Investigating how marriage will change the new couple’s health insurance is critical.

If both bride and groom are under the age of 26, it is possible that both parties will continue to be covered through their parents’ employer coverage. If the parents’ monthly premiums and annual max out of pocket are both low, this could be the most cost-effective coverage solution.

The new bride and groom could also have separate coverages. Aside from remaining on a parent’s plan, the other coverage options could be a plan through their school, their own employer or a short-term plan. Starting or continuing with the Marketplace is also a possibility, but managing the new household income amount will be an important consideration. Let’s talk about Bryson and Maddie who are getting married in June.

Maddie is 25 and plans to stay on the family plan through her mom’s employer. Bryson is 23 and has a Marketplace plan. When he enrolled last fall, he estimated his 2026 household income to be $24,000 for 2026 because he was still working a part-time job while finishing his degree.

Once they get married in June, Bryson will need to update his Marketplace application to include Maddie’s income, even though she will not join him on the Marketplace plan.

Because Maddie graduated earlier and plans to earn $50,000 this year, Bryson’s household income will now increase to $74,000. The benefits of the Silver level plan that he started in January, costing $100/month with a $2,200 max out of pocket, would now “slide” to match his new household income.

This same Silver plan would now cost over $500/month and have an $8,900 deductible. The new couple would also be liable for paying back the first five months of tax credit totaling roughly $2,500 on their joint tax return in the spring of 2027.

A different strategy for 2026 may have been for Bryson to choose a $0 Bronze plan for the beginning of the year and then plan for a premium jump of just $400/month in July. Then he would have no outstanding tax liability for the 2026 tax year. He also could have opted for a non-Marketplace plan whose premium didn’t depend on the size of his tax household or income.

Let the licensed agents at On Point Insurance Agency (insuranceonpoint.com) help pave the way for a smooth start to the couple’s new married life.