Tax Blog

ACA Subsidy Calculator for 2027: Estimate Your Premium Tax Credit

How the ACA subsidy formula works, the 2027 applicable percentage table, and a worked example.

ACA Subsidy Income Limits for 2027: The 400% FPL Cliff Is Back

FPL table for 2027, the 400% cliff, and what one dollar over means for your subsidy.

What Income Counts for ACA Subsidies? MAGI Explained

What counts as MAGI for ACA purposes, what does not, and the household income rule.

What Happens If You Underestimate Income for ACA? The Repayment Rules

Form 8962 reconciliation, the OBBBA repayment cap elimination, and how to avoid repayment.

Do OBBBA Deductions Affect Your ACA Subsidy?

No. OBBBA tips/OT deductions are below-the-line and do not reduce MAGI. Your subsidy is unchanged.

Self-Employed ACA Subsidies: How Schedule C Income Affects Your Credit

The circular calculation between SE health insurance deduction, MAGI, and subsidy amount.

ACA Open Enrollment 2027: Dates, Deadlines, and What Changed

Nov 1 start, Dec 15 for Jan 1 coverage, Jan 15 end, and the key 2027 changes.

How ACA Premium Percentages Changed for 2027

Rev. Proc. 2026-26 updated the applicable percentage table. 2027 range: 2.15% to 10.22%.

ACA Repayment Caps Eliminated: What the OBBBA Changed

Starting TY2026, the full excess APTC must be repaid. No income-based caps apply.

ACA Subsidy vs Employer Insurance: The Affordability Test

The 10.22% affordability test for 2027 and when you can get marketplace subsidies instead.

Should I Claim 0 or 1 on My W-4? The Answer Has Changed

The post-2020 W-4 has no allowances. Here is what to do instead.

Your First Paycheck: Why It Is Smaller Than You Expected

Federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare explained with a worked paycheck example.

How to Fill Out a W-4 for Your First Job: Step by Step

The 5-step W-4 walkthrough for single filers with no dependents.

First W-4 for a Tips or Overtime Job: What to Enter

How OBBBA deductions affect your W-4 setup for tips and overtime jobs.

What Tax Bracket Am I In? A Starter Guide for New Workers

Most first-job workers are in the 10% or 12% bracket. Here is how progressive taxation works.

Part-Time Student Job: Do I Owe Taxes?

Below the standard deduction, no income tax is owed. But FICA still applies.

Starting a Job Mid-Year: Why Withholding Overshoots

Payroll annualization assumes full-year income. Mid-year starters get over-withheld.

How to Fill Out Your W-4 to Get More Money Each Paycheck

Step 4(b) deductions reduce withholding. The trade-off: more per paycheck, smaller refund.

FICA on Your First Paycheck: Social Security and Medicare Explained

The 7.65% combined tax that funds Social Security and Medicare, from your very first dollar.

Child Tax Credit 2026: Amount, Income Limits, and How to Qualify

$2,200 per child under 17, $1,700 refundable. Phase-out at $200K/$400K. Age-17 cutoff explained.

Do You Get the Child Tax Credit for a Newborn?

Yes - born any day in 2026 = full $2,200 credit. No proration for partial years.

Child Tax Credit Phase-Out: How Income Reduces Your Credit

$50 reduction per $1,000 of MAGI over threshold. Worked examples at multiple income levels.

Child Tax Credit vs Dependent Care Credit: What Is the Difference?

CTC is per-child ($2,200). CDCC reimburses childcare expenses. You can claim both.

How to Update Your W-4 After Having a Baby

Enter $2,200 in Step 3 for each child. Reduces biweekly withholding by ~$85.