SAI calculator 2027–28 (FAFSA Student Aid Index)
This SAI calculator estimates the Student Aid Index for the 2027–28 FAFSA for a dependent student. Enter your parents’ 2025 income, taxes and assets and your own income: the calculator follows the federal formula step by step with the 2027–28 allowances and shows whether you may qualify for a Federal Pell Grant.
Source: HEA §475, 20 U.S.C. 1087oo – Student aid index for dependent students (HEA §475, as amended 2020 and 2024) (read 09.10.2026). Updated: .
How it is calculated
The Student Aid Index (SAI) is the number the FAFSA uses to decide your federal aid. For a dependent student it is the parents’ contribution (22% to 47% of their adjusted available income) plus 50% of the student’s income above $12,220 plus 20% of the student’s assets – at least −1,500. A family of four with $80,000 AGI, $5,000 income tax and $20,000 in savings has an SAI of about 4,288, which means a Pell Grant of about $3,105.
2027–28 allowances and assessment rates
| Item | 2027–28 value |
|---|---|
| Income protection allowance, family of 3 / 4 / 5 | $37,720 / $46,590 / $54,970 |
| Income protection allowance, dependent student | $12,220 |
| Employment expense allowance | 35% of earnings, at most $5,200 |
| Parents’ assets counted | 12% (asset protection allowance $0) |
| Assessment of parents’ AAI | 22% up to $22,600, rising to 47% above $45,600 |
| Student income / assets | 50% / 20% |
How the calculator works
- Parents’ available income: AGI + untaxed income − federal income tax − payroll tax allowance − income protection allowance − employment expense allowance.
- Adjusted available income: plus 12% of the parents’ assets (home, retirement accounts, family farm and small business are not counted).
- Parents’ contribution: the assessment schedule – 22% up to $22,600, then $4,972 + 25%, $6,397 + 29%, $8,050 + 34%, $10,056 + 40% and $12,336 + 47% above $45,600; at least −$1,958.
- Student: 50% of income after taxes and $12,220 (never below 0) plus 20% of assets.
- Special rules: parents not required to file → SAI −1,500; AGI up to 175% of the poverty guideline (225% for a single parent) → maximum Pell Grant and SAI no higher than 0.
- Pell Grant: maximum minus SAI, rounded to $5; at least the minimum Pell if AGI is up to 275% (single parent 325%) of the poverty guideline; none if the SAI is twice the maximum or more.
Examples (two parents, family of 4, student earned $5,000)
- AGI $80,000, tax $5,000, assets $20,000: available income $17,090, AAI $19,490 → SAI 4,288 → Pell about $3,105.
- AGI $60,000, tax $2,500, assets $10,000: AAI $2,320 → SAI 510 → Pell about $6,885.
- AGI $50,000, tax $1,500, assets $5,000: 155.5% of the poverty guideline → SAI −1,433 and the maximum Pell Grant of $7,395.
- AGI $100,000, tax $8,000, assets $50,000: SAI 9,600 – above the maximum Pell and AGI over 275% of the guideline, so no Pell Grant.
- AGI $150,000, tax $17,000, assets $100,000: SAI 29,319.
- Single parent, family of 3, AGI $40,000, tax $500, assets $2,000: SAI −1,373, maximum Pell Grant.
- AGI $120,000, tax $11,000, assets $30,000, student earned $15,000 (tax $300) and saved $4,000: parents 15,170 + student income 666 + student assets 800 = SAI 16,636.
To estimate the parents’ federal income tax, use the federal income tax calculator. Applying for scholarships? The GPA calculator works out your grade point average.
Limits
This SAI calculator covers dependent students. Independent students (24 or older, married, with dependents, veterans, graduate students and others) use a different formula. Not included: excludable income such as education tax credits or taxable scholarships, child support received (counted as an asset), foreign income, the poverty guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii, and professional judgment by your financial aid office. The FAFSA uses 2025 tax information for 2027–28. Your aid package also depends on your college’s cost of attendance and enrollment status. This is an estimate, not an official SAI.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good SAI for financial aid?
The lower the better. An SAI of 0 or below usually means the maximum Pell Grant; with an SAI under the maximum Pell ($7,395 in 2026–27) you can still get a partial Pell Grant.
How is the SAI calculated for a dependent student?
Parents’ contribution from adjusted available income (22% to 47%), plus 50% of the student’s income above taxes and $12,220, plus 20% of the student’s assets. The result cannot be lower than −1,500.
Can the SAI be negative?
Yes, down to −1,500. A negative SAI signals the highest need; colleges may use it to award more need-based aid, while the Pell Grant treats it as 0.
What SAI qualifies for a Pell Grant?
An SAI below the maximum Pell award qualifies for a partial grant. Families with AGI up to 175% of the poverty guideline (225% for single parents) get the maximum automatically, and from 2026–27 there is no Pell Grant if the SAI is twice the maximum or more.
Do my parents’ home and 401(k) count on the FAFSA?
No. The family home, retirement accounts, and – after the 2025 law change – a family farm you live on or a family-owned small business with up to 100 employees are not counted as assets.
Which tax year is used for the 2027–28 FAFSA?
The 2025 tax year (prior-prior year). The FAFSA imports the data from the IRS with your and your parents’ consent.
Sources and legal basis
- HEA §475: 20 U.S.C. 1087oo – Student aid index for dependent students (HEA §475, as amended 2020 and 2024) (read 09.10.2026)
- HEA §480: 20 U.S.C. 1087vv – Definitions: total income, untaxed income, assets (incl. 2025 exclusion of family farms and small businesses) (read 09.10.2026)
- HEA §473: 20 U.S.C. 1087mm – SAI 0 for maximum Pell eligibility, −$1,500 for non-filers (read 09.10.2026)
- Federal Register 2026-10986 (02.06.2026) – Federal Need Analysis Methodology for the 2027-28 award year: allowances and assessment schedule (read 09.10.2026)
- HEA §401: 20 U.S.C. 1070a(b) – Federal Pell Grant amount: maximum, minimum (10%), poverty-line rules, SAI cut-off at twice the maximum from 01.07.2026 (read 09.10.2026)
- Federal Student Aid – Federal Pell Grants: maximum award $7,395 for 2026–27 (read 09.10.2026)
- HHS/ASPE – 2025 poverty guidelines: $15,650 for one person, +$5,500 per person (48 states) (read 09.10.2026)
As of: · Editorial policy
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