone: (617) 289-0144 Email: thomas.threlkeld@ed.gov Contacts We appreciate your feedback and comments. We can be reached at: Devin Croft • Phone: (303) 844-3677 ext. 125 • Email: devin.croft@ed.gov

34. Please provide any comments regarding this training or the trainers to: Jo Ann Borel Title IV Training Supervisor joann.borel@ed.gov 202-377-3930