Federal Poverty Level Archives

A Quick Look at the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines Used for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and Beyond

The tables below are simplified versions of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 (future guidelines will be printed in late January each year in the Federal Register by HHS; generally, we’ll feature the newer guidelines above, but you’ll sometimes need the ones below for taxes).

TIP: You can see all previous federal poverty levels at HHS.

TIP: To reiterate the points made above, make sure to use the correct year’s guidelines based on what form you are filing out.

TIP: To find any other poverty level amount simply multiply the 100% poverty level dollar amount by the desired percentage of the poverty level. If you want to see what 400% of the poverty level is, you can multiply the 100% Federal Poverty Level dollar amount by 4.00 (so for a 1 person household, it is $11,880 x 4.00 = $47,520). For 300% FPL multiply by 3.00. For 250% FPL multiply by 2.50. For 138% FPL multiply by 1.38 etc.

TIP: Don’t forget that cost assistance is based on projected annual household income and family size. If you overestimate income you may face repayment.

The 2020 Federal Poverty Guidelines (for 2021 Cost assistance and 2020 Medicaid/CHIP)

Below are the 2020 Federal Poverty Guidelines that went into effect in early 2020 (the ones you use for 2020 Medicaid/CHIP and for 2021 marketplace cost assistance).

These guidelines are the key to all cost assistance under the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, these guidelines are used for:

• Medicaid/CHIP between late Jan 2020 – Jan 2021 after the poverty level guidelines are published.
• 2021 marketplace cost assistance on all marketplace health plans held in 2021 and purchased during open enrollment for 2021 coverage.
• For special enrollment in 2021.
• For ACA taxes for the 2021 calendar year filed in 2022.

NOTE: Our federal poverty guideline list has the 100% poverty level, 138% Medicaid expansion threshold, the 250% CSR subsidy threshold, and the 400% premium tax credit thresholds so you can at a glance see what assistance you qualify for. Please note that for Medicaid Expansion if you make under 138% you qualify, for CSR it is between 100% – 250%, and for tax credits it is between 100% and 400%. See details on subsidies under the ACA.

TIP: For mobile and smaller screen sizes, drag the table below to scroll and see the different poverty levels.

NOTE: Alaska and Hawaii use different guidelines (see this link to guidelines as published on HHS.Gov).

FACT: The Federal Register notice for the 2020 Poverty Guidelines was published on January 17, 2020.

The 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines (for 2020 Cost assistance and 2019 Medicaid/CHIP)

Below are the 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines that went into effect in early 2019 (the ones you use for Medicaid/CHIP in 2019 and for 2020 marketplace cost assistance).

These guidelines are the key to all cost assistance under the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, these guidelines are used for:

• Medicaid/CHIP between Jan 2019 – Jan 2020.
• 2020 marketplace cost assistance on all marketplace health plans held in 2020 and purchased during open enrollment for 2020.
• For special enrollment in 2020.
• For ACA taxes for the 2020 calendar year filed in 2021.

NOTE: Our federal poverty guideline list has the 100% poverty level, 138% Medicaid expansion threshold, the 250% CSR subsidy threshold, and the 400% premium tax credit thresholds so you can at a glance see what assistance you qualify for. Please note that for Medicaid Expansion if you make under 138% you qualify, for CSR it is between 100% – 250%, and for tax credits it is between 100% and 400%. See details on subsidies under the ACA.

TIP: For mobile and smaller screen sizes, drag the table below to scroll and see the different poverty levels.

NOTE: Alaska and Hawaii use different guidelines (see this link to guidelines as published on HHS.Gov).

The 2018 Federal Poverty Guidelines (For 2019 Cost Assistance and 2018 Medicaid/CHIP)

Below are the 2018 Federal Poverty Guidelines that went into effect in early 2018 (the ones you use for Medicaid/CHIP in 2018 and for 2019 marketplace cost assistance).

NOTE: Alaska and Hawaii use different guidelines (see this link to guidelines as published on HHS.Gov).

The 2017 Federal Poverty Guidelines (For 2018 Cost Assistance and 2017 Medicaid/CHIP)

Below are the 2017 Federal Poverty Guidelines that went into effect in early 2018 (the ones you use for Medicaid/CHIP in 2017 and for 2018 marketplace cost assistance).

IMPORTANT: See the 2017 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR ALASKA AND HAWAII from HHS. See the most recent Federal Register notice of the 2017 poverty guidelines, published January 31, 2017.

2016 Federal Poverty Level Guidelines

Simplified 2016 FPL Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and DC (not Alaska and Hawaii). You’ll use these guidelines for 2017 cost assistance, for 2016 Medicaid and CHIP, and you’ll need these for taxes filed April 15, 2018. 

NOTE: If your family contained more than 8 people, add $4,160 for each additional person. Note that Hawaii and Alaska use different guidelines. This is unchanged from 2015.

Simplified 2015 FPL Guidelines you’ll use for 2016 cost assistance, 2015 Medicaid and CHIP, and for taxes filed April 15, 2017

NOTE: If your family contained more than 8 people, add $4,160 for each additional person. Note that Hawaii and Alaska use different guidelines.

Simplified 2014 FPL Guidelines you will use for 2015 cost assistance, 2014 Medicaid and CHIP, and taxes filed April 15, 2016

NOTE: If your family size was more than 8 people, add $4,060 for each additional person. Note that Hawaii and Alaska use different guidelines.

Simplified 2013 FPL Guidelines you’ll use for 2014 cost assistance, 2013 Medicaid and CHIP, and taxes filed April 15, 2015

NOTE: If your family size was more than 8 people, add $4,020 for each additional person. For example, if your family size is 11, you have 3 additional people. Multiply $4,020 by 3 and add the result of $12,060 to $39,630. Enter the result of $51,690 on Form 8962, line 4. Note that Hawaii and Alaska use different guidelines.

NOTE: Above we covered the basics, below we will go over specific aspects of the poverty levels and what they are used for in detail.

2016 Federal Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States & DC

The FPL guidelines below are the same featured above (printed again here for archival purposes). You won’t need these guidelines until open enrollment 2017, see the appropriate guidelines from past years (as noted on form 8962) for filing taxes for 2015 coverage.

Simplified 2016 FPL Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and DC (not Alaska and Hawaii). You’ll use these guidelines for 2017 cost assistance, and taxes filed April 15, 2018 

NOTE: If your family contained more than 8 people, add $4,160 for each additional person. Note that Hawaii and Alaska use different guidelines. This is unchanged from 2015.

2016 Federal Poverty Guidelines – For Alaska and Hawaii

2015 Federal Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States & DC

Below are the 2015 Federal Poverty Guidelines used to calculate Premium caps, Premium Tax Credits (PTC), Cost Sharing Reduction subsidies (CSR) for 2016, and Medicaid eligibility for 2015. These are the most recent guidelines and will be used to calculate cost assistance for this year’s open enrollment period, Nov 1, 2015 – Jan 31, 2016. You’ll also use these when you file your taxes due April 15, 2017 (see 2014 guidelines below if filing for taxes due April 15, 2016, and 2013 guidelines below for taxes due April 15, 2015.)

*Medicaid eligibility is different in states that did not expand Medicaid.
Federal Poverty Guidelines are different in Hawaii and Alaska.
*CSR Cost-Sharing Reduction subsidy
*PTC or Premium Tax Credits

NOTE: If your family size was more than 8 people, add $4,160 for each additional person at the 100% poverty level and scale that up based on your percentage of the poverty level. For instance to find out the extra person increase for 138% of the poverty level: multiply $4,160 by 1.38 to get $5,740 per person over 8. Note that Hawaii and Alaska use different guidelines, see below.

NOTE: All Federal Poverty Level (FPL) numbers and thresholds are based on 100% FPL. For instance, 200% FPL for an individual is $23,540 (11,770 x 2); in other words, it’s twice the 100% FPL of $11,770. For percentages not found on the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines use one of the calculation methods found on this page, for example: multiply the 100% FPL by 4 for 400% FPL, 3 for 300%, 2.5 for 250%, 1.38 for 138%, etc). Make sure to take into account family size. To find monthly amounts, divide by the number of months you are looking for.

NOTE: Federal Poverty Guidelines themselves are based on Gross Income, not Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). However, cost assistance in the Marketplace is based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income. As a result, you should use your Modified Adjusted Gross Income when referencing the FPL chart above for the purposes of the ACA. If you have dependents, you will add their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) to your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) to get your household’s income, which is used to determine cost assistance for families. For other assistance programs, you’ll need to check whether you should use Gross Income, Adjusted Gross Income, or Modified Adjusted Gross Income.

2015 Poverty Guidelines – Alaska

2015 Poverty guidelines – Hawaii

Medicaid / CHIP Monthly Federal Poverty Guidelines 2015 – 2016:

Annual, 6 Month, and 1 Month 2015 – 2016 Federal Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States & DC

The Federal Poverty Guidelines below are to be used from Jan 20, 2015, to Jan 19, 2016. They are calculated based on the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines for 2015 released on Jan 22, 2015, in the Federal Register.

These guidelines are helpful for understanding Medicaid and CHIP eligibility levels and eligibility levels for non-healthcare related eligibility programs. See 2015 guidelines above these monthly guidelines to better understand cost assistance on ObamaCare’s Health Insurance Marketplace as they include 200% – 400% poverty levels.

TIP: The Medicaid guidelines changed on Jan 19th, 2016. The 100% limit is $11,880 compared to 2015’s $11,770 as noted below; we will aim to update the list shortly (this means you can make about an extra $100 a person a month and still qualify for Medicaid in states that expanded coverage).

NOTE: Hawaii and Alaska use different guidelines, see 2015 above monthly guidelines for more information

2014 Federal Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States & DC

Below are the 2014 Federal Poverty Guidelines used to calculate Premium caps, Premium Tax Credits (PTC), Cost Sharing Reduction subsidies (CSR) for 2015, and Medicaid eligibility for 2014. These are the most recent guidelines and will be used to calculate cost assistance for this year’s open enrollment period, Nov 15, 2014 – Feb 15, 2015. You will also use these when you file your taxes in 2016 (see 2013 guidelines below if filing for taxes due April 15, 2015):

Federal Poverty Guidelines 2014 – Continental U.S.

2014 POVERTY GUIDELINES – ALASKA

2014 POVERTY GUIDELINES – HAWAII

2013 Federal Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States & DC

Below are the 2013 Federal Poverty Guidelines used to calculate Premiums caps, Premium Tax Credits (PTC), Cost Sharing Reduction subsidies (CSR) for 2014 and Medicaid eligibility for 2013 (that open enrollment season was Oct 1st, 2013 – March 31st, 2014). If you are doing your 2014 taxes for the 2015 tax season, you will refer to the 2013 guidelines below:

2013 Federal Poverty Guidelines – Alaska

2013 Federal Poverty Guidelines – Hawaii