How the Lifeline income check works

The standard federal Lifeline income test uses gross household income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Gross means income before taxes and deductions. USAC publishes annual amounts based on household size and location.

Use the correct table

Alaska and Hawaii have different amounts from the 48 contiguous states, D.C., and territories. Count everyone in your household under the program’s household definition. People who share an address but do not share income and expenses may be separate households.

The homepage shows the published 2026 annual limits and the additional amount for each household member beyond eight. Read the original USAC table before applying. These are federal Lifeline criteria, not a decision about extra state discounts.

How our checker uses income

After selecting your location and household size, you see one annual threshold. Income entry is optional. You may enter a gross annual or monthly amount for a local comparison; the tool does not send or save it. It does not ask for your employer, pay records, or bank details.

If information is missing or uncertain, the result explains that more information is needed. It is not an official denial. If a qualifying benefit program already provides a possible basis, the checker skips the income question.

Proof belongs with the official application

USAC may ask for proof such as a tax return, an income statement, or pay records. Read its current documentation instructions to check what must be shown and what dates are accepted. Never upload those documents to this website.

When amounts change

Federal poverty guidelines change each year. Our data includes a source-check date and a conservative review cutoff. When the cutoff is reached, estimates pause until the source data is reviewed. The cutoff is not an expiration date for Lifeline itself.