ACA Marriage Penalty Calculator (2026)
For two-partner households planning early retirement, the choice of marrying or staying unmarried can swing healthcare + tax costs by $5,000-$25,000 per year. This calc compares 4-6 scenarios side-by-side using state-specific 2026 Silver-benchmark premiums and the 400% FPL cliff that returned in 2026.
2026 KFF benchmark premiums · 2026 cliff math · last reviewed 2026-05-23
Your household
Partner A
Partner B
Scenario comparison
2026 Silver-benchmark monthly premium by state (age 40)
Source: KFF marketplace average benchmark premiums (kff.org, checked 2026-09-10). Age 40 baseline; scale by CMS 3:1 age-rating curve for older enrollees (age 64 = roughly 3x age 21). National average is $625/mo. Vermont highest at $1,299; New Hampshire lowest at $401.
| State | $/mo (age 40) | Medicaid expansion? |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $645 | No |
| Alaska | $1,032 | Yes |
| Arizona | $532 | Yes |
| Arkansas | $774 | Yes |
| California | $570 | Yes |
| Colorado | $557 | Yes |
| Connecticut | $870 | Yes |
| Delaware | $691 | Yes |
| District of Columbia | $610 | Yes |
| Florida | $683 | No |
| Georgia | $615 | No (Pathways partial) |
| Hawaii | $541 | Yes |
| Idaho | $490 | Yes |
| Illinois | $646 | Yes |
| Indiana | $474 | Yes |
| Iowa | $501 | Yes |
| Kansas | $670 | No |
| Kentucky | $590 | Yes |
| Louisiana | $646 | Yes |
| Maine | $709 | Yes |
| Maryland | $414 | Yes |
| Massachusetts | $494 | Yes |
| Michigan | $523 | Yes |
| Minnesota | $448 | Yes |
| Mississippi | $662 | No |
| Missouri | $605 | Yes |
| Montana | $692 | Yes |
| Nebraska | $710 | Yes |
| Nevada | $497 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | $401 | Yes |
| New Jersey | $545 | Yes |
| New Mexico | $623 | Yes |
| New York | $817 | Yes |
| North Carolina | $638 | Yes |
| North Dakota | $570 | Yes |
| Ohio | $513 | Yes |
| Oklahoma | $604 | Yes |
| Oregon | $543 | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | $572 | Yes |
| Rhode Island | $506 | Yes |
| South Carolina | $564 | No |
| South Dakota | $655 | Yes |
| Tennessee | $711 | No |
| Texas | $661 | No |
| Utah | $640 | Yes |
| Vermont | $1,299 | Yes |
| Virginia | $455 | Yes |
| Washington | $612 | Yes |
| West Virginia | $1,073 | Yes |
| Wisconsin | $611 | No (partial) |
| Wyoming | $1,090 | No |
How the math works
For ACA purposes, your household size matters two ways: (1) the FPL threshold for the 400% cliff is larger for HH=2 than HH=1, but it's NOT 2× — 400% FPL is $62,600 single vs $84,600 for a couple. (2) Filing single splits your MAGI; filing MFJ combines it. So a two-earner couple at $60k each crosses the cliff together as MFJ ($120k combined > $84,600 HH=2) but stays under it as singles ($60k each < $62,600 HH=1).
Federal tax is the other half. Single brackets start at lower thresholds, but the standard deduction is also smaller ($16,100 vs $32,200 MFJ). For most low-and-mid-income couples MFJ wins on tax even when it loses on ACA — and the ACA loss usually exceeds the tax gain when you're close to the cliff.
Related calculators & guides
Primary sources cited
- HHS 2025 poverty guidelines (Federal Register, used for 2026 coverage)
- KFF 2026 Marketplace Average Monthly Benchmark Premiums
- Public Law 119-21 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), §71305 — repayment caps on excess advance premium tax credit repealed from 2026
- IRS Premium Tax Credit — the basics
- 45 CFR 147.102 (age-rating curve)
See how this fits your whole retirement
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