Understand your 2026 ACA subsidy.
Short, plain-language explainers on how the premium tax credit works for the 2026 plan year — the restored 400% cliff, the income that counts, and what changed. Then run your own numbers in the calculator.
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The 2026 ACA subsidy cliff, explained
The enhanced credits expired after 2025, so a hard cliff at 400% of the Federal Poverty Level is back. Here’s what that means, the math behind it, and why one dollar of income can cost an older household five figures.
What counts as income (MAGI) for ACA subsidies
Your subsidy is measured against your modified adjusted gross income. What’s included, what isn’t, why it’s the income you project for the year, and the pre-tax moves that lower it.
What changed for 2026 marketplace coverage
Beyond the cliff: repayment caps removed, automatic re-enrollment ended, a shorter open-enrollment window, and more — the operating rules for 2026, stated plainly.
See your own numbers
The 2026 ACA subsidy & cliff calculator estimates your premium tax credit, your percent of the Federal Poverty Level, and exactly how far you are from the 400% line. It runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter leaves your device.
These guides are educational and not tax, legal, or insurance advice. See our disclaimer.