A Form I-864 sponsor generally must meet the applicable 125-percent federal poverty-guideline requirement, with a limited active-duty military exception. The amount depends on the legally calculated household size and applicable geographic table. An old dollar figure or the number of people living at one address may give the wrong result. [1] [2]
Use the correct 2026 table and household count
For the forty-eight contiguous states, HHS’s 2026 annual 125-percent figures include $27,050 for two people, $34,150 for three, and $41,250 for four. Alaska and Hawaii have separate tables. Determine which guideline and current filing instructions apply to the affidavit. [3]
The I-864 household calculation can include the sponsor, relevant dependents, sponsored immigrants, and people from earlier sponsorships for whom the obligation continues. It is not simply a headcount of the residence. Count each person according to the instructions and avoid counting someone twice. [2]
Income, household contributions, and assets differ
Provide the required tax evidence and reliable current-income records. Business receipts, taxable income, wages, and money available from another household member are not interchangeable. Household-member contributions and joint sponsorship have their own forms and conditions. The petitioning sponsor still submits the required affidavit when a qualifying joint sponsor is used. [2]
Where assets are permitted, net value and availability matter. Required multiples vary with the relationship and circumstances. A house’s sale price without its mortgage balance does not establish the asset value available to meet the shortfall. Do not assume a joint sponsor can simply combine an insufficient separate household with the petitioner’s income without meeting the applicable rules. [1] [2]
An example and a filing check
A sponsor whose correctly calculated household size is three in the contiguous-state table should compare qualifying income with the applicable $34,150 figure, not the two-person amount. If another dependent or continuing sponsorship must be included, redo the calculation. [3]
Keep the household worksheet, current income proof, tax documents, asset records, and any household-member or joint-sponsor forms together. Meeting the affidavit’s financial requirements does not itself approve the immigrant’s application or replace other eligibility and applicable public-charge analysis. Review the actual filing requirements rather than treat a salary above one remembered threshold as the complete case. [1] [2]
Related questions
See Does Debt Affect a Green Card Application? and parent sponsorship by permanent residents.
Primary sources
- 8 U.S.C. § 1183a — Office of Law Revision Counsel
- I-864 Affidavit of Support (FAQs)
- 2026 Poverty Guidelines: 48 Contiguous States (all states except Alaska and Hawaii)
Sources checked: October 31, 2026.