When reporting income to Healthcare.gov for an Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance subsidy, you’ll need to provide a comprehensive picture of your total income. This helps determine your eligibility for subsidies like premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. Here’s a general overview of what counts as income:

Types of Income to Include

1. Wages and Salaries: Income from employment, including any overtime pay, bonuses, and commissions.
2. Self-Employment Income: Net earnings from self-employment, which is your business income minus business expenses.
3. Unemployment Benefits: Any unemployment compensation received.
4. Social Security Benefits: This includes both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Note that SSI might not be counted in all cases, so it’s good to confirm.
5. Pension and Retirement Income: Income from pensions, annuities, and retirement accounts.
6. Rental Income: Income from rental properties, minus any related expenses.
7. Alimony: Alimony received, although note that alimony payments may no longer be taxable for agreements made after 2018 due to changes in tax laws.
8. Interest and Dividends: Interest from savings accounts and dividends from investments.
9. Capital Gains: Profits from the sale of assets or investments.
10. Other Sources of Income: This can include jury duty pay, gambling winnings, and other miscellaneous income sources.

Types of Income Not Counted

1. Child Support Payments: Payments received for child support are generally not counted as income.
2. Certain Veterans’ Benefits: Veterans’ benefits, including disability compensation and certain other benefits, are often not included in the income calculation.
3. Supplemental Security Income (SSI): SSI benefits, which are designed for low-income elderly and disabled individuals, are usually not counted as income.
4. Gifts and Inheritance: Money received as gifts or inheritance is not considered income.
5. Scholarships and Grants: Educational scholarships and grants that are used for tuition, fees, and other educational expenses generally don’t count as income. However, funds used for living expenses or other non-educational purposes might be considered.
6. Foster Care Payments: Payments received for foster care or adoption assistance are typically not counted.
7. Workers’ Compensation: Certain workers’ compensation benefits are generally excluded from income.
8. Certain Tax Refunds: Federal and state tax refunds and rebates are not counted as income.
9. Loans: Money borrowed, such as through student loans or personal loans, is not considered income since it is expected to be repaid.
10. Certain Health Benefits: Benefits received from certain health programs or benefits not intended to replace lost income, such as Medicaid or CHIP benefits, are not included.
11. Economic Impact Payments: Stimulus payments or Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) provided by the government are not counted as income.