Where your income falls on the subsidy scale
Enter your income, household size, and state. You will see your income as a percentage of the federal poverty level — the single number Medicaid and the marketplace use — plus the exact dollar lines for Medicaid, subsidies, and the 400% cliff for your household.
Modified adjusted gross income, in dollars.
Everyone on your tax return, covered or not.
Alaska and Hawaii use higher guidelines.
How we calculate this
We use the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines. The marketplace and Medicaid apply the prior year’s guidelines to the upcoming plan year, so 2026 eligibility uses the 2025 guidelines: $15,650 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., plus $5,500 for each additional household member. Alaska ($19,550 base, $6,880 per additional person) and Hawaii ($17,990 base, $6,330 per additional person) have their own higher tables. Your FPL percentage is your income divided by your household’s guideline. The band cutoffs — 138% for Medicaid expansion, 100–400% for premium tax credits, 250% for cost-sharing reductions — come from the Affordable Care Act. This is an educational estimate; your actual eligibility is determined by the marketplace and your state Medicaid agency using your verified income.
Frequently asked questions
What is the federal poverty level (FPL)?
- The federal poverty level is an income threshold set each year by the Department of Health and Human Services. It scales with household size — a larger household has a higher poverty line. Your income expressed as a percentage of that line, for example 204% of FPL, is the figure the marketplace and Medicaid use to decide what help you qualify for. For 2026 coverage, the 2025 guidelines apply: $15,650 for one person in the lower 48 states and D.C., plus $5,500 for each additional household member. Alaska and Hawaii have higher guidelines.
Why does my FPL percentage matter for health insurance subsidies?
- It decides which kind of help you get. Below 138% of FPL you may qualify for Medicaid in states that expanded it. From 100% to 400% of FPL you can qualify for a premium tax credit that lowers your monthly marketplace premium, and under 250% a Silver plan adds cost-sharing reductions that lower your deductible and out-of-pocket costs. The subsidy is largest at the bottom of that range and shrinks as your income rises.
What is the 400% subsidy cliff in 2026?
- In 2026 there is no premium tax credit for income above 400% of the federal poverty level. The enhanced subsidies that temporarily removed this cap expired at the end of 2025, so the cliff is back: a dollar of income over the 400% line can mean losing the entire subsidy. If your income is near that line, it is worth knowing exactly where you stand before you enroll.