Does health insurance affect tax return?

Asked by: Christina Hartmann  |  Last update: December 27, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (15 votes)

Almost all taxpayers must report health care coverage, claim a coverage exemption or report a shared responsibility payment. The IRS will not accept tax returns that do not reflect at least one of these options if filed electronically.

Does health insurance matter when filing taxes?

Whether you get financial help or not, health coverage is part of filing your taxes. Unless you report that you had health coverage, you may have to pay a state tax penalty. If you received federal or state financial help, you'll report that as well.

Does health insurance lower my taxable income?

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.

Does the IRS penalize you for not having health insurance?

The fee for not having health insurance (sometimes called the "Shared Responsibility Payment" or "mandate”) ended in 2018. This means you no longer pay a tax penalty for not having health coverage. If you don't have health coverage, you don't need an exemption to avoid paying a tax penalty.

Why do I owe federal 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).

How Does The Health Care Tax Credit Affect My Tax Return? - InsuranceGuide360.com

24 related questions found

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.

Does the IRS know if I have health insurance?

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is required by state and federal law to send Form 1095-B information to the IRS and FTB for the purpose of validating months of health coverage reported by the person filing their state and/or federal taxes.

Is health insurance tax deductible IRS?

You can include health insurance premiums in your medical expense calculations. However, certain premiums are not eligible for medical expense deductions. You cannot include the following premiums in your tax deductions: Life insurance policies.

What happens if you lie about not having health insurance on taxes?

Fraud or Other Charges

Depending on the outcome of your audit, you may be charged with either negligence or fraud as a civil penalty. The IRS may also choose to prosecute you on criminal charges if the amounts are large enough. These cases take years to process, and can result in jail time and other hefty fines.

How does healthcare affect taxes?

2022 health coverage & your federal taxes

You'll use IRS Form 8962 to do this. If you used more premium tax credit than you qualify for, you'll pay the difference with your federal taxes. If you used less, you'll get the difference as a credit.

What decreases your taxable income?

There are a few methods recommended by experts that you can use to reduce your taxable income. These include contributing to an employee contribution plan such as a 401(k), contributing to a health savings account (HSA) or a flexible spending account (FSA), and contributing to a traditional IRA.

Are copays tax deductible?

If you are itemizing and entering medical expenses, yes, you can include co-pays and other out of pocket expenses that were not covered by insurance. The medical expense deduction has to meet a rather large threshold before it can affect your return.

What happens if you don't report insurance on taxes?

You will have to pay a penalty, the Individual Shared Responsibility Penalty, when you file your state tax return if: You did not have health coverage. You were not eligible for an exemption from coverage for any month of the year.

Does Obamacare affect your tax return?

The premium tax credit was established by the Affordable Care Act. 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.

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.

Why do I owe taxes for health insurance?

If there's a difference between the amount of the premium tax credit you used during the year and the amount you actually qualify for, it will impact your refund or the amount of taxes you owe. You'll include Form 8962 with your federal tax return. Get details on how to reconcile.

What can get you in trouble with the IRS?

The IRS charges a penalty for various reasons, including if you don't:
  • File your tax return on time.
  • Pay any tax you owe on time and in the right way.
  • Prepare and file an accurate return.
  • Provide accurate and timely filed information returns.

How does the IRS verify tax returns?

An examination may be conducted by mail or through an in-person interview and review of the taxpayer's records. The interview may be at an IRS office (office audit) or at the taxpayer's home, place of business, or accountant's office (field audit).

Is it worth it to claim medical expenses on taxes?

Normally, you should only claim the medical expenses deduction if your itemized deductions are greater than your Standard Deduction (TurboTax can also do this calculation for you).

Does health insurance count as taxable income?

Health plans

If an employer pays the cost of an accident or health insurance plan for his/her employees (including an employee's spouse and dependents), then the employer's payments are not wages and are not subject to social security, Medicare, and FUTA taxes, or federal income tax withholding.

What can I write off on my taxes?

If you itemize, you can deduct these expenses:
  • 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.

Do you get health insurance back on taxes?

The premium tax credit – also known as PTC – is a refundable credit that helps eligible individuals and families cover the premiums for their health insurance purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Do I have to report insurance claim to IRS?

Your insurance claim income is probably not taxable. If there's nothing to indicate what the payment is for, it's likely that it's meant to cover medical expenses and “pain and suffering.” If this is the case, you don't have to include the amount in your income.

Does health insurance check your income?

The Health Insurance Marketplace® uses annual household income and other information to decide if you qualify for savings on health coverage through the Marketplace (like the premium tax credit) and other cost savings, like lower copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles (also called cost-sharing reductions).