ACA Subsidy Cliff Calculator

How close is your income to the 2026 ACA subsidy cliff?

With the enhanced credits gone, a household over 400% of the federal poverty line gets no premium tax credit — $62,600 of MAGI for one person, $84,600 for two. Enter your household size, expected MAGI and the benchmark plan's monthly premium to see your credit, the room you have left, and what one dollar over the line costs. Self-employed? Deductions like an HSA or solo 401(k) lower MAGI, and this shows how much you need.

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1. Household and income

Household size (tax household)

Where you live

Expected 2026 MAGI ($)

2. Premiums

Benchmark (second-lowest silver) premium, $/month for the household

Optional: premium of the plan you would buy, $/month

Optional: deductions you could still make ($)

Find the benchmark premium in the window-shopping tool on HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace; the tool cannot look it up for you.

Enter household size, MAGI and the benchmark premium, then click Calculate.

What this does not cover

Not your final credit. The real credit is set on Form 8962 from final MAGI and the actual benchmark premium.
Benchmark premium is yours to supply. It depends on county, ages and year.
No Medicaid, CHIP, employer-coverage or immigration-status rules. Any of these can change what you are eligible for.
Household size and MAGI are taken as typed. Who counts in your tax household, and what counts as income, has edge cases.
Point-in-time 2026 figures. Poverty guidelines and the percentage table are re-indexed every year, and Congress can change the credit again.

Common questions

What is the ACA subsidy cliff in 2026?

The enhanced premium tax credits that removed the income limit expired after 2025. For 2026 coverage, a household whose modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is above 400% of the federal poverty line gets no premium tax credit at all. For one person that line is $62,600 (based on the 2025 poverty guideline of $15,650); one dollar over it loses the whole credit.

How is the 2026 premium tax credit calculated?

The credit is the benchmark plan's premium (the second-lowest-cost silver plan for your household and county) minus your expected contribution. The expected contribution is your MAGI times an applicable percentage that rises from 2.10% of income below 133% of the poverty line to 9.96% between 300% and 400%, per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25.

What counts as MAGI for the marketplace?

Adjusted gross income plus any tax-exempt interest, non-taxable Social Security benefits and excluded foreign income. For a self-employed person, deductions that reduce AGI, such as contributions to an HSA, a solo 401(k) or SEP-IRA, and half of self-employment tax, lower MAGI. This tool takes the MAGI you enter and does not compute it.

Do I have to repay advance credits if my income is higher than estimated?

Yes. For tax year 2026 and later there is no cap on repaying excess advance premium tax credit. If final MAGI is above 400% of the poverty line, all advance credits received for the year are owed back when you file Form 8962.

Is this tax or insurance advice?

No. This tool applies published 2026 figures to the numbers you enter. It does not know your county's benchmark premium, your state's rules, Medicaid or employer-coverage eligibility, or your final tax return. Confirm on HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace and with a tax professional.