What is the ACA affordability threshold?
Asked by: Lottie Jerde | Last update: May 28, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (7 votes)
What is the ACA affordability requirement?
The ACA's affordability requirement is the highest percentage of household income an employee can be required to pay for monthly health insurance plan premiums, based on the least expensive employer-sponsored plan offered that meets the ACA's minimum essential coverage requirements.
What is the ACA affordability threshold for 2024?
However, in accordance with the newly announced affordability percentage for 2024 (8.39%), an employee would need to make at least $28,605.48 per year ($2,400/8.39%) for the $200 monthly employee contribution for self-only coverage to be considered affordable.
What is the highest income to qualify for ACA?
In 2025, you'll typically be eligible for ACA subsidies if you earn between $15,060 and $60,240 as a single person. A family of four is eligible with a household income between $31,200 and $124,800.
What is the ACA affordability threshold for 2025?
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is increasing the safe harbor affordability threshold to 9.02% for the 2025 tax year. As a result, employers will have more flexibility in making their employee premiums meet the affordable safe harbor for next year as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
IRS 2024 ACA Affordability Threshold Announcement
What is the affordability limit?
In general, the maximum income limit for an affordable home is 85.5% of the open market value of the home divided by 4. There are some exceptions to this rule which can be viewed here. Other eligibility criteria are: You are over 18 years of age.
What happens if I underestimate my income for Obamacare in 2024?
For the 2024 tax year, if you underestimated your income and received a larger tax credit than you were eligible for, you must repay the difference between the amount of premium tax credit you received and the amount you were eligible for.
How can I avoid paying back my premium tax credit?
Report any changes in your income during the year to the Marketplace, so your credit can be adjusted and you can avoid any significant repayments at the end of the year.
Is ACA based on adjusted gross income?
Under the Affordable Care Act, eligibility for income-based Medicaid and subsidized health insurance through the Marketplaces is calculated using a household's Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI).
What is the affordability test for 2025?
The IRS adjusts the affordability percentage each year and for 2025 the cost of single coverage must be less than 9.02% of an employee's household income in order to be affordable.
How is affordability calculated in 2024?
The IRS announced that the 2024 health plan affordability threshold—which is used to determine if an employer's lowest-premium health plan meets the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) affordability requirement—will be 8.39 percent of an employee's household income.
How to calculate the ACA affordability for 2024?
Calculating Affordability Using the FPL Safe Harbor
The FPL Safe Harbor is the easiest to calculate. For 2024 calendar year plans, the FPL Safe Harbor is satisfied, if the required monthly employee contribution for self-only coverage does not exceed 8.39% of the federal poverty line divided by 12.
What is the 9.5% rule for ACA?
The federal poverty line safe harbor generally treats coverage as affordable for a month if the employee required contribution for the month does not exceed 9.5 percent, adjusted annually, of the federal poverty line for a single individual for the applicable calendar year, divided by 12.
What is the affordability rule?
A simple formula—the 28/36 rule
Here's a simple industry rule of thumb: Housing expenses should not exceed 28 percent of your pre-tax household income. That includes your monthly principal and interest payments, plus additional expenses such as property taxes and insurance.
What is the minimum income for the premium tax credit in 2024?
2024 filing requirements for most taxpayers: Gross income of at least $14,600 (individuals) or $29,000 (married filing jointly). Different thresholds apply for dependents, people 65 and older, and those who use other tax filing statuses (like married filing separately). Refer to glossary for more details.
What disqualifies you from the premium tax credit?
For tax years other than 2021 and 2022, if your household income on your tax return is more than 400 percent of the federal poverty line for your family size, you are not allowed a premium tax credit and will have to repay all of the advance credit payments made on behalf of you and your tax family members.
Who is not eligible for Obamacare?
Must live in the United States. Must be a U.S. citizen or national (or be lawfully present). Learn about eligible immigration statuses. Cannot be incarcerated in prison or jail.
What happens to my Obamacare when I turn 65?
Your Marketplace coverage will not be cancelled automatically by your plan when you turn 65 and sign up for Medicare, but if you receive premium tax credits to help you pay for your Marketplace plan premium, your eligibility for these tax credits will end when your Medicare Part A coverage starts (people with Medicare ...
How to determine ACA affordability?
In 2024, a job-based health plan is considered "affordable" if your share of the monthly premium in the lowest-cost plan offered by the employer is less than 8.39% of your household income. In 2025, it is considered "affordable" if the premium is less than 9.02% of your household income.
What is the 28% affordability rule?
The rule says you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing (your monthly mortgage payment) and a maximum of 36% on all your debts. This would include your mortgage payment, student loan payment, car payment, credit card minimums, and any other debt you pay off monthly.
What is the ACA affordability penalty for 2024?
2024 4980H(b) Penalty
For the 2024 tax year, the 4980H(b) penalty is $372 a month, or $4,460 per year, per employee. This is an increase from $4,320 in 2023.