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  • I’m divorced and I pay alimony to my ex-spouse. Does that affect my income for determining eligibility for premium tax credits?

    FAQs

    Federal tax rules set out what is included in your household income. Eligibility for and the amount of premium tax credits are largely based on your household income. Check with a tax advisor, but in general, for divorce or separation agreements after December 31, 2018, alimony payments are no longer deductible from the income of the paying ex-spouse, and alimony is not included as income for the recipient ex-spouse. For pre-2019 divorces, the paying ex-spouse…

  • How much can I earn and qualify for premium tax credits in the Marketplace?

    FAQs

    Premium tax credits are available to people who buy Marketplace coverage and whose income is at least as high as the federal poverty level. For an individual, that means an income of at least $15,650 in 2026. For a family of four, that means an income of at least $32,150 in 2026. This Marketplace subsidy calculator can show you your eligibility for different income amounts and family sizes.

  • I’m a young adult, newly independent from my parents, and I have never filed my own federal income tax return before. Can I apply for premium tax credits this year? Will that pose any problems?

    FAQs

    Yes, you can apply for premium tax credits this year. One challenge you may encounter is verifying your income. The Marketplace verifies an applicant's estimated income in real time during the application process, using IRS data from recent federal income tax returns, and sometimes other data sources. However, since you have never filed a tax return, the Marketplace must accept your self-attestation of projected annual income.

  • My income is low enough that I qualify for advanced premium tax credits (APTCs), but I have never filed a federal tax return before. Can I still receive APTCs?

    FAQs

    If this is your first time applying for premium tax credits, then yes. There is no requirement to have filed a tax return for any prior year to qualify for premium tax credits. However, because you have never filed a federal tax return, you will likely have to provide additional documentation (such as pay stubs or a work contract) to the Marketplace within 90 days to verify your projected household income for premium tax credits. …

  • What happens with the premium tax credits if we want different Marketplace plans for different family members?

    FAQs

    Assuming you are part of one application, the members of your household can enroll in separate plans in a health insurance Marketplace. For example, you may want separate plans because a grown child lives in another part of the state or because your spouse needs a plan with a different provider network than the one you chose. The premium tax credit will be allocated to the plans in which different family members enroll. However, if…

  • Should I claim a premium tax credit in advance, at the end of the year, or some of both?

    FAQs

    That’s up to you. You can have tax credits paid directly to your health plan each month to reduce your monthly premium right away, or, if you can afford to, you can pay the entire health plan premium yourself up front and collect the premium tax credit in a lump sum next year when you file your tax return. Alternatively, you can have some of the tax credit paid directly to your insurer in advance…

  • What are premium tax credits and how do they work?

    FAQs

    Premium tax credits reduce your premium for most Marketplace plans. The amount of the tax credit you may receive depends on your income and the cost of Marketplace health plans in your area. The Marketplace will determine the expected contribution you are required to pay toward the premium for a mid-range (Silver) benchmark plan. The expected contribution will increase on a sliding scale based on your 2026 income, with more financial assistance for enrollees with…

  • Can I buy health insurance outside of the Marketplace that meets all ACA consumer protection standards?

    FAQs

    Yes. Many insurers that offer plans through the ACA Marketplace also offer identical plans outside of the Marketplace that meet all ACA standards, although premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies are not available for plans sold outside of the Marketplace. Some people prefer to buy health insurance outside of the Marketplace when they are sure they won’t qualify for financial assistance. Like health insurance plans sold on the Marketplace, “ACA-compliant” plans sold outside of the…

  • I received a Form 1095-A from the Marketplace. What is that?

    FAQs

    Form 1095-A gives you information about the amount of advance premium tax credit (APTC) you received during the previous year. A copy of this form is also reported to the IRS. Keep this form with your other tax records. The APTC you received was based on the annual income you estimated you would earn when you signed up for Marketplace coverage. Now you must file a federal income tax return to compute your actual income for that coverage…