Where can I find an official table of 2026 FPL by household size and state for ACA calculations?
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Executive summary
If you need an “official” table of 2026 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) figures for ACA calculations, the authoritative source is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (ASPE) poverty guidelines — they publish the official poverty guidelines that most federal programs use (ASPE page collects those guidelines) [1]. Many state marketplace sites and trusted intermediaries republish FPL tables for the 48 contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii for 2025/2026 use (Covered California’s 2026 FPL PDF, health insurer and benefits shops) but several outlets caution that some 2026 marketplace calculations still rely on 2025 guidelines until the 2026 ASPE figures are released (Covered California; Jarvis Law Office) [2] [3].
1. Where “official” FPL numbers live — the ASPE poverty guidelines
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) is the primary federal publisher of the poverty guidelines that are commonly called the Federal Poverty Level; that ASPE page is the canonical government pointer to poverty guidelines and related guidance used by federal programs [1].
2. State tables and marketplace use — state marketplaces republish ASPE numbers
State marketplaces and agencies routinely convert ASPE’s guidelines into state-specific charts (contiguous U.S., Alaska, Hawaii) and program-eligibility matrices. For example, Covered California offers a “Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level for 2026” PDF that lays out household-size thresholds and program cutoffs used in that state [2]. These state tables are useful for ACA eligibility and Medicaid interaction but derive from the federal guidelines [2] [1].
3. Timing and which year’s guidelines apply to coverage year 2026
Multiple sources stress an important timing detail: subsidy and Medicaid eligibility for a coverage year do not always use the same calendar-year poverty guideline. Several ACA guidance pages and industry write-ups note that marketplace subsidy eligibility for the 2026 coverage year is based on the 2025 poverty guidelines unless and until ASPE publishes 2026 guidelines and regulations specify otherwise [4] [5] [3]. Some employers and advisers also pointed out IRS guidance that allows using the most-recent available guideline within a certain look‑back window for affordability safe harbors [6].
4. Practical single-stop places to download a 2026 FPL table
If you want a downloadable, ready-to-use table for ACA calculations, check these in order: ASPE’s poverty-guidelines page for the official release [1]; your state marketplace or Medicaid office (state PDFs such as Covered California’s 2026 FPL chart) for local program cutoffs [2]; and, for employer-affordability math, IRS/benefits advisories summarizing the FPL-based safe harbor calculations (Sequoia, Paylocity, Newfront) which cite the safe-harbor formula tied to the FPL (monthly safe-harbor = (9.96% × FPL)/12) [7] [6] [8].
5. Why some private sites differ — timing, rounding and enhancement expirations
Industry pages and calculators publish FPL tables and add context (e.g., extra amounts for households larger than eight), but they sometimes reflect different add-ons (e.g., $5,380 vs $5,500 per extra person) or use prior-year guidelines for a coverage year; those variations come from either rounding choices or from using the most recently published federal guideline available when the article was written [9] [10] [11]. Also note the policy change: enhanced subsidy rules that temporarily removed the 400% cutoff expired after 2025 unless Congress extends them, so many sites warn the “no cliff” rule may not apply for 2026 [5].
6. Employer-focused numbers you may need — the 2026 affordability safe harbor
Employers calculating ACA affordability will need the FPL safe-harbor number because the IRS set the affordability percentage at 9.96% for 2026; industry write-ups convert that into a monthly dollar figure using the FPL and the monthly formula above and show the $129.89-per-month threshold for contiguous U.S. self-only coverage when using 2026 numbers [8] [7] [12]. Those calculations assume you have the relevant FPL for the year you’re using.
7. Limits and what the available sources do not say
Available sources do not mention a single consolidated federal PDF titled “2026 FPL by household size and state for ACA calculations” beyond ASPE’s poverty guidelines and state-specific replications — you must combine ASPE’s official guidelines with state marketplace tables when you need state-by-state program cutoffs [1] [2]. Also, some sites note that 2026 Medicaid expansion thresholds may still reference 2025 guidelines until ASPE posts 2026 numbers [3].
Actionable next steps: download ASPE’s poverty-guidelines page for the authoritative figures, then get your state marketplace or Covered California PDF for the state‑specific matrix and any program cutoffs you need [1] [2]. If you’re doing employer affordability math, use the IRS/benefits firm guidance that applies the 9.96% rate to the FPL via the monthly safe-harbor formula [8] [7].