How we calculate your ACA estimate

Federal poverty guidelines (2026 HHS). Contiguous states/DC: 1 person $15,960; 2 people $21,640; then +$5,680 per additional person. Alaska and Hawaii use separate tables from the same Federal Register notice. Plan year 2027 estimates on this site use that 2026 HHS table.

Applicable percentages (Rev. Proc. 2026-26). For taxable years beginning in 2027 the bands are: under 133% → 2.15%; 133–150% → 3.23% to 4.3%; 150–200% → 4.3% to 6.78%; 200–250% → 6.78% to 8.66%; 250–300% → 8.66% to 10.22%; 300–400% → 10.22%. Above 400% FPL → no credit under current law. The employer-coverage affordability percentage for plan years beginning in 2027 is 10.22%. The calculator page shows the same bands as a table and as cliff charts.

Credit structure (§36B). Expected contribution = MAGI × applicable %. Annual PTC = max(0, annual Silver benchmark − expected contribution). Monthly net premium = max(0, entered monthly premium − monthly PTC).

Silver (benchmark / SLCSP) and optional Bronze premiums must come from HealthCare.gov or a state Marketplace quote for your rating area, ages, and tobacco status. CalcBoxer does not ship a county rate file and will not invent a premium from a ZIP code alone. If Silver is missing, the calculator shows a clear message instead of a fake dollar amount.

Rules checked: October 22, 2026. The percentage table follows Rev. Proc. 2026-26. Proposed IRS regulations on Premium Tax Credit changes — REG-101576-26 in the Federal Register (October 15, 2026; announced October 14) and the IRS newsroom note IR-2026-121 — are cited on the calculator page; this methodology does not treat every proposed detail as final Marketplace practice.

Enhanced ARPA/IRA percentages expired after 2025 under current law; this calculator uses the indexed original table for 2027. Medicaid/CHIP eligibility, citizenship rules, full Form 8962 reconciliation, cost-sharing reductions, and complete employer-affordability worksheets (employee vs family) are not fully modeled. Ages and ZIP are context for the quote you paste — they do not look up live prices here.

Employer coverage sets the credit to $0 only when you confirm an affordable, minimum-value offer that covers the employee seeking Marketplace plans. Unsure or incomplete answers keep an income-and-Silver estimate with a warning.

Repayment: For tax years after 2025, excess advance premium tax credits generally must be repaid in full if income was understated — there is no repayment-cap protection like earlier years under current IRS information.

What this tool does not decide: official Marketplace eligibility, enrollment, or tax filing. Check with numbers: MAGI $45,000, family of 2, contiguous FPL $21,640 → about 207.9% of FPL → applicable percentage about 7.08% → expected contribution about $3,185/yr. With Silver $550/mo, estimated credit about $285/mo and net about $265.46/mo after credit.

The anonymous summary copies only the estimated monthly premium after credit and the plan year. It does not include income, ZIP, ages, or household size in the shared text.