Students	must	also	sign	(it	must	be	a	<wet=	signature)	a	statement	of	educational	purpose	that	certifies	who	they	are	and
that	the	federal	student	aid	they	may	receive	will	only	be	used	for	educational	purposes	and	for	the	cost	of	attending	the
school	for	the	2025-26	year.	Unlike	the	other	suggested	text	provided	in	Dear	Colleague	Letter	GEN-24-10	the	text	for	the
<Statement	of	Educational	Purpose=	is	not	suggested4you	must	use	the	exact	language	given	(though	the	student9s
identification	number	is	optional	if	collected	elsewhere	on	the	same	page	as	the	statement).	After	examining	the
statement,	you	may	convert	it	into	an	electronic	record.	You	must	keep	that	or	the	original	for	at	least	the	required	Title	IV
record	retention	period.
A	student	who	is	unable	to	appear	at	your	school	must	go	to	a	notary	public	and	sign	the	statement	of	educational
purpose	(see	<Verification	for	Confined	or	Incarcerated	Individuals=	for	an	exception	to	this	requirement).	They	must
submit	to	your	office	that	signed	statement	(again,	with	the	<wet=	signature),	a	certification	from	the	notary	that	they
appeared	before	the	notary	and	presented	a	government-issued	photo	ID	confirming	their	identity,	and	a	copy	of	the
same	ID.	Currently	the	Department	does	not	authorize	the	use	of	online	notary	services	as	an	alternative	to	traditional,	in-
person	notary	services.
The	
REAL	ID	Act	affects	people	entering	certain	restricted	areas	where	identification	is	required:	federal	facilities,
nuclear	power	plants,	and	federally	regulated	commercial	airplanes.	Because	there	are	currently	no	restrictions	under	the
act	on	agencies	accepting	an	ID	that	is	not	compliant	with	the	act	(typically	one	marked	<not	for	federal	identification=)
for	other	purposes,	such	an	ID	is	acceptable	for	verification	of	identity/statement	of	educational	purpose.	It	must	be	a
government-issued	ID	that	has	not	expired	and	includes	the	student9s	photo	and	name.
Reviewing	and	Using	Documentation
Using	the	Tax	Return
Although	FTI	transferred	via	the	FA-DDX	or	an	IRS	tax	transcript	are	preferable	for	completing	verification,	students	can
also	submit	a	copy	of	the	tax	return	and	any	applicable	schedules.	However,	see	the	guidance	under	<victims	of	identity
theft=	later	in	this	volume	for	an	important	caveat.	The	tax	return	will	likely	have	been	filed	electronically	with	one	of	a
variety	of	methods.	These	include	do-it-yourself	methods	as	well	as	completion	by	a	tax	preparer.	Each	method	should
permit	printing	of	a	paper	copy	of	the	return,	though	the	e-file	format	might	not	contain	every	line	item,	showing	instead
only	the	data	the	tax	filer	provided.	For	example,	if	Item	2b,	<Taxable	interest,=	does	not	appear	on	such	a	return,	that
means	no	taxable	interest	income	was	reported.
You	can	accept	a	paper	or	electronic	copy	of	the	return	if	it	contains	a	signature.	Acceptable	examples	would	include,	but
are	not	limited	to:
A	signed	paper	return	that	the	student	either	mailed	or	brought	to	the	school.
A	signed	paper	return	that	the	student	faxed	or	scanned	and	emailed.
An	electronic	copy	that	the	student	signed	with	a	stylus	or	finger.
An	electronic	copy	that	we	consider	signed	because	it	has	an	image	of	the	student9s	signature	attached.
However,	a	signature	on	Form	8879,	the	IRS	e-file	Signature	Authorization,	is	not	an	acceptable	substitute	for	a	signature
on	the	tax	return.
For	persons	who	have	a	tax	professional	prepare	their	return,	instead	of	a	copy	of	the	return	with	the	filer9s	signature,	you
may	accept	one	that	has	the	name	and	PTIN	of	the	preparer	or	has	their	SSN	or	EIN	and	has	been	signed,	stamped,	typed,
or	printed	with	their	name	and	address.	Note	that	the	IRS	requires	paid	preparers	to	have	a	PTIN.
If	a	person	did	not	retain	a	copy	of	their	2023	tax	information	and	it	cannot	be	located	by	the	IRS	or	the	relevant
government	agency,	they	must	submit	a	signed	statement	indicating	that	they	did	not	keep	a	copy	of	their	tax
information	as	well	as	documentation	from	the	taxing	authority	indicating	that	the	information	cannot	be	located.	Also,
you	must	accept	for	an	IRS	filer	either	a	copy	of	Form	W32	for	each	source	of	employment	income	received	for	2023	or,	if
they	are	self-employed,	a	signed	statement	certifying	the	amount	of	AGI	and	taxes	paid.	For	someone	who	filed	an
income	tax	return	with	a	government	of	a	U.S.	territory	or	commonwealth	or	a	foreign	central	government,	accept	a	copy
of	a	wage	and	tax	statement	or	a	signed	statement	certifying	the	amount	of	AGI	and	taxes	paid	for	2023.
The	following	chart	shows	the	tax	form	line	numbers	for	the	required	verification	items	from	IRS	Form	1040	(or	IRS	Form
1040-NR).
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