Field note · Florida
Self-Employed Couple at the Subsidy Line
A field note from a real situation: a Florida couple, both self-employed, whose income could land just under the 2027 subsidy line or just over it. Here is how I plan for both.
Ryan Michalek, Licensed Health & Life Insurance Agent, NPN 21043091. Last updated November 13, 2026 · Read my Google reviews
What should a self-employed couple do when their income could land on either side of the subsidy line?
Price both outcomes before you enroll. For 2027 coverage the line is about $86,560 for a married couple. Under it, a marketplace plan comes with a premium tax credit; over it, you pay full price. The credit is paid in advance on the income you estimate, and if the year comes in higher you may owe some or all of it back, because the limit that capped that repayment was removed starting with 2026 returns. I put the marketplace and a private under-65 plan side by side on your numbers, with no fee.
The situation
A Florida couple, both self-employed, came to me with a problem that has no clean answer in November: their combined income might land just under the 2027 subsidy line or just over it. Under it, a marketplace plan comes with help. Over it, they pay full price. They had searched for private insurance plans in Florida, read a few pages, and called because they wanted someone in their corner either way.
Why it’s tricky
For 2027 coverage the line is about $86,560 for a married couple, based on the 2026 federal poverty guidelines. The credit is paid in advance on the income you estimate when you enroll. If you end up earning more, you may owe some or all of it back at tax time, and starting with 2026 returns the limit that used to cap that repayment was removed. Florida adds no state premium help on top of the federal credit, so the federal line is the whole story here. More on paying the credit back at tax time.
The three ways I’d play it
- Confident you’ll stay under. A marketplace plan with the credit, and a realistic 1099 projection built with a tax professional, updated during the year if income changes. Updating the estimate mid-year shrinks any surprise in April.
- Likely over. Compare the full marketplace price with a private under-65 plan. Private plans are medically underwritten, so approval isn’t automatic. Here’s what changes once you’re over the line.
- Truly unsure. Price both now, so whichever way the year goes you already know your next step, instead of finding out when you file.
What decides it
How steady the two incomes are, whether either spouse can time income or retirement contributions (a tax professional’s call, not mine), and the doctors they want to keep. One Florida wrinkle at the low end: Florida hasn’t expanded Medicaid, and the federal credit starts at the poverty line, so a very slow year can leave a couple with neither. If that’s a real possibility, it belongs in the plan too. The Florida self-employed guide covers how 1099 income works in Florida, and the state page shows how Florida handles coverage overall.
Sources: 2026 HHS poverty guidelines; 26 U.S.C. 36B (premium tax credit and repayment), as summarized on this site’s repayment guide; KFF (Florida Medicaid expansion status); checked November 13, 2026. Details changed to keep the clients anonymous.
In their words
“Ryan is a pro and helped us navigate finding health insurance that worked for us. Working with him was a breeze and he answered all our questions as we worked to find the right health insurance plan to support our needs being self-employed.”
— Angela F.
Near the subsidy line? Let's plan for both.
A quick, private call puts the marketplace, with and without the credit, and private plans side by side on your household's actual numbers. Text me and we'll find a time that works.