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Affordable Care Act
What you Need to Know About IRS Letter 5699
With the IRS making progress on its historic backlog, and ACA enforcement ramping up, employers should keep their eyes peeled for the warning notice, Letter 5699. It’s in every organization’s Read More
Handling Seasonal Employees and Workers is Critical for ACA Compliance
Unfortunately, we’ve heard firsthand from many organizations that their Affordable Care Act compliance responsibilities tend to slip during the summer months following the push to submit annual ACA information filings Read More
Avoid These Compliance Triggers to Minimize ACA Penalty Risk
With the IRS making significant progress on its historic backlog, employers should prepare for increased enforcement of the ACA Employer Mandates. Under the ACA’s Employer Mandate, employers with 50 or Read More
New PTC Data is Cause For Concern For Employers
Employers should review their ACA compliance processes carefully in light of new data issued by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). Below we’ve identified why. Key PTC findings Health exchange enrollees Read More
ACA Penalty Letter 226J on The Rise
The last several years have been difficult for the IRS, but now that the historic backlog has an end date, the agency is making significant progress on a long list Read More
IRS Backlog Expected to Clear By End of 2022
The IRS has made significant progress in the historic backlog it’s still facing, but it still has a long way to go. Chief IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig anticipates clearing the Read More
5 Common ACA Compliance Mistakes Restaurants Make
Over 10 years after the ACA was first signed into law, the reporting requirements under the ACA’s Employer Mandate have proven challenging and time-consuming for most. But quick-service restaurants have Read More
March 31 is the Deadline for E-Filing ACA Returns With the IRS
Today, March 31, 2021, is the e-filing deadline for submitting ACA Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to the IRS for the 2022 tax year, as required by the ACA’s Employer Mandate. Read More
Safe Harbors Prove ACA Affordability and Prevent Penalties (UPDATE)
How do employers prove to the IRS that the healthcare plans they are offering to their workforce are affordable under the ACA? It’s an important question for Applicable Large Employers Read More
IRS Limited Non-Assessment Periods Help Avoid ACA Penalties
The responsibilities under the ACA’s Employer Mandate may seem straightforward, but, in reality, complying with them can be challenging and time-consuming. An area that many Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) struggle Read More
Deadline to Furnish ACA Form 1095-C is Today
The deadline for distributing the ACAS 1095-C forms to full-time employees is today, March 2. Did you make it? This deadline applies to Applicable Large Employers (ALEs), or employers with Read More
ACA Paper Filing Deadline Is Next Week
This coming Monday, February 28, is the deadline for paper filing ACA Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to the IRS for the 2021 tax year. As a reminder, Applicable Large Employers Read More
IRS Suspends Mailing of Automatic Notices
The IRS recently announced it is suspending certain mailings of automated collections and various other notices in an effort to get through its current backlog. As such, the agency will Read More
IRS Backlog Poses ACA Risk for Employers
The IRS is experiencing a massive mail backlog of unprocessed documents first caused by COVID-19. Included in that backlog of notices are ACA penalty assessments. To help the situation, the Read More
ACA Open Enrollment Reaches Record-Breaking 14.5 Million
Over 14.5 million Americans elected to receive health coverage through one of the ACA’s insurance marketplaces during the 2022 open enrollment period. The record-breaking participation is 21% higher than the Read More
ACA Penalties Are Increasing in 2022
The IRS penalty amounts for non-compliance of the ACA’s Employer Mandate are again increasing in 2022. Below is a rundown of the new penalty amounts and how the IRS will Read More
Remember, No Good Faith Transition Relief This Year
With the New Year just a few short weeks out, employers should remember that 2020 was the final year for Good Faith Transition Relief. That means filing late or inaccurate Read More
Letter 226J Notices For The 2019 Tax Year Have Arrived
The IRS is now issuing Letter 226J penalty notices to employers identified as having failed to comply with the ACA’s Employer Mandate for the 2019 tax year. Just in time Read More
ACA Filing Takeaways for The New Year
The end of the year is officially here and with it, a whirlwind of ACA responsibilities to tend to for the upcoming filing season. To assist you with your ACA Read More
Open Enrollment Kicks Off For 2022 Plan Year
The 2022 federal open enrollment period began earlier this week and will run through January 15, 2022. Consumers will have a wide variety of options to choose from, as well Read More
Data Quality Management Is Key to ACA Compliance
Many of the challenges posed by the Affordable Care Act’s Employer Mandate are inherently data problems. Data quality management is not just an issue for larger employers with multiple Read More
ACA Penalty Amounts for 2022 Tax Year Surface
The IRS recently announced the ACA affordability percentage for the 2022 tax year and with that information comes speculation around the Employer Mandate’s IRC Section 4980H(a) and (b) penalty amounts Read More
ACA Affordability For 2022 Tax Year to Decrease
For the 2022 tax year, the ACA affordability threshold will decrease to 9.61%. According to IRS Revenue Procedure 2021-36 all health plans offered by employers beginning January 1, 2022, will Read More
Classify Workers Correctly to Determine ALE Status and Avoid ACA Penalties
Classifying workers is an important step for employers determining if the requirements of the ACA’s Employer Mandate apply to them. That’s because worker classifications directly impact an employer’s applicable large Read More
Court Case Challenges ACA’s Free Preventative Care
In the series of legal challenges against the ACA, the latest is an attack on free preventative care and it just may undermine significant advancements made to the U.S. healthcare Read More
ACA Reporting to Grow in Complexity Due to State Individual Mandates
ACA reporting is complex and the process has only grown more challenging as states continue to enact additional state-level ACA reporting requirements as a function of their Individual Mandates. But Read More
House Democrats Share More ACA Advancements in $3.5 Trillion Plan
Democrats in the House of Representatives have shared their plans for ACA healthcare expansion as part of a proposed $3.5 trillion package. Included in the proposal are several provisions that Read More
ACA Common Sense Reporting Act Likely to Increase Complexity
A bill known as the Common Sense Reporting Act could fundamentally change the way employers report their ACA information to the IRS annually if it is signed into law. First Read More
ACA Measurement Methods Are Critical for Avoiding IRS Penalties
If you or someone you know has been hit with IRS Letter 226J, you know that it is no laughing matter. The IRS is currently issuing these ACA penalty assessments Read More![Calculating FT and FTE Employees [UPDATED]](https://acatimes.com/wp-content/uploads/Friday-Repost-FT-_-FTE_BLOG-269x180_c.jpg)
Calculating FT and FTE Employees [UPDATED]
As part of their annual filing of healthcare coverage information with the IRS, organizations must determine if they are Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) for purposes of the Affordable Care Act Read More
Special Enrollment Period Doubles Enrollees, Final Month Approaches
In June, the ACA’s special enrollment period garnered 1 million sign-ups through the federal health exchange, HealthCare.gov. A month later and the number of enrollees has doubled. On July 14, Read More
IRS Issues Draft ACA Reporting Instructions for 2021
The IRS recently released its draft 1094-C and 1095-C instructions for the 2021 tax year. We’ve identified the changes below. It appears that Form 1094-C will remain the same, but Read More
IRS Begins Issuing Letter 5699 For 2019 Tax Year
We’ve heard from our partners and brokers that the IRS has begun issuing Letter 5699 to employers for the 2019 tax year. Officially called “Missing Information Return Form 1094/1095-C,” Letter Read More
The IRS’s Forms 1095 For the ACA Explained
A number of changes were introduced to the health insurance marketplace with the passage of the ACA in 2010. From different reporting forms and health insurance plan requirements to the Read More
Understanding ACA Forms 1094-C/1095-C
Employers required to comply with the ACA’s Employer Mandate must report their full-time employee’s healthcare information to the IRS annually via forms 1094-C and 1095-C, but what exactly are these Read More
ACA Upheld By SCOTUS, Remains Law of The Land
On Thursday, June 17, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the case that asserts the ACA is unconstitutional, without even ruling on the underlying argument. In a Read More
These Common Mistakes Can Result in ACA Penalties
3 min read ACA compliance can be time-consuming and complex. There is a myriad of issues that can arise during the course of the year that can make employers’ annual Read More
3 Signs The IRS is Increasing Efficiency in ACA Enforcement
4 min read It is a sign of good government that agencies tasked with enforcing complex statutes increase efficiency over time. When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Read More
ACA Sees Record-Breaking 31 Million Enrollees
A record-breaking 31 million Americans have obtained ACA healthcare coverage, according to new data issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The data, based on enrollment information Read More
The ACA’s Future Hangs in the Balance
3 min read The Supreme Court case in which the Justices consider whether the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional without the Individual Mandate will see a judicial decision any day Read More
ACA Special Enrollment Period Garners 1 Million Enrollees
3 min read President Biden’s special enrollment period has already generated 1 million additional sign-ups on the federal ACA health exchange. New Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra Read More
ACA Employer Penalties Are Real and The IRS Will Be Issuing More
3 min read ACA reporting for the 2021 tax year may not be top of mind for employers right now, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be aware of the Read More
Your ACA State Filing Questions Answered
3 minute read: We recently hosted a webinar on the growing number of states requiring ACA reporting in addition to federal filing with the IRS. With the 2020 tax year Read More
ACA Rule From Trump Era is Struck Down
3 minute read: A federal court recently invalidated significant parts of a Trump administration rule affecting the Affordable Care Act (ACA). What this decision means and how it could impact Read More
American Rescue Plan Introduces New Changes to COBRA
3 minute read: Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) has reshaped the way Americans receive and qualify for healthcare coverage, including COBRA. Before diving into the specifics of how the ARP Read More
How to Handle ACA Filing Corrections With the IRS
3 minute read: If you found yourself in a situation where you received receipt of your ACA information returns for 2020 with a status of “Accepted with Errors,” you’re not Read More
Biden Seeks to Make PTC Eligibility Expansion Permanent
3 minute read: The Biden administration is once again finding ways to bolster the Affordable Care Act. This time the advancement comes in the form of ACA subsidies and the Read More
IRS Suspends Excess Repayment of APTCs for 2020 Tax Year
3 minute read: The latest ACA advancement to be introduced by the Biden administration comes via the American Rescue Plan and applies to the use of Advanced Payments of Premium Read More
IRS Experiences Paper Mail Backlog, Employers Should E-file ACA Returns
3 minute read: The COVID-19 pandemic created hardships for everyone and everything, including the IRS. On numerous occasions, the agency announced a significant backlog in processing paper returns. As of Read More
