ACA March 31 Deadline 2026: Don't Miss Your Payment
March 31, 2026 is the last day to pay ACA premiums before retroactive termination. Know the deadline, higher costs, and your options.
ACA & Early Retirement Healthcare Guide (2026)
The OBBBA-era ACA marketplace is back to a hard 400% FPL subsidy cliff. For early retirees, that's the single most expensive trip-wire in the planning landscape — one extra dollar of MAGI can cost $15-25K of premium tax credits.
This guide groups everything we've published on subsidy sizing, COBRA tradeoffs, MAGI management, and the bridge years from early retirement to Medicare at 65.
The 400% FPL cliff (restored 2026)
ACA Premium Tax Credit Repayment Caps 2026
OBBBA removed the ACA repayment cap — exceeding 400% FPL now triggers full clawback. See the 2026 income thresholds and repayment math in one place.
ACA Subsidy Repayment Trap (2026): How Big Is Your Exposure?
Convert too much, earn an extra $1K, the IRS asks for your premium tax credit back. Interactive calculator shows YOUR repayment exposure under OBBBA.
ACA Subsidy Clawback 2026: How Much Will You Owe Back at Tax Time?
Crossing 400% FPL by any amount triggers 100% ACA subsidy clawback in 2026. Here's the exact MAGI math and the $22,000 bill you can avoid.
ACA Subsidy Cliff 2026: Keep Healthcare Affordable
Crossing 400% FPL by $1 costs $22,000+ in ACA subsidies. See the exact 2026 income thresholds, Roth conversion room, and cliff-avoidance playbook.
The ACA Subsidy Cliff Is Back in 2026: What Early Retirees Must Do Now
Enhanced ACA subsidies expired. Early retirees face premium jumps of $8,000-$15,000/year. Here's how to manage your MAGI to stay under the 400% FPL cliff.
ACA Subsidy Cliff Calculator (2026): How Close Are You?
Free interactive calculator: enter your household size and MAGI to see your 400% FPL distance, premium tax credit estimate, and conversion headroom.
ACA Subsidy Cliff Is Back — Congress Stalled, Here's How to Plan
Enhanced ACA subsidies expired Dec 31, 2025 and Congress hasn't renewed them. The 400% FPL cliff is in effect now. Here's how to plan for both scenarios.
The ACA Subsidy Cliff Is a $15K Tax Bomb for Early Retirees
The ACA enhanced subsidies expired in 2026. Here's how the 400% FPL cliff affects early retirees and what tools exist to optimize around it.
ACA Subsidy Repayment 2026: Why There's No Cap If You Go Over 400% FPL
In 2026, exceeding 400% FPL means repaying ALL ACA subsidies with no cap. Learn the repayment mechanics, real dollar examples, and how to protect yourself.
The ACA Subsidy Cliff Is Back in 2026 — Are You Over It?
OBBBA restored the 400% FPL cliff. One dollar over, full subsidies forfeit. Free calculator shows your distance and the conversion headroom you have left.
MAGI sizing & conversion interactions
ACA Cliff Explained: $15K in Health Insurance Subsidies
One extra dollar of income can cost early retirees $15,000+ in ACA subsidies. Learn how the 400% FPL cliff works and how to stay below it.
BaristaFIRE and the ACA Subsidy Cliff 2026
BaristaFIRE is trending as a healthcare strategy — but part-time income can push you over the 2026 ACA subsidy cliff. Here's the math that matters.
MAGI Optimization in Retirement: Control Your Taxes and Benefits
Keeping MAGI under $62,600 unlocks $15,000+ in ACA subsidies and dodges IRMAA. See the 7-lever MAGI optimization playbook for early retirees.
The Roth Conversion ACA Trap: How a $1 Mistake Costs Early
A Roth conversion pushing MAGI past 400% FPL kills your entire ACA subsidy. Size conversions correctly in 2026 with this step-by-step guide.
Bridge to Medicare
ACA Cliff Split-Year: One Spouse on Medicare
When one spouse turns 65 and moves to Medicare while the other stays on ACA, income rules change dramatically. Avoid the 2026 cliff trap.
ACA to Medicare at 65: The 7-Month Window That Costs Early
Switching from ACA to Medicare at 65? 3 hidden traps cost early retirees $4,000+/year. Timeline, IRMAA lookback, and Part D penalty math inside.
COBRA vs ACA Marketplace: The $14,000 Mistake Early Retirees Make
COBRA costs $700-$1,400/mo after you leave your job. ACA Marketplace can cost $0 — but one wrong move with the 400% FPL cliff changes everything.
Plan choice and HSA strategy
ACA Bronze Plans Are Now HSA-Eligible in 2026
All ACA Bronze plans became HSA-eligible in 2026. Early retirees can slash healthcare costs with triple tax-free savings. See how.
HSA-Eligible ACA Bronze Plans: 2026 FIRE Tax Strategy
Every ACA Bronze plan is now HSA-eligible in 2026, creating a MAGI reduction strategy worth up to $8,750 per year for FIRE retirees.
Healthcare cost projection
Early Retirement Healthcare Cost 2026: Real Numbers
Early retirees face $14,000-$25,000/year in healthcare costs. See real 2026 premium data by age and income, plus strategies to cut costs.
Early Retirement Tax Puzzle: ACA, IRMAA & Roth Strategy
ACA cliffs, IRMAA brackets, and Roth conversions fight each other. See the 3-zone MAGI map early retirees use to save $20,000+ per year in 2026.
Early Retirement Healthcare: The $380,000 Problem
Healthcare before Medicare could exceed $380,000 for early retirees. Use these MAGI strategies to cut costs by $20,000+ per year.
The $172K Healthcare Cost Your Retirement Calculator Ignores
Medicare Part B jumped 9.7% in 2026 while CPI was 3.3%. Flat inflation assumptions undercount healthcare by $100K+. Here's how to model it right.
Roth 401k vs Traditional 401k for Early Retirement: The $15,000
Choosing Roth 401k vs Traditional 401k before early retirement? The wrong choice could cost you $15,000/year in lost ACA subsidies. Here's the math.
Policy context
Will Congress Restore ACA Subsidies? Early Retiree Plan
The House passed a 3-year ACA subsidy extension in January 2026, but the Senate hasn't acted. Here's what early retirees should plan for either outcome.
Social Security at 62: The Hidden $15K ACA Subsidy Trap
Claiming Social Security at 62 can add $24K to your MAGI and wipe out $15K+ in ACA subsidies. Here's how to time your claim to keep healthcare affordable.