---
title: "FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) + financial need"
method: POST
path: "/v1/education/aid-estimate"
tags: ["Education"]
---

# FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) + financial need

`POST /v1/education/aid-estimate`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.numeratica.com`
- URL: `https://api.numeratica.com/v1/education/aid-estimate`
- Auth: one of:
  - HTTP bearer
  - API key in header `X-API-Key`

Estimates the FAFSA Student Aid Index (the figure that replaced the EFC for 2024-25+) under the Federal Need Analysis Methodology, Formula A (dependent students), and the resulting financial need. SAI = parents' contribution (income less allowances, plus 12% of net worth, run through the progressive AAI schedule) + the student's contribution from income (50%) and assets (20%). Uses the 2026-27 ED tables (income-protection allowance, business/farm adjustment, AAI schedule). With cost_of_attendance it returns need = COA − SAI. Deterministic; an estimate, not an official determination.

## Request body

- AidEstimateRequest
  - `award_year` 2026: 2026 for the 2026-27 award year (default).
  - `family_size` integer, required: Parents' household size (including the student).
  - `parent_agi` number, required
  - `parent_untaxed_income` number: Untaxed additions (IRA/pension distributions, tax-exempt interest, …).
  - `parent_income_tax_paid` number, required: U.S. income tax paid.
  - `parent_earned_income` number, required: Parent 1 income earned from work.
  - `parent2_earned_income` number: Parent 2 income earned from work (0 if single/non-working).
  - `parent_filing_status` 'single' | 'mfj' | 'mfs' | 'hoh' | 'qss'
  - `single_parent` boolean: Affects the employment-expense allowance.
  - `parent_cash_savings` number
  - `parent_investments_net` number: Net worth of investments (excludes the primary residence).
  - `parent_business_farm_worth` number: Net worth of businesses/farms (Table A3 adjusts it).
  - `student_agi` number
  - `student_untaxed_income` number
  - `student_income_tax_paid` number
  - `student_earned_income` number
  - `student_assets` number
  - `cost_of_attendance` number: When > 0, yields financial need (COA − SAI).

## Response `200`

The SAI and financial-need estimate

- AidEstimateResponse
  - `result_id` string
  - `engine_version` string
  - `inputs` AidEstimateRequest
    - `award_year` 2026: 2026 for the 2026-27 award year (default).
    - `family_size` integer, required: Parents' household size (including the student).
    - `parent_agi` number, required
    - `parent_untaxed_income` number: Untaxed additions (IRA/pension distributions, tax-exempt interest, …).
    - `parent_income_tax_paid` number, required: U.S. income tax paid.
    - `parent_earned_income` number, required: Parent 1 income earned from work.
    - `parent2_earned_income` number: Parent 2 income earned from work (0 if single/non-working).
    - `parent_filing_status` 'single' | 'mfj' | 'mfs' | 'hoh' | 'qss'
    - `single_parent` boolean: Affects the employment-expense allowance.
    - `parent_cash_savings` number
    - `parent_investments_net` number: Net worth of investments (excludes the primary residence).
    - `parent_business_farm_worth` number: Net worth of businesses/farms (Table A3 adjusts it).
    - `student_agi` number
    - `student_untaxed_income` number
    - `student_income_tax_paid` number
    - `student_earned_income` number
    - `student_assets` number
    - `cost_of_attendance` number: When > 0, yields financial need (COA − SAI).
  - `result` object
    - `parent_available_income` number: PAI.
    - `parent_contribution_from_assets` number: PCA = net worth × 12%.
    - `parent_adjusted_available_income` number: PAAI = PAI + PCA.
    - `parent_contribution` number: Table A5 applied to PAAI.
    - `student_contribution_from_income` number
    - `student_contribution_from_assets` number
    - `income_protection_allowance` number
    - `employment_expense_allowance` number
    - `sai` integer: The Student Aid Index (floored at −1,500).
    - `financial_need` number: max(0, cost_of_attendance − SAI); 0 if COA not given.
  - `disclaimer` string

## Other responses

- `400`: Invalid request
- `401`: Missing or invalid API key.
- `405`: Method not allowed
- `429`: The key's per-minute request budget is exceeded. Retry after the delay in the Retry-After header.
- `503`: A dependency (e.g. the key store) is temporarily unavailable, or the request exceeded its compute deadline. Retryable.

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/numeratica/apis/numeratica-financial-planning-calculations-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/numeratica/apis/numeratica-financial-planning-calculations-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/numeratica/apis/numeratica-financial-planning-calculations-api/revisions/075bcfbd1ebf?raw)