Updated October 18, 2026. Quick answer: Form 8962 is the form that figures your premium tax credit and compares it with any advance payments made for your Marketplace coverage. It is attached to your income tax return. The numbers come from your return and from the Form 1095-A your Marketplace sent. This page walks the form in order and points to the page for each group of lines.
Related reading on this site: IRS Publication 974.
What Form 8962 does
The instructions give the purpose in one sentence: “Use Form 8962 to figure the amount of your PTC and reconcile it with APTC.” They also set the boundary: “you should complete Form 8962 only for health insurance coverage in a qualified health plan purchased through a Marketplace.”
On what the two sides mean, the instructions say “If the APTC is more than your PTC, you have excess APTC and you must repay the excess, subject to certain limitations.” They add “If the APTC is less than the PTC, you can get a credit for the difference, which reduces your tax payment or increases your refund.” The forms behind those numbers are explained on the Form 1095 overview page.
Who files it
The instructions say “You must file Form 8962 with your income tax return (Form 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR) if any of the following apply to you.” Two of the listed situations are “You are taking the PTC.” and “APTC was paid for you or another individual in your tax family.” The return it rides on is explained on the Form 1040 page.
If any of the circumstances above apply to you, the instructions say “you must file an income tax return and attach Form 8962 even if you are not otherwise required to file.”
What you need in hand: Form 1095-A
The instructions say “You will need Form 1095-A to complete Form 8962.” The statement is explained at Form 1095-A line 33 and Form 8962.
The form in order, Part by Part
The box above Part I reads “You cannot take the PTC if your filing status is married filing separately unless you qualify for an exception.” The five Parts follow. Each row below names the Part by its printed heading and links to the page for those lines.
| Part | Lines | Topic | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part I: “Annual and Monthly Contribution Amount” | 1 | Tax family size | Line 1 page |
| Part I | 2a, 2b | Modified AGI | Lines 2a and 2b page |
| Part I | 3 to 6 | Household income and the federal poverty line | Lines 3 to 6 page |
| Part I | 7, 8a, 8b | Applicable figure and contribution amount | Lines 7 to 8b page |
| Part II: “Premium Tax Credit Claim and Reconciliation of Advance Payment of Premium Tax Credit” | 9, 10 | Allocation or marriage choice, and annual or monthly method | Lines 9 and 10 page |
| Part II | 11 to 23 | Annual and monthly premium tax credit | Lines 11 to 23 page |
| Part II | 24, 25, 26 | Net premium tax credit | Lines 24 to 26 page |
| Part III: “Repayment of Excess Advance Payment of the Premium Tax Credit” | 27, 28, 29 | Repayment of excess advance credit | Lines 27 to 29 page |
| Part IV: “Allocation of Policy Amounts” | 30 to 34 | Sharing a policy with another taxpayer | Lines 30 to 34 page |
| Part V: “Alternative Calculation for Year of Marriage” | 35, 36 | Year of marriage election | Lines 35 and 36 page |
Where it goes next
Two lines carry results off the form. On line 26 the form says to “Enter the difference here and on Schedule 3 (Form 1040), line 9.” That credit is explained on the Schedule 3 line 9 page. On line 29 it says “Enter the smaller of line 27 or line 28 here and on Schedule 2 (Form 1040), line 1a”. That repayment is explained on the Schedule 2 line 1a page.
Edition and line numbers
This page reads the 2025 Form 8962 and its 2025 instructions, the current files irs.gov served on 2026-10-18. They are the files for the tax year 2025 return, filed in 2026. The form says “Attach to Form 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR.” Check the tax year printed on the form you are filling in and use the line numbers on that year’s form, because a different year’s form can number or word its lines differently.
Common mistakes
- Assuming you can skip the form because you do not have to file a return. The instructions say “you must file an income tax return and attach Form 8962 even if you are not otherwise required to file.”
- Skipping the form when you did not claim the credit but advance payments were made. One listed situation is “APTC was paid for you or another individual in your tax family.”
- Using the form for coverage bought outside the Marketplace. The instructions say “you should complete Form 8962 only for health insurance coverage in a qualified health plan purchased through a Marketplace.”
Related: Form 1095 overview, Form 1095-A line 33 and Form 8962, Schedule 3 line 9, Schedule 2 line 1a, and Form 1040.
Sources
- Instructions for Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit (PTC) (2025): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i8962.pdf
- Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit (PTC) (2025): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8962.pdf
Read from the IRS documents linked above on October 18, 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.