Benchmark $661/mo · ranked 17 of 21 · median wage $46,910
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Texas is $661 a month for 2026, ranking 17 of 21 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $46,910 for Credit Counselors in Texas.
Below the cliff. At this income a single-person household remains eligible for a premium tax credit in 2026.
This occupation is below the cliff in all 20 states reported.
What this figure is. It is the median annual wage BLS reports for Credit Counselors (SOC 13-2071) in Texas. BLS surveys wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed, so it is a benchmark for the occupation in this state — not the income of a self-employed credit repair specialist. Premium tax credit eligibility is set by household modified adjusted gross income and household size, not by occupation, so treat this as a reference point rather than a determination of what you qualify for.
Why the cliff is back. The enhanced premium tax credits expired on 31 December 2025. For plan year 2026 the 400% FPL limit applies again, so household income above $62,600 ends premium tax credit eligibility outright.
Benchmark premium and median wage for this occupation, ranked by premium.
| # | State | Benchmark @40 | Median wage | vs cliff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $414 | $58,300 | below |
| 2 | Virginia | $455 | $51,330 | below |
| 3 | Indiana | $474 | $50,440 | below |
| 4 | Nevada | $497 | $51,960 | below |
| 5 | Ohio | $513 | $52,470 | below |
| 6 | Michigan | $523 | $51,000 | below |
| 7 | Colorado | $557 | $51,670 | below |
| 8 | South Carolina | $564 | $49,420 | below |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $604 | $42,250 | below |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $611 | $51,340 | below |
| 11 | Georgia | $615 | $57,300 | below |
| 12 | North Carolina | $638 | $49,670 | below |
| 13 | Utah | $640 | $49,250 | below |
| 14 | Alabama | $645 | $48,040 | below |
| 15 | Illinois | $646 | $51,160 | below |
| 16 | South Dakota | $655 | $49,610 | below |
| 17 | Texas | $661 | $46,910 | below |
| 18 | Kansas | $670 | — | — |
| 19 | Florida | $683 | $48,340 | below |
| 20 | Nebraska | $710 | $50,890 | below |
| 21 | Arkansas | $774 | $40,410 | below |
This page compares states. For Texas specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — that is published on Coverage by County. To check whether a plan actually covers your hospital, see Plans By City.
← Credit Repair Specialists in all states · All trades · All occupations
Put your ZIP code in and I will show you the carriers filing in your county, what the cheapest plan costs, and what you would actually pay after any help you qualify for. No cost, and you talk to me — not a call center.
Texas loses a carrier this cycle: Cigna is out of the ACA individual market from January 1, 2027, leaving 14 filing here. For Credit Repair Specialists that is a forced decision, and a better one made in November than in January.
On price the only honest number today is national: the Peterson-KFF read of 2027 filings puts the median proposed rise near 15%, spanning −1% to 54%. Final Texas rates are not approved, so any precise 2027 figure quoted for this state is guesswork.
Enrollment opens November 1, 2026. Treat December 15 as the deadline: it guarantees January 1 cover on every marketplace, Texas included. Conflicting end dates get quoted because a 2025 rule shortened the window and a court vacated it in June 2026, appeal pending — enrol by the 15th and the argument is irrelevant to you.
One thing 2027 will not fix: no PPO is sold anywhere in Texas. All 254 counties offer HMO, EPO or POS only, so care outside the network is effectively emergency-only. If your work as a credit repair specialist crosses county lines, weigh that above the premium.
You already know you are changing plans — Cigna is leaving. The only real question is whether you pick the replacement or the marketplace picks it for you, and that is a much easier decision made in August than in the second week of December.
Give me a ZIP and I will tell you three things:
The sticker price is rarely what Credit Repair Specialists in Texas end up paying. Start with a ZIP and I will work out your actual number.