Benefit Cliff Calculator

See what a raise is really worth. As earnings rise, taxes go up and benefits such as the EITC, SNAP and health subsidies shrink or end. This shows your household's total resources at every income level and where the steepest drops are.

Your household

Illustrative federal-rules model. States change SNAP, Medicaid and other benefits, so treat results as a guide and confirm with your state's benefit screener.

Adults in household

Children under 17

Monthly rent or mortgage + utilities

Used for the SNAP shelter deduction

Benchmark health plan, whole family (per month)

Healthcare.gov second-lowest silver plan for your area

State expanded Medicaid?

Enhanced ACA subsidies in effect?

Check current law before relying on this

Include SNAP (food assistance)

Total resources by earnings

Earnings plus credits and benefits, minus taxes and health premiums. A flat or falling line means a raise is not helping.

What you keep from each extra $1 earned

Check one income level

Household earnings:

Steepest drops

Earnings levels where a $500 raise costs the most in lost credits or benefits.

Federal tax: 2026 brackets and standard deduction, child tax credit $2,200 per child with up to $1,700 refundable, and the 2025 EITC schedule ($649 / $4,328 / $7,152 / $8,046 maximums). Employee FICA at 7.65%.
SNAP: FY2026 maximum allotments, 130% (gross) and 100% (net) of poverty tests, 20% earned-income and standard deductions, and the shelter deduction. State rules, asset tests and work requirements are not modeled.
Health: 2025 poverty guidelines and the 2026 applicable-percentage table for premium tax credits. Medicaid is modeled as covering the family fully below 138% of poverty in expansion states.
Not modeled: child care, housing, WIC, TANF, CHIP, state credits, payroll deductions. This is an educational estimate, not eligibility advice.