Do contributions to a retirement plan reduce household income to qualify for NY's Excelsior Scholarship?

That was my understanding also. Not everyone will get the Excelsior even if they meet the eligibility requirements. We make too much to qualify for TAP and aren’t eligible for much Pell either, so we really need the Excelsior. But I think if we ever lose it again we won’t get it back. I’d do everything I could to meet the requirements all 4 years.