- Premium tax credit
- A federal tax credit that lowers the monthly cost of a health plan bought through HealthCare.gov or a state Marketplace. You can take it in advance, paid straight to the insurer each month, or claim it when you file your tax return. It equals the benchmark silver premium minus the share of income you are expected to pay, and it can never be more than the premium of the plan you pick.
- Federal poverty line (FPL)
- The HHS poverty guideline for your household size. Marketplace coverage uses the guidelines published the year before the coverage year: for 2027 plans, $15,960 for one person plus $5,680 for each extra person in the 48 states and DC (higher in Alaska and Hawaii). Your income as a percentage of this figure sets how much you are expected to pay.
- Applicable percentage
- The share of household income the law expects you to pay toward the benchmark plan. The IRS sets it each year: for 2027 it runs from 2.15% of income below 133% of the poverty line up to 10.22% between 300% and 400%, rising in a straight line within each band. Above 400% of the poverty line there is no credit under current law.
- Benchmark silver plan (SLCSP)
- The second-lowest-cost silver plan available to your household. Its full premium is the starting point for the credit, whichever plan you actually buy. If you choose a cheaper bronze plan the same credit covers more of its price; if you choose a gold plan you pay the difference.
- Modified adjusted gross income (MAGI)
- The income figure the Marketplace uses: adjusted gross income from your tax return plus untaxed foreign income, tax-exempt interest and Social Security benefits that are not taxed. It includes the income of everyone in your tax household who is required to file a return.
- The 400% limit
- From 2021 to 2025, temporary enhanced credits let households above 400% of the poverty line qualify. Those rules expired on December 31, 2025, so under current law a household whose income is above 400% of the poverty line gets no premium tax credit, even if one dollar over the line.
- Reconciliation
- When you file your taxes, Form 8962 compares the advance credit paid during the year with the credit you qualify for based on your actual income. If your income came in higher, you may owe some or all of the difference back; if lower, you get the rest as a refund. Report income changes to the Marketplace during the year to limit surprises.
- Income below 100% of the poverty line
- Households below the poverty line generally do not qualify for the premium tax credit. In most states they may qualify for Medicaid instead, which this calculator does not check. Contact your state Medicaid agency or the Marketplace to see what you qualify for.