I'd recommend starting this fall with the College Board's
Estimated Family Contribution Calculator.
"We may decide you focus on the neediest of the needy," Chavez said, suggesting the new
estimated family contribution limit might be $2,000 or even zero.
The minimum input data elements from the ED template that must be included in any alternative solution are those that approximate the student's
Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), such as income, number in family, and dependency status or factors that estimate dependency status.
The form also adds "dislocated worker" to the list of criteria that could qualify an applicant for the Simplified Needs Test or Automatic Zero
Estimated Family Contribution.
At IHEs where students participate in co-op programs, the new law excludes any income earned from work in these programs when calculating the
estimated family contribution (EFC).
Ultimately, Pell Grant awards and other forms of financial aid a student receives are based on this contribution, also known as the
estimated family contribution, or EFC.