Nebraska Legal Aid Eligibility Calculator
Determine if you may qualify for free legal assistance from Nebraska Legal Aid based on your household size, monthly income, and type of legal issue. Results are estimates only — final eligibility is determined by Nebraska Legal Aid staff.
Formula & Methodology
Step 1 — Annual Federal Poverty Level (FPL):
Annual FPL = $15,060 + ($5,380 × (Household Size − 1))
Monthly FPL = Annual FPL ÷ 12
(2024 HHS guidelines for 48 contiguous states; Nebraska uses contiguous-48 table)
Step 2 — Income Threshold by Case Type:
• Standard cases: Monthly Income Limit = Monthly FPL × 1.25 (125% FPL)
• Priority cases (housing, benefits, immigration): Monthly Income Limit = Monthly FPL × 2.00 (200% FPL)
• Domestic violence cases: Monthly Income Limit = Monthly FPL × 2.50 (250% FPL)
Step 3 — Asset Test:
Asset Limit = min($3,000 + ($500 × max(0, Household Size − 2)), $6,000)
Excluded assets: primary residence, one motor vehicle, retirement accounts, household goods
Step 4 — Citizenship Test:
LSC-funded services require U.S. citizenship or qualified immigrant status. Non-LSC funds may cover domestic violence and immigration matters for undocumented individuals.
Step 5 — Eligibility:
Eligible = (Monthly Income ≤ Applicable Limit) AND (Assets ≤ Asset Limit) AND (Citizenship Eligible)
Assumptions & References
- FPL figures are based on 2024 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states.
- Nebraska Legal Aid is funded in part by the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), which mandates a 125% FPL income threshold for standard services.
- Nebraska Legal Aid extends eligibility to 200% FPL for priority case types (housing, public benefits, immigration) and 250% FPL for domestic violence matters per its internal policy and non-LSC funding.
- Asset limits follow Nebraska Legal Aid's published guidelines; primary home, one vehicle, and retirement accounts are excluded from countable assets.
- Citizenship requirements follow LSC regulations (45 CFR Part 1626). Qualified immigrants include lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, VAWA self-petitioners, and T/U visa holders.
- This calculator provides an estimate only. Final eligibility is determined by Nebraska Legal Aid intake staff.
- References: Nebraska Legal Aid; Legal Services Corporation; HHS Poverty Guidelines 2024.