College Aid Planning Tool

Estimate your Federal FAFSA / SAI and a generic Institutional / CSS-style contribution, then see possible aid, net price, and your family funding gap.

This is a planning estimator, not an official financial aid calculator. It uses transparent general formulas — not any school's specific policy — and does not predict an exact aid award.

Your details

Annual college cost type

Assumed annual cost: $70,000 · per student

Household & income

Household income (annual, pre-tax)

Household income is used as a simplified income proxy. Official FAFSA uses prior-prior-year tax return data.

Family size (people in household)

Children in college at the same time

Older parent's age

Student's annual income

Optional. First $11,770 is protected.

Assets

Cash & savings

Taxable investments

529 / education savings balance

Home equity

Excluded from federal SAI; may count at CSS-style schools.

Retirement assets

Not counted for federal SAI or this institutional sketch.

Business / farm assets

Student's own assets

Assessed at 20% federally (25% institutional) — the highest rates.

Federal FAFSA / SAI estimate

A simplified 2026-27 dependent-student approximation. Not an official SAI.

Student Aid Index (SAI)

$16,085

Estimated federal need

$53,915 / $70,000 COA

How this SAI is built

Parents' contribution: $15,085
Student contribution from income: $0
Student contribution from assets: $1,000

Uses household income as a simplified proxy; official FAFSA uses prior-prior-year tax data.
FAFSA no longer divides the parent contribution by the number of children in college.
Primary home equity and retirement accounts are excluded from the federal SAI.

Institutional / CSS-style estimate

A generic sketch — schools vary widely. Not an official CSS Profile result.

Net price (out of pocket)

$15,143 to $36,034

Family funding gap

$2,887 to $18,289

Cost of attendance (COA): $70,000	Generous	Moderate	Conservative
Institutional expected contribution	$12,256	$15,282	$17,745
Estimated need	$57,744	$54,718	$52,255
Possible grant aid	$54,857	$46,510	$33,966
Net price (out of pocket)	$15,143	$23,490	$36,034
Family funding gap	$2,887	$8,208	$18,289

“Conservative” is the safest figure to budget around; “Generous” assumes the best case.

Some institutional methodologies still reduce the parent contribution when several children are in college at once.
Primary home equity may be counted at CSS-style schools, often capped relative to income.

What moves your estimate most

These inputs drive the largest share of your estimated contribution:

Home equity$10,000
Household income$9,806
Parent assets$5,279
Student assets$1,000

General rules of thumb

Household income is usually the biggest driver of your expected contribution.
Student-owned assets are assessed heavily — about 20% federally and 25% institutional.
Parent assets (cash, taxable investments, 529) are assessed at about 12% federally.
Home equity is excluded federally but may count at CSS-style schools (private/elite).
FAFSA no longer splits the parent contribution across children in college; some institutional methodologies still do.

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Planning report

College Aid Planning Tool

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Your inputs

Annual college cost type: Private — Generous Aid
Household income (annual, pre-tax): $120,000
Family size (people in household): 4
Children in college at the same time: 1
Older parent's age: 50
Student's annual income: $0
Cash & savings: $20,000
Taxable investments: $30,000
529 / education savings balance: $50,000
Home equity: $200,000
Retirement assets: $300,000
Business / farm assets: $0
Student's own assets: $5,000

Federal FAFSA / SAI estimate

Student Aid Index (SAI): $16,085
Estimated federal need: $53,915
Parents' contribution: $15,085
Student contribution from income: $0
Student contribution from assets: $1,000

Uses household income as a simplified proxy; official FAFSA uses prior-prior-year tax data.

Institutional / CSS-style estimate (annual)

Cost of attendance (COA): $70,000	Generous	Moderate	Conservative
Institutional expected contribution	$12,256	$15,282	$17,745
Estimated need	$57,744	$54,718	$52,255
Possible grant aid	$54,857	$46,510	$33,966
Net price (out of pocket)	$15,143	$23,490	$36,034
Family funding gap	$2,887	$8,208	$18,289

A generic sketch — schools vary widely. Not an official CSS Profile result.

Planning notes

File the FAFSA — and the CSS Profile if a school requires it — as early as possible each year. Timing affects aid.
The federal SAI uses your income as a simplified proxy; the official figure comes from your prior-prior-year tax return.
Retirement accounts are excluded everywhere here; primary home equity is excluded federally but may count at CSS-style schools.
FAFSA no longer reduces the parent contribution for multiple children in college, but some institutional methodologies still do.
These are planning ranges, not an aid award. Budget around the conservative end.

Educational planning estimate only

This tool is for educational planning estimates only. Actual aid depends on FAFSA, CSS Profile if required, school review, documentation, timing, and institutional funding. It is not financial, tax, legal, or official financial aid advice.

Educational planning estimate only