ACA Subsidy Calculator for 2027: Estimate Your Premium Tax Credit
Your ACA subsidy is the difference between the benchmark Silver plan premium in your area and your expected contribution based on your income.The expected contribution is your household income multiplied by your "applicable percentage" - a rate set each year by the IRS that rises as income rises relative to the federal poverty level. For 2027, these percentages come from Rev. Proc. 2026-26. Use our ACA subsidy calculator to estimate your exact credit in seconds.
How the subsidy formula works
The premium tax credit calculation has three steps:
- Find your applicable percentage. Your income as a percentage of the federal poverty level (FPL) determines your applicable percentage from the table in Rev. Proc. 2026-26. The higher your income relative to the poverty line, the higher the percentage - and the more you are expected to contribute toward premiums.
- Calculate your expected contribution. Multiply your household MAGI by your applicable percentage. This is the maximum amount the IRS expects you to pay for health insurance premiums each year.
- Subtract from the benchmark premium. Find the premium for the second-lowest-cost Silver plan (SLCSP) in your county. Subtract your expected contribution. The remainder - if positive - is your annual subsidy. Divide by 12 to get your monthly credit.
If your expected contribution equals or exceeds the benchmark plan premium, your subsidy is $0. Subsidies cannot be negative. If you choose a plan cheaper than the benchmark, your out-of-pocket cost can be reduced to zero (but you do not receive cash back).
To skip the math, use our ACA subsidy calculator - just enter your state, household size, income, and age.
2027 applicable percentage table
The table below is the official applicable percentage schedule from Rev. Proc. 2026-26 for plan year 2027. The applicable percentage increases with income. For income ranges that span a bracket, the actual rate is interpolated between the initial and final percentages.
| Household income (% of FPL) | Initial applicable % | Final applicable % |
|---|---|---|
| 100% up to 133% | 2.15% | 2.15% |
| 133% up to 150% | 3.23% | 4.30% |
| 150% up to 200% | 4.30% | 6.78% |
| 200% up to 250% | 6.78% | 8.66% |
| 250% up to 300% | 8.66% | 10.22% |
| 300% up to 400% | 10.22% | 10.22% |
Source: Rev. Proc. 2026-26, Table 1. Income above 400% FPL: subsidy = $0 (cliff restored after ARPA/IRA enhanced subsidies expired; OBBBA did not extend them).
How to use the ACA calculator
Our ACA subsidy calculator walks you through the estimate automatically. Here is what you need:
- State and county: Benchmark Silver plan premiums vary by location. The calculator uses published SLCSP data.
- Household size: Everyone on your tax return counts, even if not enrolling in marketplace coverage. Household size affects which FPL amount applies to you.
- Projected annual MAGI: Use your best estimate of household modified adjusted gross income for 2027. Include wages, self-employment income, Social Security, and other income as described in the MAGI for ACA guide.
- Ages of enrollees: Premiums vary by age; the calculator adjusts for this.
The result is an estimated monthly and annual premium tax credit, plus your estimated net premium after the subsidy. If your income is above 63,840 (400% FPL for a single person), the calculator will show a $0 subsidy.
Worked examples
Example 1 - Single filer at 200% FPL
A single person with household income of $31,920 (200% of the2027 FPL of $15,960) falls in the 150% to 200% FPL bracket. At exactly 200% FPL, the applicable percentage is 6.78%.
- Annual income: $31,920
- Applicable percentage: 6.78%
- Expected contribution: $2,164 per year ($180 per month)
- If the benchmark Silver plan costs $500/month ($6,000/year), the subsidy is $6,000 - $2,164 = $3,836per year.
Note: actual benchmark premiums vary by location and age. Use the calculator for a location-specific estimate.
Example 2 - Single filer at 350% FPL
A single person with household income of $55,860 (350% of FPL) falls in the 300% to 400% FPL bracket. That bracket has a flat applicable percentage of 10.22% (both initial and final are the same - no interpolation needed).
- Annual income: $55,860
- Applicable percentage: 10.22% (flat rate for 300-400% bracket)
- Expected contribution: $5,709 per year ($476 per month)
- If the benchmark Silver plan costs $600/month ($7,200/year), the subsidy is $7,200 - $5,709 = $1,491per year.
At 350% FPL, the subsidy is smaller but still meaningful. At 400% FPL ($63,840 for a single person), eligibility drops to zero abruptly. See the income limits guide for a detailed look at the 400% cliff.
What changed from 2026
The biggest structural change for 2027 coverage involves what didnot change: the enhanced subsidies introduced by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and extended by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) expired at the end of plan year 2025. The One Big Beautiful Budget Act (OBBBA) did not extend them. As a result:
- The 400% FPL cliff is back. Households above 400% FPL receive no subsidy for 2027 coverage, reversing the ARPA-era rule that provided subsidies at any income level.
- The applicable percentages in Rev. Proc. 2026-26 are the post-ARPA standard schedule. The 10.22% required contribution percentage is up slightly from 9.96% in 2026, meaning households keep a modestly smaller share of premium cost covered.
- The OBBBA did eliminate repayment caps on excess advance premium tax credits (APTC) for TY2026+. If you receive too much APTC, you owe the full excess at tax time with no income-based cap.
Use the ACA subsidy calculator to see how these changes affect your specific situation compared to prior years.