2019 Health Care Credit Calculator
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Reviewed by Calculator Editorial Team
The 2019 Health Care Credit was a temporary tax credit available to certain individuals in the United States. This calculator helps you determine if you qualify and estimate your potential savings.
What is the 2019 Health Care Credit?
The 2019 Health Care Credit was a refundable tax credit created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. It provided up to $500 per qualifying individual for the 2019 tax year. The credit was designed to help low- and moderate-income taxpayers afford health insurance coverage.
This credit was only available for the 2019 tax year and was not renewed for subsequent years.
How the Credit Works
The 2019 Health Care Credit was calculated based on your income and the cost of your health insurance premiums. The maximum credit amount was $500 per qualifying individual, but the actual amount you received depended on your income level and the amount you paid for health insurance.
Formula: Health Care Credit = Minimum(Maximum Credit, (Maximum Credit × (Income Threshold - Your Income) / Income Threshold))
Where:
- Maximum Credit = $500
- Income Threshold = $15,000 for single filers, $30,000 for married filing jointly
The credit was phased out for individuals with incomes above the threshold amounts. For example, if you earned $20,000 as a single filer, your credit would be reduced by 33.33% to $333.33.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the 2019 Health Care Credit, you must have met certain requirements:
- You must have purchased health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace
- You must have had income between $12,200 and $75,000 (single filers) or $24,400 and $150,000 (married filing jointly)
- You must have had a qualifying health plan
- You must have filed a federal tax return
Note: The credit was not available to individuals who received the Premium Tax Credit (also known as the Advanced Premium Tax Credit) for the same tax year.
How to Claim the Credit
If you qualify for the 2019 Health Care Credit, you can claim it on your federal tax return. The credit is reported on Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit, and is added to your refund. Here's what you need to do:
- Complete Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit, and attach it to your tax return
- Enter the amount of the credit on line 66 of Form 1040
- Include the cost of your health insurance premiums on Schedule 1, line 8
You can use the calculator on this page to estimate your credit amount before filing your taxes.
Worked Examples
Let's look at two examples to see how the 2019 Health Care Credit works in practice.
Example 1: Single Filer with $12,000 Income
John is a single filer with $12,000 in income for 2019. He purchased health insurance through the Marketplace. Here's how his credit would be calculated:
Health Care Credit = Minimum($500, ($500 × ($15,000 - $12,000) / $15,000))
= Minimum($500, ($500 × $3,000 / $15,000))
= Minimum($500, $100)
= $100
John would qualify for a $100 Health Care Credit.
Example 2: Married Filing Jointly with $25,000 Income
Sarah and David are married filing jointly with $25,000 in income for 2019. They purchased health insurance through the Marketplace. Here's how their credit would be calculated:
Health Care Credit = Minimum($500, ($500 × ($30,000 - $25,000) / $30,000))
= Minimum($500, ($500 × $5,000 / $30,000))
= Minimum($500, $83.33)
= $83.33
Sarah and David would qualify for a $83.33 Health Care Credit.