The Institutional Information Record (ISIR)

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Session 34

• The Institutional Information Record (ISIR)
• Virginia Hagins
• Sandy Santana

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SARs and ISIRs FederalOutput Documents
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What has happened so far?
CPS
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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 Flow
Student
PIN
completes FAFSA
School
CPS
Review ISIR
Corrections
SSA
VA
SSS
Package
NSLDS
DHS
Notification
Disburse
R2T4
COD
Report
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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 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
  spouses income but reports only one person in
  household.
• Student reports not married yet provides
  financial information for spouse.
• Dependent student does not complete parents
  financial information.

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Non-verifiable or Verifiable?

• Students 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 cant 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
Match Flags SSN 4 SSA A DHS SS N NSLDS 4
VA

• 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?

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Match Flag Issues
Match Flags SSN 3 SSA B DHS SS NSLDS 4
VA DHS Sec. Conf.

• 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?

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Match Flag Issues
Match Flags SSN 3 SSA B DHS SS NSLDS 4
VA DHS Sec. Conf.

• According to Emilie, her name is really spelled
  Emily but she used her stage name on the FAFSA.
• Andshes 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?

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Match Flag Issues
Match Flags SSN 4 SSA B DHS N SS NSLDS 4
VA DHS Sec. Conf.

• Emilys 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?

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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
  theseadditional 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 applicants
  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 doesnt 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 Tatianas aid.
• Tatiana is packaged and funds are disbursed to
  her..everybodys 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.h
  tml

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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 Beginners Track Sessions

• Session 35 - Awarding Aid
• Session 36 - Disbursing Aid
• Session 37 - IFAP, NSLDS, COD, FAA Accessto 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

• Sandy Santana
• 646-428-3754
• sandra.santana_at_ed.gov

• Virginia Hagins
• 415-486-5621
• virginia.w.hagins_at_ed.gov