Help Paying Marketplace Premiums: Defining Income and Household

My partner and I live together but are unmarried. Is our combined household income what we should report?

Because you are not married, you will be considered two separate households for the purposes of determining eligibility for premium tax credits and Medicaid. Assuming that neither of you are claiming any dependents on your tax returns, you will each be considered as a household of one and your own income will be used to determine eligibility for premium tax credits and Medicaid as well as the amount of any premium tax credit and cost-sharing reduction you may qualify for. If you are eligible for premium tax credits, you will each receive a separate determination of the amount of your credit and whether you are eligible for a cost-sharing reduction. Whether you can use your credits to buy a family policy rather than two individual policies will depend on the offerings in your state Marketplace.

While we have made every effort to provide accurate information in these FAQs, people should contact the health insurance Marketplace or Medicaid agency in their state for guidance on their specific circumstances.

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The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news, KFF is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.