; or (C) in the case of an independent students without dependents— (i) the student— (I) certifies that the student is not required to file a Federal income tax return; and (II) is a dislocated worker; or (ii) the sum of the adjusted gross annual income of the student is less than or equal to $23,000. (2) Eligibility An individual is not required to qualify or file for the earned income credit in order to be eligible under this subsection. The Secretary shall annually adjust the income level necessary to qualify an applicant for the student aid index of equal to or less than zero. The income level shall be adjusted by a percentage equal to increases in the Consumer Price Index between the calendar year preceding the beginning of such academic year, and the second preceding year, rounding the result to the nearest $1,000. (d) Dislocated worker In this section, the term dislocated worker has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. . 6. FAFSA simplification (a) FAFSA simplification Section 483(f) ( 20 U.S.C. 1090(f) ) is amended to read as follows: (f) Reduction of income and asset information To determine eligibility for student financial aid (1) Use of Internal Revenue Service data to populate FAFSA The Secretary shall— (A) make every effort to make available and allow applicants to utilize the data that is available to the Secretary pursuant to section 6103(l)(13) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reduce the amount of original data entry by applicants and strengthen the reliability of data used to calculate a student aid index to— (i) allow an applicant to automatically populate the electronic version of the forms under this section with data available from the Internal Revenue Service; (ii) direct an applicant to appropriate questions on such forms based on the applicant’s answers to previous questions; (iii) identify the type of form filed and whether certain forms or schedules, as identified by the Secretary, were filed with Federal form 1040