CliffEdge — Benefit Cliff Finder

A raise can leave a household worse off if it crosses an income line where a benefit ends entirely — a 'benefit cliff.' Enter your current income and your income after a raise or new job, plus household size and state, and this shows every eligibility threshold you'd cross, the exact income where each one hits, and which are hard cliffs (lose it all at once) versus gradual tapers. It's a map of the boundaries, not a dollar-for-dollar benefit calculation.

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Worked example

Current income vs poverty line: 102.489019% of FPG · After the change: 146.412884% of FPG · Thresholds this income change crosses: 2 lost — review the ⚠ lines below before accepting · SNAP (food stamps): ⚠ CROSSES at ≈$35,516.00/yr (130% FPG) — loses SNAP; benefits also taper ~30¢ per $1 below this · Medicaid (adults): ⚠ CROSSES at ≈$37,701.60/yr (138% FPG) — the big one — leaves near-free Medicaid for a premium/deductible marketplace plan · Medicare Extra Help: Keep — under the 150% FPG line (≈$40,980.00/yr) both before and after · LIHEAP (energy help): Keep — under the 150% FPG line (≈$40,980.00/yr) both before and after · WIC: Keep — under the 185% FPG line (≈$50,542.00/yr) both before and after · CHIP (children): Keep — under the 200% FPG line (≈$54,640.00/yr) both before and after · ACA subsidy — 400% cliff: Keep — under the 400% FPG line (≈$109,280.00/yr) both before and after · Note: Eligibility boundaries only — not the dollar value of each benefit. SNAP/EITC taper rather than cliff. The ACA 400% cliff assumes current 2026 law. Verify with each program.

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Inputs

Current annual income $
28000
Income after the raise, cut or new job $
40000
Household size (people)
3
Where you live
48 states + DC / Alaska / Hawaii

Frequently asked

Does this tell me my exact take-home change?

No. It flags which program cutoffs your raise crosses and where. Computing the precise dollar swing needs each benefit's own formula (SNAP allotment, Medicaid value, EITC, childcare) and your specifics — use the agency calculators for exact amounts.

What's a 'cliff' versus a 'taper'?

At a cliff you lose the whole benefit for $1 over the line (Medicaid at 138% FPG, the ACA 400% cliff). A taper phases a benefit down gradually (SNAP drops ~30¢ per extra $1; the EITC phases out over a range), so a raise there still leaves you ahead.

Is the ACA 400% cliff real right now?

Yes, under current 2026 law. The enhanced subsidies that removed the cliff expired at the end of 2025 and, as of mid-2026, had not been extended. If Congress restores them, the cliff goes away — re-check before relying on it.