Press Release
APCHA implements new requirement for tax transcripts to combat fraud
Aspen, CO – The Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority (APCHA) has announced a new regulation aimed at increasing transparency and reducing fraud in the application process for housing in the area. Beginning Nov. 4, 2024, all APCHA applicants will be required to obtain their official tax transcripts directly from the IRS through a third-party service, at their own cost.
The cost of this service is $25. Applicants can skip the fee by going to the APCHA office and access their tax transcripts in person from the Internal Revenue Service at www.irs.gov.
The regulation change, approved by the APCHA board of directors on Aug. 21, 2024, mandates that applicants provide tax transcripts from the most recent year filed, ensuring the accuracy of financial information submitted to APCHA. To comply, applicants must complete and pay for IRS Form 4056-T through a private vendor, which will securely transmit the tax transcripts directly to APCHA.
"The board felt this additional step was necessary to uphold the integrity of our affordable housing program," said Matthew Gillen, executive director of APCHA. "By requiring applicants to use third-party vendors to access their IRS transcripts, we can better ensure the accuracy of the income and work verification process, helping us prevent fraud and maintain fairness across all applications.”
APCHA document requirements
In addition to tax transcripts, APCHA applicants must continue to provide various documents to verify income and work eligibility. Key requirements include:
- Most recent paycheck stubs
- Employment and income verification form
- Last two years of W-2s or 1099s
- Last two years of federal and state tax returns, including all schedules
- Bank statements for all assets and liabilities
- Appraisal or assessor notice of value for property owned
- Divorce decree, separation agreement, or custody agreement, if applicable
By implementing this new requirement, APCHA aims to strengthen its ability to verify applicants' financial standing and maintain trust in the affordable housing system. The transition to private, third-party tax transcript services is a crucial step in this effort.
For more information, please visit apcha.org or contact APCHA directly at (970) 920-5050.
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For more information, please contact:
Matthew Gillen, Executive Director, Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority
(970) 920-5068
Matthew.gillen@aspen.gov
Carolyn Sackariason, Communication Co-manager
Carolyn.sackariason@aspen.gov
(970) 319-2791