EFC Calculator: Student Aid Index (SAI) for the 2027–28 FAFSA
Estimate your Student Aid Index (SAI) — the FAFSA figure that replaced the Expected Family Contribution — with the official 2027–28 federal formula for dependent and independent students, plus your estimated Pell Grant and financial need.
How it works
Dependent (Formula A): SAI = parents’ contribution + student contribution from income + student contribution from assets Parents’ available income = AGI + untaxed income − (federal tax + FICA + income protection allowance + employment expense allowance) Parents’ contribution = 22%–47% schedule on (available income + 12% of net worth) Student = 50% × (income − tax − FICA − $12,220 − any negative parent income) + 20% × assets Independent: 50% of available income + 20% of assets (no dependents) or the 22%–47% schedule on income + 7% of assets (with dependents) · minimum SAI −1,500
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) was retired with the 2024–25 FAFSA and replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI). Both measure what the federal formula thinks a family can put toward one year of college, but the SAI changed several rules: it can go as low as −1,500, the number of siblings in college no longer divides the parent contribution, the asset protection allowance is now $0, the state tax allowance is gone, child support received counts as an asset, and Pell eligibility is set partly by income compared with the federal poverty guideline. Since 2026–27 a family farm you live on and a family-owned business with 100 or fewer employees are again excluded from assets. The 2027–28 FAFSA (opened October 1, 2026) uses 2025 tax returns and the tables shown here. For dependent students, parents keep a large income protection allowance, then contribute 22% to 47% of what remains plus 12% of their net worth; students contribute half of income above $12,220 and 20% of their assets — which is why money is better saved in a parent’s name.
Worked example
Two married parents in a family of four earn $80,000 (all from work) and have $20,000 in savings; the student earned $5,000 and has $3,000 saved. Parents’ allowances: about $2,643 estimated federal tax + $6,120 FICA + $46,590 income protection + $5,200 employment expense = $60,553, leaving $19,447 of available income. Adding 12% of $20,000 ($2,400) gives $21,847, and 22% of that is a $4,806 parent contribution. The student’s $5,000 is below the $12,220 protection allowance, so only assets count: 20% × $3,000 = $600. The SAI is about $5,406. With the $7,395 maximum, that suggests a Pell Grant of about $1,989, and against a $30,000 cost of attendance, $24,594 of need.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education — 2027–28 Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide · FSA — 2026–27 FAFSA form and Pell Grant eligibility updates (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) · FSA — 2026–27 Federal Pell Grant maximum and minimum award amounts · Federal Register — Federal need analysis methodology for the 2027–28 award year
Frequently asked questions
Is the EFC the same as the Student Aid Index?
The SAI replaced the EFC on the FAFSA starting in 2024–25. It plays the same role — schools subtract it from their cost of attendance to measure need — but the formula changed: siblings in college no longer lower it, it can be negative (down to −1,500), assets are protected less and Pell eligibility also depends on income versus the poverty line.
Is the SAI what I will pay?
No. It is an index used to award need-based aid. What you actually pay depends on the college’s price, how much of your need it meets with grants, and how much is offered as work-study or loans. Use each school’s net price calculator for a school-specific estimate.
Why did having two children in college stop helping?
The FAFSA Simplification Act removed the number-in-college divisor. Under the old EFC, the parent contribution was split among siblings in college; under the SAI, each child gets the full parent contribution. Some private colleges that use the CSS Profile still split it, so the calculator shows that comparison when you enter more than one child.
Why are student income and assets assessed so heavily?
The formula expects students to put half of their available income and 20% of their assets toward college, while parent assets are assessed at 12% at most. That is why 529 plans and savings are usually better held by a parent.
Which year’s information does the 2027–28 FAFSA use?
2025 income and tax information (the “prior-prior” year) and assets as of the day you file. The poverty guidelines for the Pell income tests are the 2025 HHS guidelines.
How accurate is this estimate?
It follows the Department of Education’s 2027–28 SAI worksheets for dependent and independent students. The main shortcuts are the estimated income tax (enter your real figure for accuracy) and the Pell amounts, which are set by Congress each year. Your FAFSA Submission Summary shows the official SAI.
Related calculators
Educational estimate only. Financial-aid, loan and tuition rules change and vary by school, state and program — confirm figures with your school and loan servicer.