As part of the new verification process for financial aid, it is required that people who do not file taxes submit an IRS letter of non-filing status to the SUNY Potsdam Financial Aid Office. A non-filing letter will be necessary for all parties in the custodial household (student, parent 1, parent 2, etc) that did not file taxes.
What is an IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter?
An IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter will provide proof from the IRS that there is no record of a filed tax form for the year you have requested.
Non Tax filers can request and IRS Verification of non-filing, free of charge from the IRS in one of three ways:
- Online
- Over the phone
- Mailing in a form
Please note if you filed a Puerto Rican or Foreign Income Tax return you must submit appropriate non-filing documentation from a relevant tax authority.
Online Request
Available at with the Internal Revenue Service Website.
- Click "Get Transcript ONLINE" (If at any point, you cannot validate your identity - for example you cannot provide financial verification information or you lack access to a mobile phone - you would want to use the Get Transcript by MAIL option, see below for instructions).
- Enter the non filer's Social Security Number (you can use your ITIN or EIN), e-mail address, filing status, account numbers for loan or credit card associated with your name, and mobile phone associate with your name. This information will be used to verify your identity with the IRS.
- Click "Continue".
- Select "Verification of Non-filing Letter" and in the tax year field select "12/31/20xx, report the tax year requested"
- If successfully validated, you will be able to view your IRS Verification of Non-Filing letter that can then print it out for submission.
- Submit a copy of the letter to the SUNY Potsdam financial aid office; be sure you put your Potsdam student ID number on the letter.
or
- Click "Get Transcript by MAIL".
- Enter the non filer's Social Security Number (ITIN and EIN can be used), date of birth, street address and zip/postal code. Use the address currently on file with the IRS, if you have trouble please see our helpful suggestions below.
- Click "Continue:
- Select "Verification of Non-filing Letter" and in the tax years field, select "12/31/20xx, report the tax year requested".
- If successfully validated, non filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter at the address included in your online request within 5 to 10 days.
- Submit a copy of the letter to the SUNY Potsdam financial aid office; be sure you put your Potsdam student ID number on the letter.
Telephone Request
Available from the IRS by Calling 1-800-908-9946
- Follow prompts to enter your Social Security Number (ITIN and EIN can be used) and the numbers in the street address.
- Select "Option 2" to request an IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter and then enter "12/31/20xx, report the tax year requested" for the tax year.
- If successfully validated, non filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter at the address provided in their telephone request within 5 to 10 days from the time of request.
- IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter requested by telephone cannot be sent directly to a third party.
- Submit a copy of the letter to the SUNY Potsdam financial aid office; be sure you put your Potsdam student ID number on the letter.
Paper Request Form - IRS Form 4506-T
- Complete Lines 1 - 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form.
- Line 3: enter the non filer's street address and zip/postal code.
- Line 5: provides non filers with the option to have their IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter mailed directly to a 3rd party by the IRS. DO NOT have your letter of IRS Verification of Non-filing letter mailed directly to William and Mary.
- Line 7: Select the checkbox on the right hand side for Verification of Non-filing.
- Line 9: In the year or period requested field, enter ""12/31/20xx, report the tax year requested".
- The non filer must sign and date the form and enter their telephone number.
- Mail or Fax the Completed IRS Form 4506-T to the address or FAX number provided on the third page of the Form 4506-T.
- If the 4506-T information is successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Verification of Non-filing letter at the address provided on their request within 5 to 10 days.
- Submit a copy of the letter to the SUNY Potsdam financial aid office; be sure you put your Potsdam student ID number on the letter.
How to fix address matching problems when ordering the Non-filing letter online
When entering the information into the IRS address matching system, note the following:
- The address entered must match the address already on file with the IRS exactly.
- The address on file is typically the address on your most recent tax return.
- Spelling out the word "street" rather than using the abbreviation "st." can be enough to cause an error.
- Addresses on the IRS system are auto-corrected through a United States Postal Services software and may not match what you put on your tax return.
We have the following suggestions if you run into problems:
- Have your most recent tax return in front of you to enter the address carefully as it is on your return.
- If you have entered your address as it appears on your return and it does not work, try using the standardized version of your address.
- To get a standardized version of your address go to the USPS website and search by Zip Code. Enter the address and click find.
- If you still have problems, the IRS.gov Website help desk can be reached at 1-800-867-1715 (Monday through Friday) 8 am - 8 pm (Eastern Standard Time).
Can't get a Non-Filing letter from the IRS?
If you have tried the methods listed above and are not successful in ordering and receiving a non-filing letter from the IRS, you may submit an alternate reporting form from the Financial Aid Office. Before you can use this option, you must have attempted to request the non-filing letter from the IRS first.