Title 20EducationRelease 119-73

§1087mm Special rules for student aid index

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 28— - HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Part Part F— - Need Analysis › § 1087mm

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines the "student aid index" as a number that shows roughly how much a student can contribute toward college for the academic year. If a student is eligible for the maximum Pell Grant, the Secretary must treat their student aid index as zero, unless the calculated number is negative—then the negative number is used. If the student (or the student and spouse, or the student’s parents, as applicable) did not have to file a federal tax return for the tax year two years before, the Secretary must set the student aid index at −$1,500.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1087mm

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For the purpose of this chapter, the term “student aid index” means, with respect to a student, an index that reflects an evaluation of a student’s approximate financial resources to contribute toward the student’s postsecondary education for the academic year, as determined in accordance with this part.
(b)The Secretary shall consider an applicant to automatically have a student aid index equal to zero if the applicant is eligible for the total maximum Federal Pell Grant under section 1070a(b)(1)(A) of this title, except that, if the applicant has a calculated student aid index of less than zero the Secretary shall consider the negative number as the student aid index for the applicant.
(c)Notwithstanding subsection (b), for an applicant (or, as applicable, an applicant and spouse, or an applicant’s parents) who is not required to file a Federal tax return for the second preceding tax year, the Secretary shall for the purposes of this subchapter consider the student aid index as equal to − $1,500 for the applicant.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2020—Pub. L. 116–260 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section provided definition of family contribution with respect to any student for the purpose of this subchapter, other than subpart 2 of part A, and provided special rule related to family contribution. 2018—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–141, § 317(1)(A), inserted “(in the case of a student who meets the requirement of subparagraph (B)(i)), or academic year 2018–2019 (in the case of a student who meets the requirement of subparagraph (B)(ii)),” after “academic year 2009–2010” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 115–141, § 317(1)(B), amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (B) read as follows: “whose parent or guardian was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and died as a result of performing military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001; and”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115–141, § 317(2), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted heading, substituted “subparagraphs (A), (B)(i), and (C) of paragraph (2)” for “paragraph (2)”, and added subpar. (B). Subsec. (b)(4), (5). Pub. L. 115–141, § 317(3), added pars. (4) and (5). 2009—Pub. L. 111–39 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, substituted “For the purpose of this subchapter, other than subpart 2 of part A, and except as provided in subsection (b),” for “For the purpose of this subchapter, except subpart 2 of part A,”, and added subsec. (b). 1998—Pub. L. 105–244 substituted “subpart 2” for “subpart 4”. 1992—Pub. L. 102–325 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “For the purpose of this subchapter, except subparts 1 and 3 of part A, the term ‘family contribution’ with respect to any student means the amount which the student and his or her family may be reasonably expected to contribute toward his or her postsecondary education for the academic year for which the determination is made, as determined in accordance with this part.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2020 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 116–260 effective
July 1, 2024, except as otherwise expressly provided, and applicable with respect to award year 2024–2025 and each subsequent award year, as determined under this chapter, see section 701(b) of Pub. L. 116–260, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title. Implementation of amendment by Pub. L. 116–260 allowed on or after
July 1, 2023, see section 102(c)(1)(A)(i) of Pub. L. 117–103, set out as an On-Time

Effective Date

Permitted note under section 1070a of this title.

Effective Date

of 2009 Amendment Pub. L. 111–39, title IV, § 406(b), July 1, 2009, 123 Stat. 1950, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by— “(1) paragraph (1) of subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on July 1, 2009; and “(2) paragraph (4) of such subsection [amending section 1087ss of this title] shall be effective as if enacted as part of the

Amendments

in section 602(a) of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (Public Law 110–84), and shall take effect on July 1, 2009.”

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 7, 1998, see section 480A of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1087kk of this title.

Effective Date

of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–325 applicable with respect to determinations of need under this part for award years beginning on or after July 1, 1993, see section 471(b) of Pub. L. 102–325, set out as a note under section 1087kk of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1087mm

Title 20Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73