Everything you need to know about calculating your real health insurance cost
The free Risk Assessment Check gives you a rough estimate based on simple math. The paid Full Calculator uses your exact ZIP code to look up the Second Lowest Cost Silver Plan (SLCSP) and runs the complete IRS iterative calculation to give you precise numbers. The Audit-Ready Report adds the CPA-required iteration-by-iteration audit log.
The Audit-Ready Report includes the complete iteration-by-iteration breakdown showing how your SEHID and PTC converged to the final values. This documentation is critical if your return is audited or if your CPA requires proof of compliance with IRS Publication 974. It's the difference between having "an answer" and having "audit-proof documentation.
Healthcare.gov only estimates your APTC based on your predicted income. It doesn't calculate the final reconciliation or factor in the Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction (SEHID), which changes your APTC eligibility. Our tool solves the full interdependent tax problem.
Please have the following information ready to complete your calculations:
No. This is an estimator tool for planning purposes only. We use IRS-published formulas, but we recommend consulting a tax professional for personalized advice.
If Congress doesn't renew the enhanced subsidies, approximately 9.2 million Americans could see their health insurance premiums increase by up to 114% starting January 2026. This would make coverage unaffordable for many middle-income freelancers and self-employed individuals.
Source: KFF.org - November 2024
Yes, absolutely! Whether subsidies are renewed or not, understanding your REAL cost after SEHID (Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction) and PTC (Premium Tax Credit) reconciliation is critical for:
Our calculator shows you exactly what you'll pay regardless of what happens with subsidies.
Under the current enhanced subsidies (through December 31, 2025), there is NO income cap for Premium Tax Credits.
However, if subsidies expire, the cap returns to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $60,240 for an individual in 2025).
Use our calculator to see how this affects you under both scenarios.
PTC reconciliation happens when you file taxes using Form 8962. Here's how it works:
Our calculator shows you the likely outcome based on your actual numbers.
We implement the exact IRS Iterative Calculation Method from Publication 974. Our test cases match IRS examples within $1. However, your actual tax situation may vary based on factors not captured in the calculator.
Our calculator uses official IRS formulas and current federal poverty guidelines to provide estimates within ±2% of actual tax outcomes.
Major tax programs are built for simple, linear tax flows. They prioritize a simple user experience over complex, mandatory calculations required by the IRS Publication 974. This leads to fundamental failure:
FreelancerHealth is purpose-built to execute the Pub 974 Iterative Loop automatically, ensuring the one true, estimated number without manual overrides
Your SLCSP is listed on Form 1095-A that you receive from Healthcare.gov (usually by early February).
Alternatively, you can:
Our calculator automatically fetches SLCSP data for your ZIP code and age.
You should recalculate whenever:
Yes—if you're amending the current tax year that FreelancerHealth supports, you can use our Pub 974–compliant engine and audit log to prepare an accurate amendment.
FreelancerHealth supports the current tax year Premium Tax Credit and Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction calculations, using official CMS SLCSP data. We add each new tax year's data automatically.
We only store your email and calculation results after payment. We don't store financial data or personally identifiable information beyond what's needed to send you results. All data transmission uses 256-bit SSL encryption (the same security used by banks).
We never sell your data or share it with third parties except as required by law. See our Privacy Policy for complete details.
SEHID allows self-employed individuals to deduct health insurance premiums directly from their income on Schedule 1, Line 17 of Form 1040.
Key benefits:
Yes! This is what most freelancers miss. You can:
The SEHID reduces your MAGI, which can actually increase your PTC. This is the "double benefit" that saves freelancers thousands of dollars.
You'll need:
Our results email includes detailed filing instructions.
If your situation is straightforward (single, no dependents, one source of income), tax software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA can handle SEHID and PTC reconciliation.
Consider a CPA if you have:
No, we're a calculation tool only. We can explain how our calculator works, but we cannot provide personalized tax advice. Please consult a licensed CPA or tax professional.
We curently offer two options ($29 + $49 plan):
What's included:
We accept all major credit cards through our secure payment processor (Lemon Squeezy):
We do not store your payment information. Lemon Squeezy is PCI-compliant and handles all payment processing securely.
One-time purchase: Email support@freelancerhealth.co or select 'Refund Request' on our contact form within 14 days of purchase for a full refund. Please include your order number or email address.
Annual subscription:
See our Refund Policy for complete details.
If you have an annual subscription, you can cancel anytime by:
If you need help accessing the portal, email us at support@freelancerhealth.co and we'll send you a new link.
We typically respond within 24-48 hours during business days (Monday-Friday). Billing inquiries are answered within 24 hours.
Email us at support@freelancerhealth.co with your inputs (zip code, age, income, etc.) and we'll review your calculation. Please don't share sensitive financial details beyond what's needed for the calculator.
First, check your spam/junk folder. Our emails come from support@freelancerhealth.co.
If you still can't find it:
We'll resend your results within 24 hours.
Yes! Your results are accessible via the unique link sent to your email. You can save this link to access your results anytime.
One-time purchase: You have permanent access to that specific calculation via your results link.
Monthly subscription: You can run new calculations anytime and access all previous calculations through your customer portal.
Lost your link? Email us at support@freelancerhealth.co with your order email and we'll resend it.
We're a lean team and primarily support customers via email to provide thorough, documented responses. For urgent billing issues, please select 'Billing Question' as the subject matter when contacting us.
We're here to help! Get in touch with our team.