Are COBRA costs tax deductible?
Asked by: Fleta Streich | Last update: May 5, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (56 votes)
Can I deduct my COBRA payments on my taxes?
According to the Federal tax laws, your unreimbursed COBRA payments are, in fact, deductible as medical expenses on your 1040 tax return in the same way that you can deduct unreimbursed payments for legal medical services provided by physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other medical practitioners, as well as any ...
Do you have a deductible with COBRA?
Your election of COBRA is a continuation of the exact same health plan you had through your employer. Because it is the same insurance policy, if you've met your deductible already, you will not have rollback to $0 out-of-pocket after you've started COBRA.
Is COBRA considered taxable income?
COBRA premiums may be paid to the employee, and the employee would pay the insurance company directly. Since there is no guarantee that the employee will use the funds to pay the premiums, the funds are considered wages and subject to applicable taxes.
Can you get tax credits for COBRA?
If your coverage is from a former employer, such as COBRA or retiree coverage, you can decline the employer coverage, even if it is affordable and provides minimum value, and may be eligible for the Premium Tax Credit for your Marketplace coverage.
COBRA Insurance | What You Need to Know
Can COBRA premiums be refunded?
Request a Refund for Amounts Paid in COBRA Premiums Exceeding Federal Employment Tax Liability: The employer may claim the Credit through an employment tax refund on the applicable employment tax return, generally Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return.
Can you deduct health insurance premiums without itemizing?
Whether you can deduct health insurance premiums from your tax return also depends on a few factors. First, you'll only be able to deduct premiums as medical expenses if you itemize deductions on your tax return, but not if you take the standard deduction. See more details at the bottom of this section.
Is COBRA reported on W-2?
In general, each employer providing coverage will have to report the prorated cost on the employee's W-2. If the employee is terminated, the employer can also include the COBRA payment amounts paid by the employee after termination.
Are employee health insurance premiums tax deductible?
Employer-paid premiums for health insurance are exempt from federal income and payroll taxes. Additionally, the portion of premiums employees pay is typically excluded from taxable income. The exclusion of premiums lowers most workers' tax bills and thus reduces their after-tax cost of coverage.
Is there a tax form for COBRA payments?
If you had job-based health coverage. Depending on the kind of job-based coverage you had (including COBRA or retiree coverage), you may get one of these from your employer or insurance company: Form 1095-B, Health Coverage. Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage.
What is the COBRA loophole?
If you decide to enroll in COBRA health insurance, your coverage will be retroactive, meaning it will apply to any medical bills incurred during the 60-day decision period. This loophole can save you money by avoiding premium payments unless you actually need care during this time.
Where do I enter COBRA payments in TurboTax?
Enter your COBRA premiums under Medical insurance premiums.
Is COBRA a self-employed deduction?
If you chose to take COBRA health insurance after leaving a previous job, you may be able to deduct any premiums paid out-of-pocket. However, you are not eligible for the self-employed insurance deduction as the plan is still under your former employer's name.
Does COBRA change your deductible?
It is not a separate policy—it's a continuation of access as if you remained actively eligible. Because your coverage is “continued,” your deductible won't reset until the new plan year, etc. The difference is your cost for coverage because the employer no longer contributes toward meeting your premium obligation.
Is it worth claiming medical expenses on taxes?
The medical expense deduction covers a wide variety of expenses. However, because of the high Standard Deduction and the 7.5% of AGI threshold requirement, it can be difficult to benefit unless you have a lot of out-of-pocket costs.
Can I deduct health insurance premiums if I am retired?
Health insurance premiums can be tax deductible when you retire, but it depends on several factors such as your age, the type of health insurance plan that you have and whether you are self-employed or not.
Are cobra payments taxable?
Answer: Reimbursement for COBRA payments are not taxable to the former employee and should not be reported on a Form 1099, Miscellaneous Information, or a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement.
Can I deduct my health insurance premiums from my taxable income?
If you get insurance in the Health Insurance Marketplace: You can deduct the full cost of your health care premiums from your taxable income — even if you don't itemize your taxes.
What can I write off on my taxes?
- Bad debts.
- Canceled debt on home.
- Capital losses.
- Donations to charity.
- Gains from sale of your home.
- Gambling losses.
- Home mortgage interest.
- Income, sales, real estate and personal property taxes.
Why is COBRA not tax deductible?
Are my COBRA premiums deductible? Yes they are tax deductible as a medical expense. There isn't necessarily a “COBRA Tax Deduction”. You can only deduct the amount of COBRA medical expenses on your federal income tax in excess of 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income and then only if you itemize deductions.
What is the tax credit for COBRA?
ARP COBRA Premium Assistance
The premium assistance applies to periods of health coverage on or after April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. An employer or plan to whom COBRA premiums are payable is entitled to a tax credit for the amount of the premium assistance.
How does box 12 dd affect taxes?
Employers are required to report the cost of an employee's health care benefits in Box 12 of Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement, using code "DD" to identify the amount. This amount is reported for informational purposes only and is NOT taxable.
What insurance premiums are not tax deductible?
Business Insurance Premiums That Are Not Tax Deductible
Certain life insurance or annuity premiums. Premiums paid on insurance to secure loans. Premiums paid for a policy that covers earnings lost due to sickness or disability.
What can you deduct if you don't itemize?
You can take above-the-line deductions even if you don't itemize—just be aware that certain conditions may apply. These deductions are used to calculate your adjusted gross income. Some of the most common above-the-line deductions include retirement contributions and student loan interest.
Do health insurance premiums count towards deductible?
These are commonly called “out-of-pocket costs,” and they don't count toward your deductible. They include things like: Premium: The amount you pay each month for your plan. Copay or coinsurance: Specific cost-shares when you get care, like a $10 copay or 20% coinsurance.