125% of the federal poverty level is the standard HHS poverty guideline multiplied by 1.25, producing the income threshold that immigration sponsors must meet on the Affidavit of Support and that applicants must fall under to qualify for free civil legal aid. For 2026, a single person in the 48 contiguous states hits the mark at $19,950 a year, and a family of four hits it at $41,250. Alaska and Hawaii use higher figures because their base guidelines are higher.
2026 Income Amounts at 125% of the Poverty Level
All amounts are annual gross income before taxes and deductions. HHS publishes updated poverty guidelines each January, so check the current figures before you file anything that depends on them.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines: 48 Contiguous States
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
- Each additional person: add $7,100
These same figures apply to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support
Alaska
- 1 person: $24,938
- 2 people: $33,813
- 4 people: $51,563
- Each additional person: add $8,875
Hawaii
- 1 person: $22,950
- 2 people: $31,113
- 4 people: $47,438
- Each additional person: add $8,163
How to Count Your Household and Your Income
The right number in the table depends on getting your household size right, because every added person raises the threshold. For an immigration sponsor, the household includes the sponsor, the immigrant being sponsored, anyone the sponsor claimed as a dependent on the most recent federal tax return, and anyone else living with the sponsor who was listed on a previous Affidavit of Support. Sponsoring a spouse who is bringing two of her own children means the household jumps by three people in a single filing.
Income is gross annual income, calculated before taxes, insurance premiums, or retirement contributions are subtracted. Interest, dividends, Social Security benefits, and unemployment compensation all count. Most filings require IRS tax transcripts or federal tax returns along with W-2s and 1099s. If a household member who lives with the sponsor wants to add their income toward the threshold, they can sign Form I-864A, which makes them jointly responsible for the support obligation.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member
Why the 125% Number Matters for Immigration Sponsors
The dominant use of 125% of the poverty level is Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support. Federal law requires the petitioning sponsor of a family-based immigrant to show income of at least 125% of the federal poverty line for the sponsor’s household size.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 U.S.C. 1183a – Requirements for Sponsors Affidavit of Support If the sponsor’s income falls below that line, the visa or green card is generally denied unless the gap is closed another way.
Joint Sponsors
When the petitioning sponsor cannot meet the 125% threshold alone, a joint sponsor can file a separate Form I-864. The joint sponsor must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, at least 18 years old, and living in the United States, and does not need to be related to anyone involved. The joint sponsor has to meet the full 125% requirement on their own income for the intending immigrant and their own household; the two sponsors’ incomes are not combined.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Up to two joint sponsors are permitted when one cannot cover the entire family.
Making Up the Gap With Assets
A sponsor whose income is short of 125% can use assets to fill the gap, provided the assets can be converted to cash within a year without significant hardship. Savings, stocks, and home equity are the usual examples. The asset value must significantly exceed the shortfall. For a U.S. citizen sponsoring a spouse or child, the assets must equal three times the difference between actual income and the 125% threshold. For all other family-based cases, the multiplier is five.8U.S. Department of State. 9 FAM 601.14 Affidavit of Support
Say the 125% threshold for your household is $41,250 and you earn $35,000. The shortfall is $6,250. Sponsoring your spouse, you would need at least $18,750 in qualifying assets. Sponsoring a sibling, you would need $31,250.
Active-Duty Military Exception
Active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces sponsoring a spouse or child only need to show income at 100% of the poverty guidelines rather than 125%.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support For a two-person household in the contiguous states in 2026, that lowers the requirement from $27,050 to $21,640. Sponsoring a parent, sibling, or other relative still requires the full 125%.
Legal Aid Eligibility
Outside immigration, the 125% figure sets the income ceiling for the Legal Services Corporation, the federally funded network that provides free civil legal help to low-income Americans. A household with income at or below the 2026 amounts listed above generally qualifies for LSC-funded representation in civil matters such as evictions, family law disputes, and benefits appeals.9eCFR. 45 CFR Part 1611 – Financial Eligibility
Local LSC-funded programs can serve people with income up to 200% of the poverty level in specific situations, such as when someone is trying to obtain or keep government benefits, or when income is largely consumed by medical or nursing home costs.9eCFR. 45 CFR Part 1611 – Financial Eligibility The default ceiling, though, is 125%.
Don’t Confuse 125% With Other Poverty Percentages
Different federal programs use different multiples of the poverty line, and mixing them up leads to filing errors. USCIS fee waivers, for example, use 150% of the poverty guidelines, not 125%.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver A household earning between 125% and 150% might qualify for a fee waiver but not for LSC legal aid. Medicaid, CHIP, and marketplace insurance subsidies use their own thresholds, some reaching 138% or 400% of the poverty line. The 125% figure is specific to immigration sponsorship and LSC eligibility; don’t assume it controls any other benefit.