What is the ACA affordability penalty for 2024?

Asked by: Libbie Torphy III  |  Last update: August 18, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (44 votes)

For the 2024 tax year, the 4980H(b) penalty is $372 a month, or $4,460 per year, per employee. This is an increase from $4,320 in 2023.

How is affordability calculated in 2024?

The IRS announced that the 2024 health plan affordability threshold—which is used to determine if an employer's lowest-premium health plan meets the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) affordability requirement—will be 8.39 percent of an employee's household income.

What is the ACA affordability penalty?

IRC §4980H(a)—The “A Penalty”

The 2025 A Penalty decreases to $241.67/month ($2,900 annualized) multiplied by all full-time employees (reduced by the first 30). It is triggered by at least one full-time employee who was not offered minimum essential coverage enrolling in subsidized coverage on the Exchange.

How can I avoid ACA penalty?

To avoid this penalty notice, employers must adhere to the appropriate ACA filing and furnishing deadlines for the applicable tax year. Employers have until March 1 each year to furnish the required 1095-C forms to their full-time staff.

What is the affordability Act 2024?

The Health Care Affordability Act of 2024 includes technical edits to ensure that no household pays above 8.5% of their incomes towards their health care premiums.

IRS 2024 ACA Affordability Threshold Announcement

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How to calculate the ACA affordability for 2025?

Calculating Affordability Using the FPL Safe Harbor

For most employers, the FPL safe harbor is the easiest to calculate. For 2025 calendar year plans, the FPL safe harbor is satisfied if an employee's required monthly contribution for self-only coverage doesn't exceed 9.02% of the federal poverty line divided by 12.

What is the projected cost of living adjustment for 2024?

The latest COLA is 2.5 percent for Social Security benefits and SSI payments. Social Security benefits will increase by 2.5 percent beginning with the December 2024 benefits, which are payable in January 2025. Federal SSI payment levels will also increase by 2.5 percent effective for payments made for January 2025.

Is the ACA penalty still in effect?

The federal tax penalty associated with the ACA for failing to have minimum essential coverage was removed at the end of 2018 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. While the mandate for coverage technically remains in place, there is no longer a federal penalty for not complying.

How to calculate ACA penalty for employers?

For example, an employer with 100 FTEs offers coverage that meets the minimum essential coverage requirements but 10 employees pay more than 9.5 percent of their W-2 wages (safe harbor) – AND the employees obtain a subsidy for coverage in the California Exchange – then the employer would pay a fine for each employee ...

What is the maximum age for ACA?

The Affordable Care Act requires plans and issuers that offer dependent child coverage to make the coverage available until the adult child reaches the age of 26. Many parents and their children who worried about losing health coverage after they graduated from college no longer have to worry.

What is the penalty for reporting ACA in 2024?

In 2024, the IRS may assess a penalty of $310 per return to organizations that submit 1095-C forms late, and after Aug. 1, 2024. If the employer neglects their filing obligations altogether, the penalty increases to $630, per return.

What is the ACA 9.5 affordability test?

Employer-provided coverage is considered affordable for an employee if the employee required contribution is no more than 9.5 percent (as adjusted) of that employee's household income.

What is the affordability penalty for 2025?

2025 4980H(a) Penalty

Beginning in 2025, the 4980H(a) penalty amount per employee will be $241.67 a month or $2,900 annualized. This is a decrease from the 2024 amount of $2,970.

What is the ACA maximum out of pocket for 2024?

For the 2024 plan year: The out-of-pocket limit for a Marketplace plan can't be more than $9,450 for an individual and $18,900 for a family.

What is the safe harbor threshold?

Estimated tax payment safe harbor details

The IRS will not charge you an underpayment penalty if: You pay at least 90% of the tax you owe for the current year, or 100% of the tax you owed for the previous tax year, or. You owe less than $1,000 in tax after subtracting withholdings and credits.

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.

What is the current ACA affordability?

The IRS updated its affordability threshold for the 2025 tax year to 9.02%. This is an increase from 8.39% in 2024, and employers should prepare accordingly.

Why is ACP ending?

2. When did the ACP end? Due to a lack of additional funding from Congress, the ACP ran out of funds and has ended for now, effective June 1, 2024. As a result, all ACP households will no longer receive the ACP discount.

What is the affordability limit?

In general, the maximum income limit for an affordable home is 85.5% of the open market value of the home divided by 4. There are some exceptions to this rule which can be viewed here. Other eligibility criteria are: You are over 18 years of age.

What happens if I underestimate my income for Obamacare in 2024?

For the 2024 tax year, if you underestimated your income and received a larger tax credit than you were eligible for, you must repay the difference between the amount of premium tax credit you received and the amount you were eligible for.

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.

Can I refuse health insurance from my employer and get Obamacare?

Obamacare is available to everyone, whether or not their employers offer insurance. From a practical standpoint, though, there are financial consequences to doing this. Often, an employer subsidizes part or all of their employees' coverage.