2027 ACA Subsidy Calculator: Your Number in 30 Seconds
The 2027 subsidy math changed — so last year's number is probably wrong. Enter your household size and income to see what you're expected to pay for the benchmark Silver plan on the new 2.15%–10.22% scale. Open Enrollment runs November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov; enroll by December 15 for January 1 coverage.
Get a Free 2027 Quote ↓2027 ACA Subsidy Calculator: What Will You Pay?
If your household income falls between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, you'll be expected to pay 2.15% to 10.22% of it for the benchmark Silver plan in 2027. Enter two numbers below and this 2027 ACA subsidy calculator shows where you land: your percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), your expected contribution percentage, and your yearly and monthly benchmark payment.
Based on 2026 federal poverty guidelines, estimates only.
Quick answer: A 2027 ACA subsidy calculator divides your household income by the 2026 poverty line ($15,960 for one person, plus $5,680 per additional person). From 100% to 400% FPL, you're expected to pay 2.15% to 10.22% of income for the benchmark Silver plan; the credit covers the rest. Over 400% ($63,840 single), it's $0 under current law. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for January 1 coverage; HealthCare.gov closes January 15, 2027.
Why run the numbers fresh? The enhanced premium tax credits of 2021–2025 are gone and, under current law, not back for 2027 unless Congress acts. Subsidies are smaller than in 2025, and the 400% FPL cliff is back — $1 over and your credit is $0. Your result is the starting point for Open Enrollment 2027, which runs November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov.
FreedInsure LLC (NPN: 20230457) is an independent brokerage licensed in 42 states. The calculator gives you the estimate; we turn it into your real number — your county's benchmark premium, your exact credit, every plan compared — free, because carriers pay us. Call (844) 788-3733.
How Is Your 2027 ACA Subsidy Calculated?
Your premium tax credit equals your area's benchmark Silver premium minus your expected contribution. That contribution is a set percentage of household income — 2.15% to 10.22% for 2027 — based on where your income falls against the poverty level.
The calculator runs three steps: convert income to a percent of FPL using the 2026 poverty guidelines ($15,960 for one person, plus $5,680 per additional person — about $33,000 for a family of four), find your band in the IRS 2027 applicable percentage table (Rev. Proc. 2026-26), and multiply.
| Income (% of FPL) | Single Person | Family of Four | 2027 Expected Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 100% | Under $15,960 | Under about $33,000 | Generally no marketplace credit — Medicaid may apply |
| 100–133% | $15,960–$21,227 | About $33,000–$43,900 | 2.15% flat |
| 133–150% | $21,227–$23,940 | About $43,900–$49,500 | 3.23% → 4.30% |
| 150–200% | $23,940–$31,920 | About $49,500–$66,000 | 4.30% → 6.78% |
| 200–250% | $31,920–$39,900 | About $66,000–$82,500 | 6.78% → 8.66% |
| 250–300% | $39,900–$47,880 | About $82,500–$99,000 | 8.66% → 10.22% |
| 300–400% | $47,880–$63,840 | About $99,000–$132,000 | 10.22% flat |
| Over 400% | Over $63,840 | Over about $132,000 | No credit — the cliff |
Inside each band, the percentage rises in a straight line. At 175% FPL, halfway through the 150–200% band, you'd pay halfway between 4.30% and 6.78%: 5.54%. Two quirks worth noticing: the scale jumps from 2.15% to 3.23% at 133% FPL, and it sits flat at 10.22% from 300% to 400% FPL before the credit disappears entirely. For the full dollar chart, see our 2027 ACA subsidy income limits guide.
For historical comparison only: the 2026 coverage-year scale ran from 2.10% to 9.96% of income, measured against the older $15,650 poverty line. Don't plug those figures into a 2027 estimate — both ends of the 2027 scale sit higher.
What Does a $30,000 Income Pay in 2027?
A single person earning $30,000 lands at about 188% of FPL. The 2027 table puts that at 6.18% of income — about $1,854 a year, or roughly $155 a month, toward the benchmark Silver plan.
Step 1 — percent of FPL: $30,000 ÷ $15,960 = 1.88, or 188% FPL. Step 2 — find the band: 188% sits in the 150–200% band, which climbs from 4.30% to 6.78%. You're 38 points into a 50-point band, so 4.30% + (0.76 × 2.48%) = 6.18%. Step 3 — multiply: $30,000 × 6.18% = $1,854 a year, or about $155 a month. Step 4 — subtract: your credit is the benchmark premium in your area minus that $155. If the benchmark costs more, the credit pays the difference — and you can spend it on Bronze, Silver, or Gold.
Four households, four outcomes:
👤 Single, $30,000
About 188% FPL · 6.18% of income · roughly $155/month for the benchmark plan. CSR Silver plans may also apply.
👪 Family of Four, $66,000
About 200% FPL · 6.78% of income · roughly $373/month toward the benchmark plan for the whole household.
⚠️ Single, $62,000
About 388% FPL · 10.22% of income · roughly $528/month — and only $1,840 below the cliff.
🚫 Single, $64,000
Just over 400% FPL · no credit. Just $160 over the line, and the benchmark plan's full price is yours.
Look at the last two cards: about $2,000 of income separates a contribution capped at 10.22% from paying full sticker price. That's the cliff in one picture, and it's why staying under 400% FPL deserves a conversation before you enroll. Below $15,960 for a single person, the calculator switches to the Medicaid path instead.
What Can't a Subsidy Calculator Tell You?
It can't tell you your local benchmark premium — and that's the number that turns an expected contribution into an actual credit. Benchmark Silver prices vary by ZIP code, by the ages of the people covered, and by which carriers sell in your county. That number is the quote.
Whether your income estimate is right
The marketplace uses your projected 2027 household MAGI. Estimate low and you may owe credit back at tax time; estimate high and you overpay all year. With the cliff back, small errors can flip the answer.
Whether you have another coverage offer
An offer of affordable employer coverage, or eligibility for Medicaid or Medicare, generally blocks the credit regardless of income. The calculator assumes you have none.
What your deductible will look like
Below about 250% FPL, Cost-Sharing Reduction Silver plans cut deductibles and copays — value that premium math alone doesn't show. See how the metal tiers compare in our ACA marketplace guide.
What your state does differently
In Medicaid-expansion states, adults under about 138% FPL generally qualify for Medicaid instead of a marketplace plan. Alaska and Hawaii use higher poverty guidelines than the figures this calculator uses.
The fine print, in plain English: this calculator produces an estimate — not an eligibility determination and not tax advice. It applies the 2026 federal poverty guidelines and the IRS 2027 applicable percentage table under current law, and it can't see your county's premiums. Your official credit is set by the marketplace when you apply and reconciled on your tax return. For tax questions, ask a CPA.
What Should You Do With Your Result Before December 15?
Take it to Open Enrollment. Enroll by December 15, 2026 and coverage starts January 1, 2027; enroll December 16 through January 15, 2027 and it starts February 1. What comes next depends on which result you got.
You got the Medicaid result (under 100% FPL)
Marketplace credits generally don't apply, but Medicaid may. Straight talk: Medicaid is a state program we don't sell. If it's your best option, we'll tell you so and point you to your state's application, free.
You're subsidy-eligible (100%–400% FPL)
Get your county's real benchmark price, then compare tiers against your doctors and prescriptions. If you're under about 250% FPL, price the CSR Silver plan before grabbing the cheapest Bronze.
You got the cliff warning (within 5% of 400% FPL)
A raise, bonus, or retirement withdrawal could push you over. Talk to a broker about income planning before you enroll, and run any tax move by your CPA.
You're over 400% FPL
No credit means you pay full price, so plan design, networks, and on- versus off-exchange options matter more than ever. Start with our guide to coverage for higher-income households.
Most states follow the HealthCare.gov window, but some state-run exchanges set their own dates — check yours in our 2027 open enrollment dates guide. Miss your deadline (January 15 on HealthCare.gov) and you'll generally need a qualifying life event; see our Special Enrollment Period guide.
Straight talk for this Open Enrollment: don't let last year's numbers auto-renew. Do nothing and most enrollees are re-enrolled in the same or a similar plan — but with credits smaller and the cliff live again, last year's plan at last year's income assumptions can be this year's overpay. Run the calculator with your 2027 income, then spend 15 minutes re-shopping before you renew. A broker costs $0. Call (844) 788-3733.
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