“I enrolled through the Health Insurance Marketplace.”

Did you choose to get a premium tax credit when you enrolled in coverage?

"Yes, I chose to get a premium tax credit when I enrolled in coverage last year."

Because you got a tax credit for your health coverage, you must file a federal tax return.

Premium tax credits help lower the cost of coverage purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace for people with incomes that qualify. Premiums are the monthly bill you pay for health insurance.

You choose to get the premium tax credit when you enrolled, so the Marketplace has been sending money directly to your health insurance company each month. This means you have paid less for your monthly premium.

“Why do I need to file taxes?”

Everyone that received premium tax credits must file taxes. The Marketplace uses your tax information to make sure that you got the correct amount of financial help based on your household size and income. This is called reconciliation. If you had coverage and do not file and reconcile tax credits, you will not be able to get premium tax credits next year!

“What do I need to know before filing taxes?”

You will receive IRS Form 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement) in the mail from the Marketplace that shows your health coverage and the amount you received in advance premium tax credits each month. If Form 1095-A was lost, never received, or is incorrect, you can contact the Marketplace directly for a copy. You should wait to file your taxes until you receive IRS Form 1095-A, which should arrive in early February.

Because you received an advance premium tax credit, you need to file IRS Form 8962 (Premium Tax Credit) with your taxes. Use IRS Form 1095-A to help you fill out IRS Form 8962.

“I had a short gap in coverage (less than three consecutive months). What do I need to do?”

You will also need to file IRS Form 8965 for Health Coverage Exemptions. Through the end of 2018, most Americans were required to have health insurance, or pay a fee. However, if you only had a short gap in coverage in 2018, you are exempt from the fee.

Learn more:

"No, I did not choose to get a premium tax credit when I enrolled in coverage last year."

You may still be eligible for a 2018 tax credit, but you must file your 2018 federal tax return to find out. The deadline for filing 2018 taxes is April 15, 2019.

Premium tax credits help lower the cost of coverage purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace for people with incomes that qualify. Premiums are the monthly bill you pay for health insurance.

Most individuals with annual household incomes between 100 and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level are eligible for a tax credit, but the exact amount of the credit will depend on your income. The lower your income, the larger tax credit you will receive.

If your income decreased during the year, you may be eligible for a federal tax refund now (even if you were not eligible for the tax credit when you applied for coverage).

Filing your 2018 federal tax return including IRS Form 8962 (Premium Tax Credit) is the only way you’ll find out if you are eligible for a premium tax credit for 2018.

“What do I need to know before filing taxes?”

As you prepare to file taxes, it’s important to know that there have been some changes to this year’s tax forms: Forms 1040-A and 1040-EZ are no longer available. Instead, Form 1040, more commonly known as the Individual Income Tax Return, has been redesigned and includes space to provide information about premium tax credits. You will do this on Schedules 2 and 5, which are forms you will complete and submit along with the Form 1040. Form 8962, the Premium Tax Credit form, has been revised to reflect the elimination of Forms 1040-A and 1040-EZ. Instead, Form 8962 now directs people to the Schedules they need to complete on Form 1040.

You will receive an IRS Form 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement) in the mail from the Marketplace that proves your health coverage. If Form 1095-A was lost, never received, or is incorrect, you should contact your Marketplace directly for a copy. You should wait to file your taxes until you receive IRS Form 1095-A, which should arrive in early February.

File IRS Form 8962 (Premium Tax Credit) with your taxes to see if you qualify for a 2017 premium tax credit. Use IRS Form 1095-A to help you fill out IRS Form 8962.

“I had a short gap in coverage (less than three consecutive months). What do I need to do?”

You will also need to file IRS Form 8965 for Health Coverage Exemptions. Through the end of 2018, most Americans were required to have health insurance, or pay a fee. However, if you only had a short gap in coverage in 2018, you are exempt from the fee.

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