FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) Calculator
Estimate FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI, formerly Expected Family Contribution) to project federal financial aid eligibility for college.
FAFSA SAI Guide (2026-27 Changes)
FAFSA Simplification Act Changes (2026-27 Onward)
Massive overhaul of FAFSA effective 2026-27 academic year: (1) Expected Family Contribution (EFC) renamed STUDENT AID INDEX (SAI). (2) Number of questions reduced from 108 to ~30. (3) Auto-zero EFC raised — families with AGI under $60,000 (single parent) / $85,000 (married) likely auto-qualify for max Pell. (4) MULTI-CHILD DISCOUNT REMOVED — old formula divided parent contribution by number in college; new formula does NOT. This hurts families with multiple kids in college simultaneously. (5) Sm
What Counts vs Doesn't Count
PARENT ASSETS that count: cash, savings, checking, investments (taxable), 529 plans owned by parent or student, second homes, rental real estate, business assets (now). PARENT ASSETS that DON'T count: primary residence equity, retirement accounts (401k, IRA, Roth, pension), life insurance cash value, small farm if family-operated. STUDENT ASSETS hit much harder (20% rate vs 5.64% for parents): UTMA/UGMA accounts are STUDENT assets. Strategy: move UTMA money to 529 in parent's name BEFORE filing
Income — The Biggest Driver
Income drives 70%+ of SAI for most middle-class families. Parent AGI from 2 tax years prior (2023 AGI for 2026-27 FAFSA). Plus untaxed income: tax-deferred retirement contributions, child support received, untaxed pension distributions, foreign income exclusion. Critical: Roth conversions, IRA-to-Roth, large capital gains, business asset sales all SPIKE AGI temporarily. Sophisticated families time these for AGI years not affecting FAFSA. Income protection allowance: ~$30k for parent family of 4.
Aid Eligibility by SAI
SAI ≤ -1,500: maximum Pell Grant $7,395 (2026-27). SAI 0: typically full Pell eligibility. SAI $5,000-$15,000: partial Pell, subsidized loan eligibility, work-study. SAI above $30,000: minimal federal need-based aid; unsubsidized Stafford loans + Parent PLUS only. Private colleges with CSS Profile use SEPARATE methodology — often more generous for lower-middle-income families at expensive schools (Harvard, Yale, Stanford routinely free for families under $75-150k). State aid varies enormously: C
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