Updated November 7, 2026. Quick answer: The 2027 federal poverty guidelines are not published yet. The HHS page read on November 7, 2026 carries the 2026 guidelines and no later set: $15,960 for one person and $33,000 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states and DC, with $5,680 added for each person beyond eight. Guidelines are named for the year they are issued, so the 2027 set is the one HHS issues in 2027.
Related 2027 figures: 2027 ACA subsidy cliff.
The latest published figures: 2026
| Persons in family or household | 48 states and DC | Alaska | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $19,950 | $18,360 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $27,050 | $24,890 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $34,150 | $31,420 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $41,250 | $37,950 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $48,350 | $44,480 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $55,450 | $51,010 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $62,550 | $57,540 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $69,650 | $64,070 |
For larger households HHS says to “add $5,680 for each additional person” in the 48 states and DC, $7,100 for Alaska and $6,530 for Hawaii.
How the number is set
The page explains: “The poverty guidelines are calculated by comparing the average monthly CPI-U for the current year with the average monthly CPI-U from the prior year.” For 2026 it adds a note: “Because of the federal government shutdown in October 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not publish the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for that month.” The 2026 calculation therefore uses the 11 months available. No 2027 figure appears in the documents read, so none is stated or estimated here.
What the year in the name means
HHS names the set for the year it is issued: “the guidelines issued in January 2025 are designated the 2025 poverty guidelines”. The same page says the 2026 guidelines were calculated in January 2026. Programs that use the guidelines (HHS lists Head Start, SNAP, the National School Lunch Program, LIHEAP and CHIP among them) move to the new set when their own rules say so; this page does not describe any program’s timing.
Where the poverty line shows up on a tax form
Form 8962 line 4 asks for “Federal poverty line. Enter the federal poverty line amount from Table 1-1, 1-2, or 1-3.” See Form 8962 2026 changes and ACA subsidy cliff 2026. Which year’s guideline a tax form uses is set by that form’s instructions, not by this page.
What this page cannot tell you
- No 2027 guideline, and no release date for it, is stated in the documents read; the page will be updated with the HHS figures once they are published.
- The Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds are a separate measure from the HHS guidelines; this page covers the guidelines only.
- Eligibility for any program depends on that program’s rules, not on this table alone.
Edition
This page reads the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation poverty guidelines page and the IRS early-release draft of the 2026 Form 8962, retrieved on November 7, 2026. A later HHS notice can restate a figure, so check the source for the year you need.
Common mistakes
- Using the 2026 figures as if they were 2027 figures. Nothing is published for 2027 yet.
- Applying the 48-state table to Alaska or Hawaii. They have their own, higher guidelines.
- Confusing the HHS guidelines with the Census poverty thresholds. They are two different measures.
Related: federal poverty level 2026, ACA subsidy cliff 2026, and Form 8962 lines 3 to 6.
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Answer againSources
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (ASPE), Poverty Guidelines: aspe.hhs.gov (web page)
- IRS draft Form 8962 for tax year 2026 (early release draft, irs.gov/pub/irs-dft): irs.gov (PDF)
Read from the documents linked above on November 7, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a preparer, the account provider or the IRS is the right place to confirm anything consequential.