The Insurance Guide.Independent · plan year 2026
Tools: plan year 2026

Calculators that tell you the truth

Independent tools built on official CMS plan data. No marketing estimates, no inflated results: just what the numbers actually say for your situation.

True cost of care

See what a marketplace plan really costs over a year (after-subsidy premiums plus what you would actually pay toward care), and find out when the lowest-premium plan is not the cheapest.

Open calculator →

Subsidy estimator

Enter your ZIP, ages, and income to see your estimated premium tax credit and what plans cost per month in your area, no email required.

Open calculator →

COBRA vs marketplace

Enter your COBRA premium and income to see which option costs less for the rest of 2026, and when keeping COBRA is the right call.

Open calculator →

SEP deadline checker

Enter your qualifying life event and date to see your special enrollment window, exact deadline, and what you will need to document.

Open calculator →

Plan comparison

Select up to three plans in your area and compare monthly premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums side by side.

Open calculator →

Metal tier recommender

Answer four questions to see whether Bronze, Silver, or Gold fits your year, with the real numbers for your area and an honest counter-case for the alternative.

Open calculator →

Federal poverty level calculator

Enter your income and household size to see where you fall on the federal poverty scale and which subsidy band you are in, no email required.

Open calculator →

Am I overpaying?

Enter what you pay now and your metal tier to see how your premium compares to the cheapest comparable plan after subsidy, including the honest answer when you are already paying a fair price.

Open calculator →

HSA & FSA tax savings

See the income tax (and, for a payroll HSA, the FICA) you keep by contributing pre-tax. Works in every state, with no hardcoded contribution limits to go stale.

Open calculator →

Coverage gap finder

Answer seven questions and get a checklist of what to verify on a plan. ACA plans cover the essential benefits; the real gaps are network, drug formulary, and adult dental and vision.

Open calculator →

Quizzes & scores

Two quick, no-email ways to check what you actually know and where your coverage stands.

Frequently asked questions

Are these calculators free?

Yes. All ten calculators are free to use. The estimate appears immediately with no login required. Email is offered only if you want a licensed agent to follow up.

Where does the premium and plan data come from?

From the CMS Marketplace public use files for plan year 2026 (the same plan and rate data that powers HealthCare.gov), covering the federal marketplace and most state-run exchanges. A couple of state exchanges (Colorado and Maryland) are not in those files yet, so there we show a state-average benchmark estimate and the results say so.

Do I have to give my email to see results?

No. All calculator outputs are shown without entering your email. Email is offered only if you want a licensed agent to follow up and review your results with you.