If you're filing taxes after receiving Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC), you need to know your SLCSP premium. It's required for Form 8962 (Premium Tax Credit reconciliation), but most people don't know where to find it.
Here's everything you need to know about the SLCSP—what it is, why it matters, and exactly how to find yours.
What is SLCSP?
SLCSP stands for "Second Lowest Cost Silver Plan." It's the second-cheapest Silver-tier health insurance plan available in your area through the ACA Marketplace for someone your age.
The SLCSP is used as the benchmark for calculating your Premium Tax Credit (PTC). The government compares:
- The cost of the SLCSP in your area
- vs.
- A percentage of your income (based on Federal Poverty Level)
The difference is your Premium Tax Credit.
- If you pick a cheaper Bronze plan → You keep the "extra" subsidy
- If you pick a more expensive Gold plan → You pay the difference
Why Does SLCSP Matter?
The SLCSP is critical because it determines how much Premium Tax Credit you're eligible for. Without the correct SLCSP amount, you can't accurately:
- Calculate your Premium Tax Credit eligibility
- Complete IRS Form 8962 (required when filing taxes)
- Determine if you owe APTC repayment or get a refund
- Run the IRS Publication 974 iterative calculation correctly
How to Find Your SLCSP Premium
There are three ways to find your SLCSP premium:
Method 1: Check Your Form 1095-A (Easiest)
Your SLCSP is printed on Form 1095-A, which you receive from Healthcare.gov every February.
Where to look:
- Find Column B on Form 1095-A
- This column shows your monthly SLCSP premium for each month of coverage
- The amounts may vary month-to-month if your household changed (e.g., had a baby, someone aged up)
đź“„ Form 1095-A Snapshot
Column A: Monthly enrollment premiums (what the plan cost)
Column B: Monthly SLCSP premiums (this is what you need!)
Column C: Monthly APTC amounts (subsidy you received)
- Mailed by early February (for the previous tax year)
- Available electronically in your Healthcare.gov account by late January
Important: You CANNOT file your taxes until you receive Form 1095-A. Wait for it!
Method 2: Log Into Healthcare.gov
If you can't find your Form 1095-A (or it hasn't arrived yet), you can access it online:
- Go to Healthcare.gov
- Log into your account
- Navigate to: My Applications & Coverage
- Select: Tax Forms (or Documents)
- Download your Form 1095-A (PDF)
- Look at Column B for your monthly SLCSP amounts
Method 3: Use an SLCSP Lookup Tool
If you need to estimate your SLCSP before Form 1095-A arrives (e.g., for mid-year planning), you can use an automated lookup tool.
FreelancerHealth's calculator includes automatic SLCSP lookup using official CMS marketplace data. Just enter:
- Your ZIP code
- Your age (and ages of household members)
- Your state
The tool queries 955,564+ verified CMS records covering 48 states + D.C. to find your exact SLCSP.
How SLCSP is Calculated
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) determines SLCSP amounts based on:
1. Location (Rating Area)
The ACA divides each state into "rating areas" (usually by county). SLCSP varies significantly by location:
Example: SLCSP Variation by Location
- New York City (Manhattan): $850/month
- Rural upstate NY: $650/month
- Denver, CO: $500/month
All for the same person, age 35
2. Age
SLCSP premiums increase with age. The ACA uses "age bands" to set rates:
- Age 21: Lowest rates
- Age 64: Highest rates (approximately 3Ă— the age 21 rate)
- Age 65+: Medicare-eligible (not applicable)
Example: Age-Based SLCSP (Denver, CO)
- Age 25: $450/month
- Age 35: $500/month
- Age 45: $600/month
- Age 55: $850/month
- Age 64: $1,200/month
3. Household Composition
If multiple people in your household have Marketplace coverage, their SLCSP amounts are added together. Each person's SLCSP is based on their age and location.
4. Tobacco Use
Tobacco users may see SLCSP rates up to 50% higher in some states (though this varies by state law).
What If Your SLCSP Changes Mid-Year?
Your SLCSP can change during the year if:
- You move to a different county or state
- Someone joins or leaves your household
- Someone in your household has a birthday (ages into a new rate band)
When this happens, Form 1095-A will show different SLCSP amounts for different months.
Example: Mid-Year Change
Emma's situation:
- Jan-June: Lives in Denver, CO → SLCSP = $500/month
- July-Dec: Moves to Miami, FL → SLCSP = $650/month
Her Form 1095-A shows:
- Column B (Jan-June): $500
- Column B (July-Dec): $650
When calculating her annual PTC, she'll use the correct SLCSP for each month.
Common SLCSP Mistakes to Avoid
SLCSP amounts change every year. Always use the amounts from this year's Form 1095-A. Cost of error: $200-$800 in incorrect PTC
Your SLCSP is NOT the same as the premium you paid. Column A (enrollment premium) ≠Column B (SLCSP). Use Column B! Cost of error: Major PTC miscalculation
Never guess or estimate your SLCSP when filing taxes. Wait for Form 1095-A or download it from Healthcare.gov. Cost of error: IRS audit + penalties
SLCSP varies by county (rating area), not just by state. Manhattan and rural upstate NY have completely different SLCSP amounts. Cost of error: $300-$1,000 in incorrect calculations
SLCSP and the Premium Tax Credit Formula
Here's how the SLCSP is used to calculate your Premium Tax Credit:
🧮 Premium Tax Credit Formula
Step 1: Calculate your "expected contribution"
Expected Contribution = Income Ă— Contribution Percentage
(Contribution % based on your income relative to FPL)
Step 2: Calculate your Premium Tax Credit
PTC = (Annual SLCSP) - (Expected Contribution)
Example:
- Annual SLCSP: $6,000
- Your income: $40,000 (265% FPL)
- Expected contribution: $2,800 (7% of income)
- Your PTC: $6,000 - $2,800 = $3,200/year
Without the correct SLCSP, this entire calculation falls apart.
Need to Calculate Your PTC?
Use our calculator with automatic SLCSP lookup and IRS-compliant iterative calculation.
Calculate My Premium Tax Credit →Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can't find my SLCSP on Form 1095-A?
Form 1095-A always shows your SLCSP in Column B. If you're having trouble reading the form, call the Healthcare.gov hotline at 1-800-318-2596 for assistance.
Can I use my current plan's premium as the SLCSP?
No. Your SLCSP is the second-cheapest Silver plan available in your area—it's probably not the plan you actually enrolled in. Always use the amount from Form 1095-A, Column B.
Why is my SLCSP higher than my actual premium?
This is common! If you chose a Bronze plan or got a good deal on a Silver plan, your actual premium (Column A) may be lower than the SLCSP (Column B). This is good—you get to keep the "extra" subsidy.
Do I need to know my SLCSP if I didn't get APTC?
If you received $0 APTC (paid full premium yourself), you don't need to file Form 8962 or worry about SLCSP. However, if you qualified for APTC but didn't claim it, you might want to file Form 8962 to claim the credit retroactively.
How often does SLCSP change?
SLCSP is recalculated annually (effective January 1) when new marketplace rates are published. It can also change mid-year if you move or have household changes.
Can I look up SLCSP for free?
Yes! Our calculator includes free SLCSP lookup using official CMS data. You can also view it on Form 1095-A (also free from Healthcare.gov).
Next Steps
- Download your Form 1095-A from Healthcare.gov (available late January)
- Locate Column B (SLCSP premium) on the form
- Keep Form 1095-A with your tax documents—you'll need it to file Form 8962
- If filing before 1095-A arrives, use our SLCSP lookup tool for planning