Free Tool · 2026 Rules

Early-Retiree Health Insurance Calculator

Leaving work before 65? See what health coverage will cost each year until Medicare — and whether you qualify for help paying. This tool compares COBRA with an ACA Marketplace plan (also called Obamacare), using 2026 rules. It runs on your device — nothing you type is sent anywhere.

📣 Heads up: the enhanced ACA subsidies expired at the end of 2025, so 2026 reverts to the original sliding scale — and the 400%-of-poverty income cliff is back. This calculator reflects current law. See your coverage options →

Enter your details

A few quick questions · about a minute.

Annual income (applied to every year unless you customize below)
Other income (dividends, interest, etc.)

This is an estimate to help you plan — it is not insurance or tax advice.

Your results will appear here

Fill in your details on the left and press Calculate my comparison. You'll get your COBRA cost, the Marketplace price after any subsidy, and which option wins — for every year until Medicare.

🔒 Nothing you enter is sent anywhere — all math runs in your browser.

COBRA only lasts 18 months after you leave a job, so it shows for the first year and a half. After that, your choice is a Marketplace plan or no coverage.

Example: single person, retires at 60 in 2026

Income $50,000 a year, COBRA quoted at $900/month. Using 2026 rules, this person's income is about 320% of the poverty line, so they qualify for help on a Marketplace plan:

Option (year 1, age 60)Cost for the year
COBRA (full price, $900 × 12)$10,800
Marketplace — full price$17,212
Marketplace — after subsidy (what you pay)$4,980

In this example a subsidized Marketplace plan (about $4,980) is far cheaper than COBRA (about $10,800). COBRA tends to win only in a year your income is too high for any subsidy. These are national-average estimates. Your real price depends on your state, age, household size, and income. Run the calculator for your own numbers.

Learn more

New to all this? Solo Early Retiree Health Insurance explains every option — COBRA, the Marketplace, subsidies, and the cliff — in plain English.

Last reviewed June 15, 2026

Common questions

Is COBRA worth it for early retirees?

Usually only when your income is too high for any Marketplace subsidy, or as a short bridge to keep your exact plan and doctors. Otherwise a subsidized Marketplace plan is typically cheaper.

How much is health insurance if you retire at 55, 60, or 62?

It depends on your state, age, household size, and income. Premiums rise as you get older, and retiring younger means more years to cover before Medicare — about 10 years at 55, 5 at 60, and 3 at 62.

What is the 2026 Marketplace subsidy cliff?

In 2026, if your income is above 4 times the federal poverty line — about $62,600 for a single person — your subsidy drops to $0. One extra dollar of income can cost you thousands, so the calculator warns you near this line.

When does the COBRA-vs-Marketplace decision end?

At age 65, when Medicare begins. That is why the calculator runs each year only up to 65.