For the first time in four years, the IRS adjusted the affordability percentage used for the shared responsibility penalties. The IRS recently announced that the affordability percentage for 2025 will be 9.02%....more
For the third year in a row, the IRS adjusted the affordability percentage used for the shared responsibility penalties down. The IRS recently announced that the affordability percentage for 2024 will be 8.39%. This is down...more
As originally enacted, the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) required most people to maintain health insurance. Those who did not maintain the required insurance were obligated to pay a “shared responsibility payment” (“SRP”),...more
On December 15, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) finalized regulations regarding Information Reporting of Health Insurance Coverage and Other Issues Under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Sections 5000A, 6055 and 6056...more
On October 13, 2022, the IRS finalized regulations (the “Final Rule”) intended to revise the method of determining affordability under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for an employee’s family members by considering whether the...more
Applicable large employers must adhere to many Affordable Care Act (ACA) rules to remain compliant regarding group health plan offerings. We offer the following checklist of the five most helpful reminders you should take...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Rev. Proc. 2022-34, which contains the inflation- adjusted amounts for 2023 that are used to determine whether employer-sponsored coverage is “affordable” for purposes of the...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has announced adjustments decreasing the affordability threshold and increasing employer shared responsibility payments for plan years beginning in 2022....more
Case: Szczyporski v. Internal Revenue Service (In re Szczyporski), No. 21-01858 (3d Cir., May 11, 2022). In a recent case out of the 3rd Circuit, the Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling emanating from the Bankruptcy...more
John Peterson has created a 2022 ACA Numbers & Limitations Reference Chart. Applicable Large Employer (ALE) Shared Responsibility Penalty (IRC §4980H, Forms 1094-C & 1095-C) ...more
A recently released redacted report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) offers some helpful insights for employers who may be assessed shared responsibility payments because the IRS thinks they...more
In a surprising memo from the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, the IRS concluded that there is no statute of limitations period on the Employer Shared Responsibility Payments (“ESRP”) under the Affordable Care Act. The IRS...more
On February 21, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a memo to address whether the Employer Shared Responsibility Payment (ESRP) imposed by Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 4980H is subject to any statute of...more
The IRS Office of Chief Counsel recently issued a memo which, in a surprise to many, concluded that the filing of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) Forms 1094-C and 1095-C (“C Forms”) does not start the statute of limitations...more
In Chief Counsel Memorandum 20200801F, released on February 21, 2020, the IRS established its position that no statute of limitations applies to employer shared responsibility payments that may be assessed under Section 4980H...more
As you may recall, in late September, we expected a decision from the Fifth Circuit in Texas v. United States—the case challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)—in the fall of...more
Roughly a year ago, we reported on a district court judge’s determination that the Affordable Care Act’s (“ACA”) individual mandate was unconstitutional and that, therefore, the entire ACA was invalid. A detailed summary of...more
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare (the “ACA”) has survived two trips to the U.S. Supreme Court. It remains to be seen whether there will be a third. ...more
The IRS has not yet finalized the ACA reporting forms (i.e., the 1094-B/C and 1095-B/C) for the 2019 tax year, so it is no surprise that the IRS issued guidance this week extending the deadline to furnish the forms to...more
As we previously reported, on June 13, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury (collectively, the “Departments”) issued a coordinated set of final regulations (“final rules”) permitting employers...more
On September 30th, the IRS issued proposed regulations that establish safe harbors for compliance with the employer mandate in the context of individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (or “ICHRAs”). These proposed...more
As 2019 comes to an end, we are pleased to present our traditional End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we present our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. This Part 1 covers year-end health...more
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued proposed regulations addressing how individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) can comply with the Employer Shared Responsibility Payments (ESRP) requirements...more
As part of our ongoing series on the final regulations expanding the availability of health reimbursement accounts (“HRAs”), we discussed the newly-created Individual Coverage HRAs, which generally allow for employers to...more
Employers have been receiving letters from the IRS assessing Employer Shared Responsibility Payments -- penalties -- under the Affordable Care Act, usually for the 2015 or 2016 calendar years. We have seen penalty amounts...more