Federal Student Aid Calculator
Federal student aid calculator works out Student Aid Index and Formula applied from Award year, Dependency status and Family size (including the student). The default figures on this page give student Aid Index of 4,624 USD; change any entry and the result, the working and the sources update together.
Your figures
Updates as you typeHow this is worked out
8 steps
- Total parent income = 80000.
- Allowances: tax 6000 + Medicare 1160 + OASDI 4960 + income protection 44880 + employment expense 5000 = 62000.
- Parents' available income = 80000 - 62000 = 18000.
- Contribution from assets = (10000 - 0) x 0.12 = 1200.
- Adjusted available income = 18000 + 1200 = 19200; Table A5 gives 4224.
- Student available income = 4000 - 12076 = -8076; assessed at 50% and floored at zero gives 0.
- Student assets 2000 x 0.2 = 400.
- SAI = 4224 + 0 + 400 = 4624.
Worksheet linestable
| line | amount |
|---|---|
| 3. Total parent income | 80,000 |
| 5a. Medicare hospital insurance | 1,160 |
| 5b. OASDI | 4,960 |
| 6. Income protection allowance | 44,880 |
| 7. Employment expense allowance | 5,000 |
| 8. Total parent allowances | 62,000 |
| 9. Parents' available income | 18,000 |
| 17. Parents' contribution from assets | 1,200 |
| 18. Parents' adjusted available income | 19,200 |
| 19. Parents' contribution (Table A5) | 4,224 |
| 27. Total student allowances | 12,076 |
| 28. Student available income | -8,076 |
| 30. Student contribution from income | 0 |
| 36. Student contribution from assets | 400 |
| 37. Student Aid Index | 4,624 |
Figures from Federal Student Aid Index formula, 2026 rules, checked 31 August 2026. Its 4 worked examples are re-run on every release, last on 15 September 2026. What changed · how reference data is kept current
Sources and references
4 sources
What the federal student aid calculator calculates
Computes the federal Student Aid Index - the figure that replaced the Expected Family Contribution - from the published Formula A, B and C worksheets, and the financial need it leaves against a cost of attendance.
How to use this federal student aid calculator
Enter Award year, Dependency status, Family size (including the student) and Student marital status. Student Aid Index updates as you type, and “Use a worked example” loads checked figures you can adjust. Change one figure at a time to see what drives the result.
How the result is worked out
Open “How this is worked out” beside the result for the step-by-step calculation behind Student Aid Index, Formula applied and Total parent income.
The method follows U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid - 2026-27 Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide, Version 1.1, U.S. Department of Education - 2026-2027 Federal Student Aid Handbook, Application and Verification Guide, Chapter 3: Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility, Social Security Administration - Contribution and Benefit Base (the 2024 OASDI taxable maximum used by the 2026-27 formula is $168,600) and FAFSA Simplification ACT, Higher Education ACT Part F as amended (20 U.S.C. 1087oo-1087rr) - the statutory need analysis the SAI formula implements.
Formula A: dependent student, family of four, $80,000 parent income example
With Dependency status: dependent, Family size (including the student): 4, Tax filing status of the contributor: mfj, Parents' adjusted gross income: 80000, the calculator returns Student Aid Index: 4624, Parents' contribution: 4224, Parents' adjusted available income: 19200. This example is checked against an independent source in the test suite.
What you can compare
Change one input at a time to see how it affects Student Aid Index, Formula applied and Total parent income. The inputs you can vary are Award year, Dependency status, Family size (including the student), Student marital status, Tax filing status of the contributor and Parents' adjusted gross income.
Understanding Student Aid Index, Formula applied and Total parent income
This is an estimate built from the published federal formula. Your official Student Aid Index is calculated by the FAFSA Processing System from your submitted FAFSA, and your school's financial aid office makes the actual award. Do not treat this figure as an aid offer.
Results are general information, not financial, tax, legal, medical or engineering advice. Check any decision that matters with a qualified professional.
See something wrong? Report a problem with this calculator
Frequently asked questions
What information do I need for the federal student aid calculator?
You need Award year, Dependency status, Family size (including the student), Student marital status, Tax filing status of the contributor, Parents' adjusted gross income, Parents' untaxed income additions and Parents' income offsets. The page opens with default figures that give student Aid Index of 4,624 USD, so you can see the scale before entering your own.
What does this federal student aid calculator show?
It shows Student Aid Index, Formula applied, Total parent income, Total allowances against parent income, Parents' available income, Parents' contribution from assets, Parents' adjusted available income and Parents' contribution, with the working and any warnings for your entries.
Can I check how the federal student aid calculator result was calculated?
Yes. The “How this is worked out” section shows the calculation steps, and the sources section identifies the references used for the method.