Interactive Tool
2026 Subsidy Cliff Calculator: Do You Make Too Much for a Subsidy?
Enter your household size and expected 2026 income below and this tool shows instantly whether you are over the ACA subsidy cliff. The cliff returned in 2026, so any household above 400% of the federal poverty level gets no premium tax credit. If you are over, you still have good options, and this page walks you through them.
By Nick Depke, Licensed Insurance Agent, Depke Insurance Agency. Published 2026-03-01. Updated 2026-03-01.
Key takeaways
- • The 400% subsidy cliff came back on January 1, 2026. Above that line you get no premium tax credit.
- • For 2026 coverage the cutoff uses the 2025 federal poverty guidelines. It is about $62,600 for a single person and $128,600 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states.
- • Eligibility is based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), not gross pay or net worth, so deductions can move you across the line.
- • Being over the cliff does not mean you are stuck. Off-exchange plans, health sharing, HSAs, and business coverage are all on the table.
Check your 2026 subsidy eligibility
Use your best estimate of total household Modified Adjusted Gross Income for 2026.
Estimate based on the 2025 federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and DC, which are used for 2026 coverage. Alaska and Hawaii use higher thresholds, so book a call for an exact figure there. Subsidy eligibility depends on other factors too, and this is general information, not tax or legal advice. We are licensed insurance brokers, not tax advisors.
How does the 2026 subsidy cliff work?
It is a hard income cutoff at 400% of the federal poverty level. Below it, the government caps your premium at a percentage of income and covers the rest with a tax credit. Above it, you get nothing and pay the full premium.
The enhanced subsidies that removed this cliff from 2021 through 2025 expired on January 1, 2026, so the cliff is back for 2026 coverage. Congress has debated restoring the enhanced credits, so rules can change, and we track it.
What income counts toward the cliff?
Your household Modified Adjusted Gross Income, or MAGI, not your gross pay or your assets. MAGI is roughly your adjusted gross income with a few add-backs.
Because it is an income figure after deductions, moves like pre-tax retirement contributions, HSA contributions, and (for property owners) depreciation can lower it, sometimes enough to cross back under the cliff. That is real planning, best done with your CPA.
I am over the cliff. What are my options?
You still have five solid routes: the same ACA plans bought off-exchange, a health care sharing plan, an HSA paired with a high-deductible plan, a group plan or ICHRA if you own a business, and short-term coverage as a bridge.
The full side-by-side comparison lives on the hub page, including who each option fits and the cost trade-offs.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
Want your exact numbers?
Book a free call and I will pull your real subsidy, off-exchange, and business options in one pass.