The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the Expected Family Contribution in 2024. It is the number colleges use to determine your federal aid. Estimate your SAI and see how each input moves it.
| Household | AGI | Assets | Est. SAI | Pell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle income, family of 4 | $60,000 | $20,000 | $3,600 | Possibly |
| Upper-middle, family of 4 | $120,000 | $80,000 | $12,492 | Unlikely |
| High income, family of 5, 2 in college | $200,000 | $250,000 | $15,168 | No |
| Lower income, family of 3 | $45,000 | $5,000 | $2,580 | Possible |
Simplified estimate using 2025 asset-protection and income-allowance approximations. The official Federal Student Aid Estimator produces the authoritative SAI; this tool shows how the inputs interact.
The Student Aid Index (SAI) is the 2024+ replacement for the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). It is a measure of your family's financial strength, reported on the FAFSA, that colleges subtract from their cost of attendance to determine need-based aid. A lower SAI means more eligibility for need-based grants and subsidized aid.
The SAI is not a bill and not necessarily what you will pay. It is an index colleges use to allocate need-based aid. Some colleges do not meet full need, so a family's actual out-of-pocket cost can exceed the SAI considerably. The one exception: an SAI of -1500 to 0 (a negative SAI is possible) signals the maximum need, and students with a low SAI are generally eligible for the maximum Pell Grant.
Pell eligibility is tied directly to SAI and family size. For 2025-26, a student in a family of four generally needs an SAI below roughly $5,000-$7,000 to receive a Pell Grant. Use this tool to see whether your inputs land in that range, then confirm with the official estimator.
The FAFSA Simplification Act reshaped need analysis in two ways that matter to families. First, the "number in college" divisor was eliminated — under the old EFC, a family with two students in college effectively halved its contribution per child. Under the SAI, each student's index is calculated on the same family data without that division, which in many cases raises the reported index for multi-student families even though they still qualify for aid individually. Second, the formula now draws income directly from the IRS rather than asking families to transpose tax figures, reducing errors but also requiring a consent step.
Assets shelter in the new formula too: a small business with fewer than 100 employees and family farm are excluded, the primary home remains excluded, and the asset protection allowance shields a base amount before assets count.
Income is assessed far more heavily than assets — roughly 12% of available parental income versus about 5.64% of unprotected assets. This is why converting assets into income-producing ones, or holding cash in a 529 (which is counted as a parent asset at a reduced rate), can materially lower an SAI. Timing matters as well: because the SAI is based on a prior-prior year's tax data, large realized capital gains or a Roth conversion in the wrong year can spike the index a student's family sees two years later. Plan major income events around the FAFSA tax years whenever possible.
⚠️ Important: This is a simplified estimate of the Student Aid Index based on public 2025 formula approximations. It does not replicate the official Federal Student Aid Estimator, which uses IRS data, allowances that vary by state and age, and exclusions this tool cannot fully capture. Never rely on this figure for an aid decision — file the FAFSA and use the official estimator or your financial aid office.