125% Federal Poverty Guidelines: Income Limits and Sponsorship Use

For 2026, 125 percent of the federal poverty level equals $19,950 a year for a single person in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. The figure rises with household size and runs higher in Alaska and Hawaii. This threshold matters most in two places: immigration, where sponsors must prove they earn at least this much to bring a family member to the United States, and civil legal aid, where it sets the income ceiling for free services.

2026 Income Limits at 125 Percent of Poverty

The tables below show the annual household income that equals 125 percent of the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines: Detailed Tables

48 Contiguous States and Washington, D.C.

  • 1 person: $19,950
  • 2 people: $27,050
  • 3 people: $34,150
  • 4 people: $41,250
  • 5 people: $48,350
  • 6 people: $55,450
  • 7 people: $62,550
  • 8 people: $69,650

For each additional person beyond eight, add $7,100.

Alaska

  • 1 person: $24,937.50
  • 2 people: $33,812.50
  • 3 people: $42,687.50
  • 4 people: $51,562.50
  • 5 people: $60,437.50
  • 6 people: $69,312.50
  • 7 people: $78,187.50
  • 8 people: $87,062.50

For each additional person beyond eight, add $8,875.

Hawaii

  • 1 person: $22,950
  • 2 people: $31,112.50
  • 3 people: $39,275
  • 4 people: $47,437.50
  • 5 people: $55,600
  • 6 people: $63,762.50
  • 7 people: $71,925
  • 8 people: $80,087.50

For each additional person beyond eight, add $8,162.50.

How the Number Is Calculated

Each year the Department of Health and Human Services publishes base poverty guidelines.2U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Poverty Guidelines API For 2026, the base guideline for one person in the contiguous states is $15,960.3HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level (FPL) The 125 percent figure is that base multiplied by 1.25, so $15,960 × 1.25 = $19,950. Programs that use this threshold don’t publish a separate poverty line; they apply the multiplier to the standard guideline. HHS also publishes pre-calculated tables at 125 percent so you don’t have to run the math. Alaska and Hawaii carry higher thresholds because basic costs there run above the mainland average.

Immigration Sponsorship

Most people encounter the 125 percent threshold when sponsoring a family member for a green card. Federal law requires the sponsor to prove household income meets or exceeds 125 percent of the poverty guidelines for the household, counting the sponsor, the immigrant being sponsored, and any dependents.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1183a – Requirements for Sponsors Affidavit of Support The sponsor demonstrates this by filing Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support, which is a legally enforceable contract. The sponsored immigrant, federal agencies, and state governments can all sue the sponsor under it if the person sponsored receives means-tested public benefits.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA

Using Assets to Cover an Income Shortfall

If income falls below the 125 percent line, assets like savings, stocks, bonds, and real estate equity (excluding a primary home) can make up the difference. USCIS doesn’t count assets dollar-for-dollar. The required asset value depends on the relationship:

  • Spouse or child of a U.S. citizen: assets must equal at least 3 times the income shortfall.
  • Other family-based immigrants: assets must equal at least 5 times the shortfall.

So a $5,000 shortfall when sponsoring a spouse means at least $15,000 in qualifying assets. The same gap for a sibling requires $25,000. Assets are valued at net cash value after subtracting debts and liquidation costs.6U.S. Department of State. 9 FAM 601.14 – Affidavit of Support

Joint Sponsors

When the petitioning sponsor can’t meet the threshold even with assets, a joint sponsor can step in. A joint sponsor is any U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident who is at least 18, lives in the United States, and can independently meet the 125 percent threshold for the people being sponsored. The joint sponsor doesn’t need to be related to the sponsor or the immigrant. Up to two joint sponsors can be used, with one covering some family members and a second covering the rest.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions

Active-Duty Military Exception

If the sponsor is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces and petitioning for a spouse or child, only 100 percent of the poverty guidelines applies, not 125 percent. For a two-person household in the contiguous states, that drops the requirement from $27,050 to $21,640 for 2026.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support The exception covers only spouses and children, not parents, siblings, or other family-based categories.

When the Sponsor’s Obligation Ends

The I-864 commitment has no fixed term. It ends only when one of these happens:

  • The sponsored immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen.
  • The sponsored immigrant is credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work, roughly 10 years of Social Security-covered employment. Quarters earned by a spouse during the marriage or by a parent while the immigrant was a minor can count. Quarters don’t count if the immigrant received federal means-tested public benefits during that period.
  • The sponsored immigrant dies.
  • The sponsored immigrant permanently leaves the United States.

Until one of those triggers, the sponsor can be forced to reimburse any agency that provided means-tested benefits to the immigrant, plus legal fees.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1183a – Requirements for Sponsors Affidavit of Support Divorce does not end the obligation.

Legal Aid Eligibility

The Legal Services Corporation, the largest funder of civil legal aid in the country, uses 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines as the maximum income for people receiving free help. Federal regulations set this ceiling and bar LSC-funded organizations from exceeding it.9eCFR. 45 CFR Part 1611 – Financial Eligibility For a family of four in the contiguous states in 2026, household income cannot exceed $41,250.

LSC-funded programs handle civil matters like evictions, domestic violence protective orders, consumer disputes, and benefits denials. They don’t handle criminal defense. Each local office screens applicants against the 125 percent threshold before taking a case.

Programs That Use a Different Threshold

The 125 percent figure does not apply to every income-based program. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program sets eligibility at 150 percent of the poverty guidelines, or 60 percent of state median income, whichever is higher.10LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Eligibility – Household Income Marketplace health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act use a range of percentage tiers. SNAP uses 130 percent of poverty for gross income screening in most states. If you’re applying for a specific benefit, check that program’s own limits rather than assuming the 125 percent figure applies.