ACA Tax Facts for Individuals and Families

The Affordable Care Act contains two provisions that may affect your tax return this year: the individual shared responsibility provision and the premium tax credit. Here’s what you should know:

Information Forms: 1095-A, 1095-B, and 1095-C

This year marks the first time that certain taxpayers will receive new health-care related information forms that they can use to complete their tax return and then keep with their tax records.

These forms are used to report health coverage information for you, your spouse and any dependents when you file your 2015 individual income tax return in 2016. These forms are also filed with the IRS. Depending upon your specific circumstances, (i.e. whether you receive health insurance from the Health Insurance Marketplace, health coverage providers, or certain employers), you should have received one or more of these forms in early 2016. There are three types of information forms:

Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement. The Health Insurance Marketplace sends this form to individuals who enrolled in coverage there, with information about the coverage, who was covered, and when. This is the second year in which the Marketplace is issuing Form 1095-A to enrollees. The deadline for the Marketplace to provide Form 1095-A is February 1, 2016.

Form 1095-B, Health Coverage. Health insurance providers (e.g. health insurance companies) send this form to individuals they cover, with information about who was covered and when.

Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage. Employers that offer health coverage referred to as “self-insured coverage” send this form to individuals they cover, with information about who was covered and when. The deadline for coverage providers to provide Forms 1095-B and employers to provide Form 1095-C is March 31, 2016.

Some taxpayers may not have received a Form 1095-B or Form 1095-C by the time they are ready to file their 2015 tax return. It is not necessary to wait for Forms 1095-B or 1095-C in order to file. Taxpayers may instead rely on other information about their health coverage and employer offer to prepare their returns.

Note: These new forms should not be attached to your income tax return.

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Last Minute Filing Tips for 2015 Tax Return

Are you one of the millions of Americans who hasn’t filed (or even started) your taxes yet? With the April 18 tax filing deadline quickly approaching, here is some last minute tax advice for you.

1. Stop Procrastinating. Resist the temptation to put off your taxes until the very last minute. It takes time to prepare accurate returns and additional information may be needed from you to complete your tax return. Read more

Exemptions and Dependents: Top Ten Tax Facts

Most people can claim an exemption on their tax return. It can lower your taxable income, which in most cases, that reduces the amount of tax you owe for the year. Here are eight tax facts about exemptions to help you file your tax return.

1. Exemptions Cut Income. There are two types of exemptions. The first type is a personal exemption. The second type is an exemption for a dependent. You can usually deduct $4,000 for each exemption you claim on your 2015 tax return.

2. Personal Exemptions. You can usually claim an exemption for yourself. If you’re married and file a joint return, you can claim one for your spouse, too. If you file a separate return, you can claim an exemption for your spouse only if your spouse:

• Had no gross income,
• Is not filing a tax return, and
• Was not the dependent of another taxpayer.

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It’s Not Too Late to Make a 2015 IRA Contribution

If you haven’t contributed funds to an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) for tax year 2015, or if you’ve put in less than the maximum allowed, you still have time to do so. You can contribute to either a traditional or Roth IRA until the April 18th due date, not including extensions.

Be sure to tell the IRA trustee that the contribution is for 2015. Otherwise, the trustee may report the contribution as being for 2016 when they get your funds.

Generally, you can contribute up to $5,500 of your earnings for tax year 2015 (up to $6,500 if you are age 50 or older in 2015). You can fund a traditional IRA, a Roth IRA (if you qualify), or both, but your total contributions cannot be more than these amounts.

Traditional IRA: You may be able to take a tax deduction for the contributions to a traditional IRA, depending on your income and whether you or your spouse, if filing jointly, are covered by an employer’s pension plan.

Roth IRA: You cannot deduct Roth IRA contributions, but the earnings on a Roth IRA may be tax-free if you meet the conditions for a qualified distribution.

Each year, the IRS announces the cost of living adjustments and limitation for retirement savings plans.

Saving for retirement should be part of everyone’s financial plan and it’s important to review your retirement goals every year in order to maximize savings. If you need help with your retirement plans, give the office a call.

IRS Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2016

Compiled annually by the IRS, the “Dirty Dozen” is a list of common scams taxpayers may encounter in the coming months. While many of these scams peak during the tax filing season, they may be encountered at any time during the year. Here is this year’s list: Read more