by Boris Benic | Oct 15, 2015 | Blog
Starting in 2016, applicable large employers (ALEs) under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have to file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to provide information to the IRS and plan participants regarding their health care benefits for the previous year. Both the forms and their instructions are now available for ALEs to study and begin preparations for required filings. In addition, organizations that expect to file Forms 1094 and 1095 electronically can peruse two final IRS publications setting out specifications for using the new ACA Information Returns system.
Keep in mind that ALEs are employers with 50 or more full-time employees or the equivalent. And even ALEs exempt from the ACA’s shared-responsibility (or “play or pay”) provision for 2015 (that is, ALEs with 50 to 99 full-timers or the equivalent who meet certain eligibility requirements) are still subject to the information reporting requirements in relation to their 2015 health care benefits.
If your company is considered an ALE, please contact us for assistance in navigating the ACA’s complex requirements for avoiding penalties and properly reporting benefits. If you’re not an ALE, we can still help you understand how the ACA affects your small business and determine whether you qualify for a tax credit for providing coverage.
© 2015 Thomson Reuters/Tax & Accounting
by Boris Benic | Jul 6, 2015 | Blog
July 7, 2015
With the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 25 decision upholding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) yet again, employers subject to the act’s information reporting provision can no longer afford to put off planning in the hope that the requirements might go away.
Is Your Company Ready to Provide Its Information Regarding the ACA?
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by Boris Benic | Sep 4, 2014 | Blog
If you’re a “large” employer, time is running out to prepare for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) shared responsibility provision, commonly referred to as “play-or-pay.” It’s scheduled to go into effect in 2015.
Under transitional relief the IRS issued earlier this year, for 2015, large employers generally include those with at least 100 full-time employees or the equivalent, as defined by the ACA. However, the threshold is scheduled to drop to 50 beginning in 2016, and that threshold will apply beginning in 2015 for the ACA’s information-reporting provision.
The play-or-pay provision imposes a penalty on large employers if just one full-time employee receives a premium tax credit. The credit is available to employees who enroll in a qualified health plan through a government-run Health Insurance Marketplace and meet certain income requirements — but only if:
- They don’t have access to “minimum essential coverage” from their employer, or
- The employer coverage offered is “unaffordable” or doesn’t provide “minimum value.”
The IRS has issued detailed guidance on what these terms mean and how employers can determine whether they’re a large employer and, if so, whether they’re offering sufficient coverage to avoid the risk of penalties.
If your business could be subject to the play-or-pay provision and you haven’t yet started preparing, do so now. For more information on play-or-pay — or on the information reporting requirements — please contact us.
© 2014 Thomson Reuters/Tax & Accounting
by Boris Benic | Jul 1, 2014 | Blog
Summer is a common time to put a home on the market. If you’re among those who are following this trend, it’s important to be aware of the tax consequences. If you’re selling your principal residence, you can exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers) of gain — as long as you meet certain tests. Gain that qualifies for exclusion also is excluded from the Affordable Care Act’s 3.8% net investment income tax.
A loss on the sale of your principal residence generally isn’t deductible. But if part of your home is rented out or used exclusively for your business, the loss attributable to that portion may be deductible.
If you’re selling a second home, be aware that it won’t be eligible for the gain exclusion. But if it qualifies as a rental property, it can be considered a business asset, and you may be able to defer tax on any gains through an installment sale or a Section 1031 exchange. Or you may be able to deduct a loss.
If you have a home on the market, please contact us to learn more about the potential tax consequences of a sale.
© 2014 Thomson Reuters/Tax & Accounting
