Usually, yes! You can check this before you enroll in our estimator software.

Tell us—our software makes updates simple so your savings stay accurate.

No. You don’t pay us. You just get ongoing support when you need it.

Yes. Many owners and self-employed use the Marketplace for themselves and family members. We’ll walk you through options.

First off — don’t panic. This is actually more common than you think.

When you sign up for an ACA Marketplace plan, your monthly premium is lowered based on your estimated annual income. If you make more than expected, you may have to pay back some or all of the subsidy (called the premium tax credit) when you file your taxes. But in many cases, especially for folks under about $60,000/year (single) or $120,000/year (family of 4), the IRS limits how much you have to repay — usually no more than a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars, depending on your income level.

To avoid surprises, we recommend updating your income if things change significantly. But even if you don’t, you won’t lose your insurance — and the tax impact is something you can plan for.

We're not tax advisors, so always check with a tax professional — but if you’d like us to walk you through how we’ve seen this affect real people in the past, give us a call. We’re happy to explain in plain English.

Great news — if your income drops during the year, you might qualify for even more help.

Lower income usually means higher subsidies, and in some cases, you could qualify for free or low-cost Medicaid coverage, depending on your situation. You won’t be penalized for estimating too high — but you might miss out on savings if you don’t update your income.

If your income ends up under $15,060/year (for a single person), the government may say you’re better off on Medicaid and will require you to switch. So definitely contact us if you expect a big change in income in that direction. 

If you’re not eligible for Medicaid, you can still keep your plan and may even qualify for extra help.

As always, we’re not tax or legal advisors, but we’ve helped plenty of folks navigate situations like this — and we’re happy to walk you through what to expect based on your current income. Just reach out anytime.

When you apply for ACA health insurance, you'll be asked to estimate your total income for the year — not just what you're earning right now. This includes wages, self-employment, Social Security, unemployment, and other taxable income sources.

You don’t always have to show proof — but the rules are getting stricter, the system will flag your application and ask you to verify your income. If that happens, you’ll get a notice with a 60-day deadline to upload documents. Don’t ignore it — if you don’t respond, your plan could continue without financial help, or be terminated. Insurance carriers usually aren’t responsible for refunds if you plan switches to a non-subsidized full price plan and you don’t contact them.

✅ For regular jobs (W-2 income):

• Recent pay stubs (with gross income and pay frequency)

• A letter from your employer

✅ For self-employment or gig work (1099 income):

• Invoices or payment receipts

• Bookkeeping records or income statements

• Recent tax return (if current income is similar)

• Bank statements showing business deposits

✅ For fixed income or no income:

• Social Security award letter

• Unemployment benefits letter

• Zero-income statement or letter of support (if someone is helping you financially)

Good news: This is just a good-faith estimate, not an audit. If your income changes later, you can update it anytime to make sure your savings stay accurate.

We’re not tax advisors, but we’ve helped lots of folks through this. If you’re unsure what to submit, give us a call — we’re happy to walk you through it.

We’re based in Billings and the Hi-Line, and we serve clients nationwide where we’re licensed. We want you to to feel known and taken care of when you work with us!