Sample output · $29 Cliff Plan
This is exactly what a buyer gets: one page, their numbers, the moves in order, the dates that matter. The household below is fictional — the format is the product.
$3,440 OVER the line
2027 cliff for a 2-person household: $86,560 (400% FPL, contiguous US).
Your planned MAGI: $90,000. The entire premium tax credit disappears — not reduced, zero.
| Per month | Per year | |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark silver plan, full price (est.) | ~$2,903 | ~$34,836 |
| Your cost under the line (10.22% of $86,560) | ~$737 | ~$8,846 |
| Credit lost at $1 over | ~$2,166 | ~$25,990 |
Benchmark premiums are estimates until final 2027 rates publish — confirm your county's exact figure at HealthCare.gov's "See Plans & Prices." The direction won't change: five figures hinge on $3,440 of income.
Target: get 2027 MAGI to ~$83,000 — that's $3,560 under the line, leaving headroom for December surprises (mutual-fund capital-gain distributions are the classic cliff-pusher). You need to move at least $7,000 off MAGI. In priority order:
Every pre-tax dollar contributed lowers MAGI dollar-for-dollar. 2027 elective-deferral limit up to ~$32,500 per worker including the 50+ catch-up (confirm at irs.gov). If either of you has access to a workplace plan and isn't maxing pre-tax contributions, this is usually the whole answer by itself.
Requires an HSA-eligible plan (most bronze and catastrophic marketplace plans qualify). 2027 limit: $9,000 family + $1,000 catch-up at 55+. HSA contributions reduce MAGI; qualified withdrawals don't raise it later.
Up to ~$8,600 per person deductible (2027, 50+ catch-up included; deductibility phases out above certain incomes if covered by a workplace plan — check your situation). Use this to fine-tune the landing zone after Moves 1–2.
No Roth conversions in 2027 unless you've already secured the subsidy another way — conversions count in full toward MAGI in the conversion year. Bunch conversions into a deliberate "off" year instead: once past 400% FPL there's no second cliff, so overshoot on purpose in one year and defend the next.
Never aim to land exactly on the line. Keep $3,000–$5,000 of buffer under it: a surprise distribution, a freelance invoice paid early, or a dividend restatement in December can push a "safe" estimate over. The buffer is the cheapest insurance in this plan.
This sample took 60 seconds to generate from 5 inputs.
The $29 Cliff Plan is your household, your state, your numbers — checked by a founder review before it reaches you.
About this sample: fictional household; illustrative benchmark figures. Real plans use your inputs and your county's benchmark. 400% FPL lines: 2026 HHS poverty guidelines. Applicable percentage 10.22%: IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26. 2027 contribution limits: IRS (confirm current figures at irs.gov). Repayment-cap removal: OBBBA §71305, effective tax year 2026. Open enrollment: Nov 1, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027 (federal); enroll by Dec 15 for Jan 1 coverage. Full maths: methodology page, verified October 23, 2026.
Educational, not tax or financial advice. A tax professional who understands the premium credit is worth their fee for your specific numbers.
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