How Do I Get Proof of Health Insurance For Taxes?
An IRS Form 1095 will give you proof of health insurance for your taxes.
- What is it? A 1095 form or letter includes the health insurance details to help you file your taxes. You can use it to calculate tax credits or add up expenses for deductions.
- How do you get it? It's often sent automatically by your job, insurance company or the marketplace where you bought insurance.
- What do you do with it? You don't need to include the 1095 form with your tax return because the IRS already has a copy.
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Do I need to prove I have health insurance for my tax returns?
No, you no longer need to prove you have health insurance on your federal tax returns. This change happened in 2019 when Congress ended the tax penalty for not having health insurance.
You may still get one of three types of tax forms, which show your health insurance information for the 2023 tax year. The type of health insurance tax form you receive is based on how you got health insurance coverage.
1095 health insurance tax forms
- Form 1095-A: For marketplace health insurance bought on HealthCare.gov or your state exchange
- Form 1095-B: For plans you bought directly from an insurance company, health insurance through the government (Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP), or plans through your job if you work for a small business
- Form 1095-C: For job-based health insurance if you work for a large company
While a W-2 includes information about your income, Form 1095 contains more detailed information about health insurance for the previous year. All 1095 forms will have basic information about your health insurance coverage, including the coverage dates and how much you paid for insurance.
You can use 1095 forms to itemize health care expenses or calculate if you can deduct health insurance premiums on your taxes.
Of the three types of 1095s, Form 1095-A is the only one that will have information about discounts that most people with a marketplace plan receive on their health insurance bill, which are called premium tax credits.
During the first years of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 1095 forms were more important because they allowed the IRS to verify you had health insurance coverage. If the IRS identified gaps in health coverage, then you would be required to pay a tax penalty for not having minimum essential coverage. But as of the 2019 tax year (filed in 2020), the penalty for lacking coverage is no longer in effect.
You won't need to attach the 1095 to your tax returns. But it is a good idea to keep it with your tax records for reference.
Form 1095-A
You'll receive Form 1095-A if you were enrolled in a marketplace health plan during the tax year. The form is a statement from the marketplace (either the HealthCare.gov federal marketplace or your state's health care exchange) acknowledging you were enrolled in medical insurance coverage and has information about your policy.
The 1095-A includes:
- Who in your household had a plan
- The dates of coverage
- The monthly premiums you paid
- Advance payments for premium tax credits
If you received advance premium tax credits or want to submit the tax credits on your return, you will need the 1095-A information to file your taxes.
Using the 1095-A as proof you have health insurance, you can then complete Form 8962 to file with your tax returns. This will calculate the final amount in premium tax credits you're eligible for to see if you can qualify for more money back.
You will only get a 1095-A for health insurance plans that are Bronze level or above. You won't get a 1095-A for Catastrophic health plans or dental plans.
As of the 2023 tax year, you'll have two years to reconcile health insurance tax credits using the 1095-A, instead of being required to file each April. This means you're allowed to get a tax extension to resolve the tax credits by October or skip a year if you would otherwise not need to file taxes.
Form 1095-B
Form 1095-B is sent to people who get health insurance that's not through a large employer or the marketplace. For example, you may receive a 1095-B if you bought health insurance coverage directly from an insurance company or participated in a government program, such as Medicare or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Even when you're eligible for a 1095-B, you may not receive one automatically because it's no longer required to be filed with your tax return. However, you can usually download it from your insurance provider or request a paper copy.
In states that require health insurance, you may still receive a copy of your 1095-B to include in your state's income tax return. The insurance company may also send the paperwork directly to the state.
Form 1095-C
Employers send tax form 1095-C to confirm the employee participated in an employer health insurance plan. The form provides information about the policy and who was covered under the plan.
Generally, companies with 50 or more employees offer such plans, and employees can choose whether they participate.
Companies report to the IRS whether or not employees participate in their health plans. They also send employees Form 1095-C to keep as a tax record.
As with Form 1095-A, individuals who receive Form 1095-C do not need to attach it to their tax return.
When do I receive my Form 1095 document?
The deadline for the marketplace to provide you with Form 1095-A is Jan. 31. These forms are required to be sent early because you'll use the information to complete your taxes.
For the 2023 tax year, the deadline for insurers, companies and government agencies to deliver 1095-B and 1095-C was extended to March 1, 2024. The information in these forms is usually not used for filing your taxes. However, if you plan to itemize your health expenses, you can either wait for the 1095 or calculate how much you spent on health insurance using your W-2s or financial records.
How do 1095 forms relate to my tax returns?
If you used premium tax credits to pay for your marketplace health insurance costs, these would be listed on your Form 1095-A. An advance premium tax credit helps lower your monthly health insurance rates. How much of a discount you received on your health insurance and related details are required when filing your tax return.
Since the subsidies you received were based on how much you expected to earn in the year, the 1095-A helps you compare how much of a discount you received versus the amount in tax credits you are eligible for.
To reconcile this information, check the 1095-A form.
- If you were getting more tax credits than you were ultimately eligible for, you could have to pay more when you file your taxes at the end of the year.
- If you used less than you were eligible for, you could receive a tax refund for the difference.
You do not need to file a tax return because you received either Form 1095-B or 1095-C. For instance, if you are enrolled in Medicaid, you may receive the 1095-B. If you had no other tax-filing obligations, there would be no need to file a tax return.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my 1095-A form online?
Download your 1095-A by logging in to your HealthCare.gov account or the marketplace where you bought health insurance. On HealthCare.gov, go to "Your Existing Applications" and select the year you want. Then select "Tax Forms" in the menu on the left to download your 1095-A.
Do I need a 1095-A to file my taxes?
If you purchased your health insurance through the ACA marketplace, you need the information provided on the 1095-A to complete your taxes. But you're not required to send the form when you file your return.
What do I do if I don't have a 1095-A?
If you bought insurance through the marketplace and don't receive a 1095-A form either by mail or online, contact the marketplace where you bought the plan. You'll usually need to wait to receive your 1095-A before filing your taxes.
Do I need a 1095-C to file my taxes in 2024?
No, you don't need to include a 1095-C with your tax return. However, you can use the information that your employer sent on the 1095-C if you want to itemize your health expenses. You can also keep it for your records to prove you had health insurance.
Sources
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- HealthCare.gov and state health insurance marketplaces
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
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