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Who to include in your household
For the Health Insurance Marketplace®, a household usually includes the tax filer, their spouse if they have one, and their tax dependents.
Tax filer + spouse + tax dependents = household
Follow these basic rules when including members of your household:
- Include your spouse if you’re legally married.
- If you plan to claim someone as a tax dependent for the year you want coverage, do include them on your application.
- If you won’t claim them as a tax dependent, don’t include them.
- Include your spouse and tax dependents even if they don’t need health coverage.
See the limited exceptions to these basic rules in the chart below.
Learn more about who you can claim as a tax dependent from the IRS.
| Relationship | Include in household? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dependent children, including adopted and foster children | Yes | Include any child you’ll claim as a tax dependent, regardless of age. |
| Children, shared custody | Sometimes | Include children whose custody you share only during years you claim them as tax dependents. |
| Non-dependent child under 26 | Sometimes | Include them only if you want to cover them on your Marketplace plan. |
| Children under 21 you take care of | Yes | Include any child under 21 you take care of and who lives with you, even if not your tax dependent. |
| Unborn children | No | Don’t include a baby until it’s born. You have up to 60 days after the birth to enroll your baby. |
| Non-dependent child or other relative living with you | No | Include them only if you’ll claim them as tax dependents. |
| Dependent parents | Yes | Include parents only if you’ll claim them as tax dependents. |
| Dependent siblings and other relatives | Yes | Include them only if you’ll claim them as tax dependents. |
| Spouse | Yes | Include your legally married spouse, whether opposite sex or same sex. In most cases, married couples must file taxes jointly to qualify for savings. |
| Legally separated spouse | No | Don’t include a legally separated spouse, even if you live together. |
| Divorced spouse | No | Don't include a former spouse, even if you live together. |
| Spouse, living apart | Yes | Include your spouse unless you’re legally separated or divorced. (See next row for an important exception.) |
| Spouse, if you’re a victim of domestic abuse, domestic violence, or spousal abandonment | Not required | In these cases, you don’t have to include your spouse. See rules for victims of domestic abuse, domestic violence, or spousal abandonment. |
| Unmarried domestic partner | Sometimes | Include an unmarried domestic partner only if you have a child together or you’ll claim your partner as a tax dependent. |
| Roommate | No | Don’t include people you just live with — unless they’re a spouse, tax dependent, or covered by another exception in this chart. |
More answers: Who to include in your household
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