Does ACA affect taxes?

Asked by: Margie Fisher  |  Last update: September 4, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (55 votes)

The 3.8% ACA tax on net investment income applies to unincorporated taxpayers (basically individuals, estates, and certain trusts) who have a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above these annual income levels: $250,000 in the case of married taxpayers filing a joint return or a surviving spouse.

Does affordable healthcare increase taxes?

Additional taxes at higher incomes

The Affordable Care Act also imposes two new taxes in addition to new reductions to exemptions and itemized deductions on people with higher income. The first new tax is the Net Investment Income Tax, which was added to the bill to help offset the costs of the law's major provisions.

What is the downside of ACA?

Impact on Individual Insurance

It was also known that consumers would face a very different health insurance world under the ACA, with some people seeing their premiums go down and some seeing them go up, and the majority of Americans seeing higher deductibles, higher copays, and a smaller pool of providers.

How does a 1095-C affect my taxes?

Form 1095-C provides information about the health coverage offered by your employer and, in some cases, about whether you enrolled in this coverage. Use Form 1095-C to help determine your eligibility for the premium tax credit.

How can I avoid the ACA tax penalty?

Make sure you have health care coverage

To avoid a penalty, you need minimum essential coverage (MEC) for each month of the year for: Yourself. Your spouse or domestic partner. Your dependents.

How ACA Health Insurance Affects Taxes: What You Need to Know

23 related questions found

How does ACA affect taxes?

To increase health insurance coverage, the ACA provided individuals and small employers with a tax credit to purchase insurance and imposed taxes on individuals with inadequate coverage and on employers who do not offer adequate coverage.

Can I deduct my ACA premiums?

Type of insurance plan: Dental policies, Medicare, and health insurance policies purchased through the ACA marketplace may be eligible for a deduction if you pay for the premiums out of pocket. However, long-term care insurance is only deductible up to a certain annual limit based on your age.

What happens if I don't report my 1095-C?

Employers who fail to meet filing or furnishing deadlines or report incorrect information on an informational return may be subject to IRS penalties. For forms due in 2025, failure to file an informational return such as the 1095-C can result in a penalty of $330 per form, capped at $3,987,000.

Does a 1095-a lower my tax refund?

Yes. In some cases, the information on the corrected Form 1095-A may be in your favor – it may decrease the amount of taxes you owe or increase your refund.

Does a 1095-C make me get a refund?

No, the 1095-C form just proves that you had health coverage. It would not affect your refund as long as you answered the Health Insurance questions accurately. You don't need your form 1095-C to file your tax return. TurboTax will ask you questions about your health coverage but your form 1095-C isn't needed.

Why do people not like ACA?

Despite these positive changes, a near majority of Americans still oppose the ACA, even though they approve of most of its features. They oppose the mandate that all Americans must have health insurance (the individual mandate), and they oppose a government role in health care.

How much is Obamacare a month for a single person?

Monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans vary by state and can be reduced by premium tax credits. The average national monthly health insurance cost for one person on an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan without premium tax credits in 2024 is $477.

How much taxes do you pay on Obamacare?

The 3.8 percent Net Investment Income Tax applies to individuals, estates and trusts that have certain investment income above certain threshold amounts. For additional information on the Net Investment Income Tax, see our questions and answers.

How can I avoid paying back my premium tax credit?

Report any changes in your income during the year to the Marketplace, so your credit can be adjusted and you can avoid any significant repayments at the end of the year.

Do I need my 1095-C to file taxes?

No. Individuals do not need a copy of their 1095-B or 1095-C when filing tax returns. However, you should keep the form with your tax records.

Does having Obamacare affect your tax return?

Obamacare and the premium tax credit

It makes health insurance premiums for coverage purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace more affordable for eligible individuals. The premium tax credit is the main way that having Obamacare impacts your taxes.

Why do I owe taxes because of health insurance?

Owe taxes if you used more of the premium tax credit than you qualified for in 2024. You'll have to report the excess amount on your 2024 tax return by filing Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit (PDF, 115 KB). Find instructions for Form 8962 (PDF, 348 KB).

What happens if I don't put my 1095 on my taxes?

Form 1095-B is not required to file your state or federal taxes and you may self‑attest to your health coverage without it. You should get a Form 1095-B in the mail by January 31 following the reported tax year.

How does the health care tax credit affect my tax return?

The credit is “refundable” because, if the amount of the credit is more than the amount of your tax liability, you will receive the difference as a refund. If you owe no tax, you can get the full amount of the credit as a refund.

Why didn't TurboTax ask about 1095-C?

Forms 1095-B and 1095-C are for your records only, as the IRS doesn't need any details from them. We'll ask a few questions about your health care coverage after you finish entering your deductions and credits in TurboTax.

Does the IRS still require proof of health insurance?

Health care coverage documents

You are not required to send the IRS information forms or other proof of health care coverage when filing your tax return. However, it's a good idea to keep these records on hand. This documentation includes: Form 1095 information forms.

How does ACA subsidy affect taxes?

The subsidies (both premium assistance tax credits and cost-sharing reductions) are not considered income and are not taxed.

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.

Is the ACA tax penalty removed?

Policy Change. When initially passed in 2009, the Affordable Care Act levied tax penalties on households that failed to obtain health insurance coverage equal to the lesser of 2.5% of household income or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child (capped at $2,085). TCJA eliminated this penalty effective in 2019.