<p>Hey there,</p>
<p>My parents haven't filed the 2012 tax return yet (they file jointly), but they told me that our income this year was about $40,000. We live pretty much paycheck to paycheck and I have no idea how much taxes they will have to pay. I am still waiting for them to give me an estimate so I can finish filing FAFSA, but what would it be if I am applying to UCs (University of California), such as UCB and UCSD.</p>
<p>Also, how accurate are the EFC calculators that are on the universities website compared to the FAFSA one.</p>
<p>Are you a California resident? If so, you should be eligible for the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan if accepted to the UCs.</p>
<p>Yes, I am. But I was wondering if anyone who applied to UCs in the recent years would have some insight as to what my estimated EFC might be.</p>
<p>Your federal Estimated Family Contribution is not dependent on what college you apply to. It is the same anywhere and everywhere. However, this number only determines eligibility for federal need-based aid such as subsidized loans and the Pell Grant.</p>
<p>This is the page you need to look at for information about UC need-based financial aid for California residents:</p>
<p><a href=“http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/financial-aid/grants/blue-gold/index.html[/url]”>http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/financial-aid/grants/blue-gold/index.html</a></p>
<p>You can’t really ask other people what their EFCs are and compare - other people have entirely different financial situations and comparable incomes do not necessarily have comparable EFCs. There are many complexities to the federal EFC calculation. The online estimators out there will give you the best available personalized estimate of your federal EFC.</p>