Health Care And Taxes

Failing to file Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit, to reconcile 2019 advance payments of the premium tax credit may affect return processing, and delay the taxpayer’s refund. It may also affect their ability to get advance payments of the premium tax credit or cost-sharing reductions. Taxpayers who don’t file and reconcile their 2019 advance credit payments may not be eligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit in the future.

What is the premium tax credit?

The premium tax credit helps pay for health insurance coverage bought from the Health Insurance Marketplace. When the taxpayer or their family member applies for coverage, the marketplace estimates the amount of the premium tax credit they may be able to claim. This estimate is based on information the taxpayer provides about family size and projected household income. The taxpayer can then decide if they want to have all, some, or none of the credit paid directly to their insurance company. This option will lower their monthly payments.
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The Premium Tax Credit (PTC) for individuals who purchased health insurance on the Exchange (Marketplace) is an important tax break. As income goes up, this subsidy in the form of a refundable credit decreases. Then, it hits a cliff and completely disappears if one’s household income exceeds 400% of the Federal poverty line (FPL). This can result in a tax bill of thousands of dollars!

Here is an example. A married couple, both age 64, thought their 2014 income would be about $62,000. Being eligible for insurance on the Exchange, they purchased a policy and obtained a PTC of $14,112. When they file their return, they realize they actually have $63,000 of income for 2014. this is above 400% of the FPL so they must repay all of the $14,112 PTC! If they can drop their income to $62,040 (400% of the FPL for 2014), they Read More

Starting with this year’s filing season, taxpayers must report certain information related to health care coverage on their 2014 tax return when they file this April. In addition, taxpayers must provide proof of health insurance coverage or that they have received an exemption.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the Affordable Care Act might affect your tax situation, and based on your type of coverage, which new tax forms you might be receiving.

Tip: For additional information about IRS tax forms related to health care insurance, please see the article, Health Care Law: Changes to IRS Tax Forms, below.

Overview

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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

So Valentine’s Day was here and left- that could only mean one thing – we are into the 3rd serious week of tax season! The Internal Revenue Service got out it’s fact sheet about the changes in reporting requirements for individuals. I thought for all those self-preparers, this would be a good tool to look at and see if this is the year you want to make the leap & have your taxes examined by a tax professional, especially an Enrolled Agent!

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA):

The ACA says that a taxpayer and each member of his family when filing his federal income tax return, must either

• Have qualifying health coverage for each month of the year; Read More

As an astute navigator of the Internal Revenue Code over the last decade or so I’ve been asked by media heads for my opinions on the Affordable Care Act. Even though I have many to offer the fact of the matter is the deeper I get into the compliance reporting abyss the less sense it seems to make. The following four quotes I can hang my hat:

“For sure the ONLY thing we can rely on, barely, seems to be TITLE 26 and the best place to start your journey in these regards is with the Department of Health & Human Services.”

“The IRS is implementing the tax provisions of Affordable Care Act – and the 2014 filing season is shaping up to be a N-I-G-H-T-M-A-R-E! So be nice to our friends who work in bureaucracy, we are all in this together.” Read More