Free tool · Affidavit of Support
Do you earn enough to sponsor? The 2026 I-864 calculator.
Count your household the way USCIS does, compare your income to the 2026 requirement, and see your options if you come up short. It takes about two minutes. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
The calculator
Three questions, one answer.
Answer for the sponsor, the person signing Form I-864. In most family cases that is the U.S. citizen or permanent resident who filed the I-130.
The 2026 numbers
I-864 income requirements for 2026
For sponsors in Pennsylvania and every other state except Alaska and Hawaii, plus D.C. and the U.S. territories. Effective March 1, 2026.
| Household size | Most sponsors (125%) | Active-duty military (100%) |
|---|
Each additional person adds $7,100 at 125% and $5,680 at 100%. Source: USCIS Form I-864P.
Questions sponsors ask
Before you file the I-864
What if I don't earn enough to sponsor?
You have three main options. You can add the income of a household member who signs Form I-864A. You can use assets. Or a joint sponsor, someone who meets the requirement for their own household plus the immigrant, can sign a separate I-864. You still file your own I-864 even when a joint sponsor helps.
How much in assets do I need to cover a shortfall?
Generally, five times the shortfall. If you are a U.S. citizen sponsoring your spouse, or your child who is 18 or older, it is three times the shortfall. Assets must be available to turn into cash within about a year.
Who counts in my household size?
You, your spouse, your dependent children, anyone else you claim as a dependent on your federal tax return, the people you are sponsoring on this affidavit, and anyone you sponsored before who is still covered by an earlier I-864.
Does the I-864 obligation end if we divorce?
No. It is a contract with the federal government and it survives divorce. It usually ends when the immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, has 40 quarters of work that can be credited, leaves the U.S. permanently, or dies. Our full I-864 guide explains more.
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Get the affidavit right the first time.
A weak I-864 is one of the most common reasons for a Request for Evidence in family cases. We count your household, check your documents, and line up a joint sponsor if you need one, before anything is filed.