Nina Olson, Taxpayer Advocate

With the open enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace beginning November 1st, it is the appropriate time to remind taxpayers and preparers of the various Affordable Care Act (ACA) estimators the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) has developed and made available to the public. Whether the taxpayer is an individual or employer, we have several tools available to assist in estimating credits and payments related to the ACA. Keep in mind that they only provide estimates, rather than accurate calculations, to use as a guide in making decisions regarding the taxpayer’s tax situation.

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The drama on what, if anything, to do with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aka Obamacare continues. There are two very different new proposal in the Senate. The GCHJ proposal might be voted on the week of September 25. We’ll see what happens.  I have a description of both the Republican GCHJ proposal and Senator Sanders’ S. 1804, Medicare for all Health Insurance bill below.

Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson (GCHJ) Proposal, introduced on 9/13/17 as an amendment to H.R. 1628, would repeal the ACA and instead offer block grants (run through CHIP) to states. Sponsors claim the proposal treats everyone the same regardless of where they live. Read More

Milton Boothe

To be eligible for the Premium Tax Credit under the Affordable Care Act, all of the following must apply:

• Your income must be between 100% and 400% of Federal Poverty Line (see below) for a given family size.

• You cannot be claimed as a dependent.

• If married, you must file a joint return (although some exceptions may apply).

• You must be enrolled in a qualified health plan through Marketplace.

• Cannot be eligible for other minimum essential coverage.

• Premiums must be paid.

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TaxConnections Member Milton Boothe

Under the Affordable Care Act, the law requires you and each member of your family to have qualifying health insurance, called minimum essential coverage, otherwise you will be subject to a penalty when you file your federal income tax return.

It is important to note that you may be exempt from the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage, if certain conditions are met, and thus will NOT have to make a shared responsibility payment (penalty) when you file your federal income tax return.

You can obtain some exemptions only from the marketplace, others only from the IRS, and yet others from either the Marketplace or the IRS.

You can obtain Affordable Care Act exemptions under the ACA if any of the following apply to you for 2015 tax year: Read More

Republican presidential candidates Senators Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee would like to abolish the IRS. They are not saying they want to abolish taxes, just the agency that collects them. Even if either is able to simplify taxes to the point that no taxpayers have questions or need guidance, we still need a tax collector, as well as an auditor to ensure compliance.

A call to abolish the IRS is a distraction. That’s too bad because there are significant improvements needed to our federal tax system – a system that includes not only the income tax, but also employment, excise and estate and gift taxes. Tax reform must be the focal point, not termination of the entity that collects revenues to fund schools and roads, provide national defense, and much more.

The IRS is an easy scapegoat for complaints about our tax laws. But those laws come from Congress. Yes, the Read More

A tweet from an Indiana resident by the name of Benjamin Miller, including a picture of the IRS notice he received advising him that he owes $2,344 as a penalty for not having health insurance, has gone viral and ignited a firestorm.

Mr. Miller stated in his post that he didn’t buy health insurance because his premiums jumped by over $1,000 to $1,400 per month. Of course the increase in Mr. Miller’s insurance premiums were most likely due to the mandatory provisions included in the health plan that were needed to meet the minimum essential coverage requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Mr. Miller, like many uninsured taxpayers, probably didn’t fully read the penalty provisions Read More

Beginning in 2015, large employers (those with 100 or more full-time equivalent employees) must begin offering health insurance coverage to their employees. Then, in 2016, employers with 50 or more equivalent full-time employees must do the same or face penalties, called the “large employer health coverage excise tax.”

Employers with fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees are never required to offer their employees an insurance plan, but qualified small employers who do provide coverage may qualify for the small business health insurance credit.

In the past, many smaller employers have simply reimbursed their employees for the cost of insurance. They found it less expensive and had fewer administrative costs than having Read More

As we all know by now, the US Supreme Court upheld the government regulations that provide that an otherwise qualified individual who obtains health insurance through the federal exchange (rather than a state exchange) is entitled to a Premium Tax Credit (PTC). This is the 6/25/15 decision in King v Burwell. I think this is the logical ruling because the Act does provide that if a state doesn’t create an exchange, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is to establish one. Also, since this is the “Affordable Care” Act we are talking about, the PTC is a key part that helps make insurance affordable for many who have household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty line (more so for younger people in regions where the cost of living is not high – not for all individuals).

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Breaking: Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, upholds Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidies. The ruling allows federal tax credits to be issued to people who buy health plans through a federally run ACA exchange.

 

 

 

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It has been five years since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the ACA) was signed into law. Healthcare reform has certainly been controversial, but this controversy does not absolve some businesses of certain responsibilities when it comes to offering minimum essential healthcare coverage to their employees.

In recognition of the five-year anniversary of healthcare reform, here are 5 things you should know about some of the key ACA requirements for businesses in 2015:

1. The shared responsibility provision of healthcare reform is effective either this year or next year, depending on how many employees you have. Also known as the employer mandate or “play or pay,” this provision requires companies with at least 50 full-time Read More

Article Highlights:

• Flat dollar amount penalty
• Percentage of income penalty
• Household income
• Modified adjusted gross income
• Tax filing threshold

The penalty for not having minimum essential health insurance for yourself and other members of your tax family takes a substantial jump in 2015. For 2014, the penalty was the greater of the flat dollar amount ($95 for each adult plus $47.50 for each child under Read More

This year, there are some changes to tax forms related to the Affordable Care Act. Along with several new lines on existing forms, there are also two new forms that need to be included with some tax returns.

While most taxpayers simply need to check a box on their tax return to indicate they had health coverage for all of 2014, there are new lines on Forms 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ related to the health care law. Information about the new forms and updates to existing forms is summarized below

Form 8965, Health Coverage Exemptions

Complete this form to report a Marketplace-granted coverage exemption or claim an Read More