Affordable Care Act Reporting Relief for Employers

Article Highlights:

• Applicable Large Employer
• Form 1095-C and Form 1094-C
• IRS Filing Due Date
• Copy to Employee Due date
• Effect on Filing Individual Returns

Beginning for the 2015 tax year, Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) are required to file Forms 1095-C and 1094-C with the IRS and provide a copy of the 1095-C to each of their employees. An ALE is generally an employer with 50 or more equivalent full time employees (EFTEs) in the prior year. Even though ALE’s with 99 or fewer EFTEs are not subject to the insurance mandate for 2015, they are subject to the 1094-C and 1095-C filing requirements for 2015.

Because this is the first year for this requirement, the IRS has decided to provide first year (2015) filing relief for Forms 1095-B and 1095-C. The due dates for furnishing these forms are extended as follows:

• The due date for providing the 2015 Form 1095-B and the 2015 Form 1095-C to the insured and employees is extended from February 1, 2016, to March 31, 2016.
• The due date for health coverage providers and employers to furnish the 2015 Form 1094-B and the 2015 Form 1094-C to the IRS is extended from February 29, 2016, to May 31, 2016 if not filing electronically.
• The due date for health coverage providers and employers electronically filing the 2015 Form 1094-B and the 2015 Form 1094-C with the IRS is extended from March 31, 2016, to June 30, 2016.

While the IRS is prepared to accept information reporting returns beginning in January 2016, employers and other coverage providers who can’t meet the original deadlines are encouraged to furnish statements and file the information returns as soon as they are ready.

The information provided to individuals on their copy of Form 1095-B or 1095-C is generally used to confirm that the individual had minimum essential coverage (and thus avoid the penalty that applies when not covered for the full year). However, with the extension of the filing dates for these forms, individuals may not have the forms in hand before filing their 2015 returns. For 2015 only, individuals who rely on other information received from their coverage providers about their coverage for purposes of filing their returns need not amend their returns once they receive Form 1095-B or Form 1095-C or any corrections, according to the IRS.

Likewise, individuals who, when filing their 2015 income tax returns, rely upon other information received from employers about their offers of coverage for purposes of determining eligibility for the premium tax credit need not amend their returns once they receive their Forms 1095-C or any corrected Forms 1095-C.