Can't find my SAI on tax forms - how low must income be for FAFSA eligibility?

Your SAI (Student Aid Index) isn't actually on your tax forms - it's calculated by the FAFSA system after you submit your application. It's based on the financial information you provide on the FAFSA form, including income reported on your tax returns, but it's not a number that appears on your taxes themselves. Regarding your income question, with a family of 4 earning $34,000, you would almost certainly qualify for significant financial aid, including the Pell Grant. There's no specific income cutoff for FAFSA eligibility - everyone should apply regardless of income. Your cousin's situation might have been different for reasons beyond just income (assets, number of college students in the family, etc). I encourage you to apply - with your income level, you'll likely qualify for substantial aid.

lol I did the exact same thing last year!! was looking all over my 1040 for this mysterious SAI number 😂 And yes definitely apply!! My family makes around $38k and I got almost the full Pell Grant plus state grants too

DEFINITELY apply!!! With your family income and 4 people in the household, you'll almost certainly qualify for the maximum Pell Grant which is completely free money. The system actually WANTS to give money to families in your income bracket - that's literally what it's designed for. Your cousin may have had other factors affecting their eligibility (like substantial savings, property ownership, etc.) or maybe they made a mistake on their application. It happens ALL THE TIME. Pro tip: When you're filling out the FAFSA, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to automatically import your tax information. This reduces errors and speeds up processing time. Also, apply as early as possible - October 1st when the application opens. Some aid is first-come, first-served!

ur cousin probably did somthing wrong on there application. i know ppl making way more than that who got financial aid. apply asap!

Everyone should apply for FAFSA regardless of income!! Even if you think you won't qualify, you might be surprised. Plus many scholarships require a completed FAFSA even if they're not need-based. When I was applying for college my parents were convinced we made too much money but I still qualified for some aid plus work study. Different colleges also have different thresholds for institutional aid!

Listen, the financial aid system is DESIGNED to help families in your exact situation. $34k for a family of 4 is definitely in the range for substantial aid. Your cousin probably made errors on their application or had other factors they're not telling you about. The real problem is actually GETTING THROUGH to someone at Federal Student Aid when you have questions or issues with your application. I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone about verification issues last year - constant busy signals and disconnected calls. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Their website is claimyr.com - basically they wait on hold for you and call when an agent is available. Saved me from missing deadlines and potentially losing thousands in aid.

With your family income at $34,000 for a household of 4, you are EXACTLY who the Pell Grant was created to help. You'll almost certainly qualify for the maximum amount. I've been working with FAFSA applications for years, and I've noticed that when people think they should qualify but don't, it's usually because of one of these mistakes: 1) They accidentally reported retirement assets as regular assets (retirement accounts should be excluded) 2) They entered income information incorrectly (like putting a decimal point in the wrong place) 3) They didn't use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, resulting in mismatched information 4) They missed the state or school deadlines for additional aid 5) They didn't follow up on verification requests The FAFSA itself doesn't have an income cutoff - everyone should apply. Individual schools may have different thresholds for their institutional aid, but federal programs like Pell Grants have consistent formulas nationwide.

When you first login to the FAFSA website its really confusing!!1! Make sure you go to studentaid.gov not any other website bc there are scam sites that charge $$ to fill out the FAFSA when its supposed to be FREE (hence the F in FAFSA lol