07/15/2026
If you're retiring before 65 in California, which accounts you draw income from can directly affect what your health coverage costs each month.
Covered California ties financial help to your household income. For 2026, a two-person household with income up to $84,600 may qualify for a premium tax credit. Cross that line, and the credit disappears entirely, with no cushion.
The key: Not all income counts the same way. Roth IRA withdrawals don't move the needle on your modified adjusted gross income. Traditional IRA withdrawals count in full. Even the non-taxed portion of Social Security factors in.
The same spending need can produce very different results depending on where the money comes from.
How the source of your retirement income can affect Covered California subsidy eligibility, and what retirees planning to leave work before 65 should know for 2026.