<p>all in the title :)</p>
<p>Depends.</p>
<p>On whether you're a parent, or student. If parent, depends on number in family and number in college.</p>
<p>Depends on whether you're talking FAFSA or Profile.</p>
<p>For FAFSA, a freshman can make up to $3,249 before his income increases the EFC. Above that, each dollar increases the EFC by 50 cents. Work study doesn't increase the EFC at all. </p>
<p>For Profile, a freshman has a minimum contribution to EFC of $1550. His EFC won't get bumped further so long as his income stays below $3357 (more for upperclassmen).</p>
<p>It's not quite as simple for the FAFSA because even though the earnings might not increase EFC, the bank acount will. That is, lets say that you are a depended student, you earn $3000, and as of the time you file the EFC you have $1000 of that left in your bank account. I think its now a straight 20% on the earnings, so you have a +$200 on the EFC. If you managed to save more, and had $2000 in the bank after spending $1000 of your earnings... your EFC would be double, or +$400.</p>
<p>I think this is one of those areas where the way the FAFSA treats student assets is really perverse, because it is a deterrent to savings. I mean, it's like a directive telling students "go buy a computer" rather than hanging on to their money. The formula really should include some type of asset protection allowance that corresponds in a meaningful way to income so as to provide some incentive to save.</p>