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In addition to the very well-known ACA employer mandate, there are myriad of other lesser-known ACA requirements that could pack a punch for organizations that are noncompliant when it comes to penalty fees on 2015 tax returns.  Knowing the breadth and depth of these mandates and determining if you are in compliance (or how to achieve compliance if possible) will save on surprises come 2016.

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The ACA has introduced a number of terms that are either brand new or newly applied to healthcare, and many are especially important to know when filling out 2015 tax returns. Besides the “pay or play” employer mandate and penalty, there are many other mandates – and corresponding penalties – that must be attended to in order to avoid noncompliance. Understanding key terminology is an important piece of the puzzle.

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As we come up on the 2016 tax season, many organizations with 100+ full-time equivalent employees are preparing to include health insurance information in tax returns for the first time (in accordance with the ACA employer mandate). In addition, organizations are also examining all of the other ACA mandates to ensure they meet the requirements around mandates such as dependent coverage, lifetime and cost-sharing limits, waiting periods, preventive care, patient protections, and cafeteria plans.

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The 2015 tax year is coming to a close, which means that 2015 tax penalties for ACA noncompliance are likely top of mind for many employers right now. While the employer mandate has received much of the press and attention, there are also many more ACA mandates that require action on the part of all organizations that provide group health coverage(not just those with 100+ employees).

When it comes to the employer mandate, there will always be exceptions and special circumstances that will add another layer of challenge to determining full-time equivalency (FTE) – which in turn determines who receives group health coverage.  Two particular circumstances are unpaid leave (e.g. FMLA, educational employment breaks) and COBRA.

In previous posts on employment status under the ACA, we have focused on full-time equivalency (FTE) and how it’s determined for applicable large employers (ALES), and the various types of employment and how they accrue up to FTE. Today’s post centers on the ever-important measurement periods, set amounts of time that employers use to establish full-time (FT) or part-time (PT) employment status.

As part of our series around ACA employment questions – namely how to determine full-time equivalency (FTE) – today we continue with a look at the various types of employment, how/if they play a role in FTE, and calculating the number of hours worked for each employee.

In the midst of looming ACA reporting deadlines and the fast approaching open enrollment period (leading to thoughts around planning for employee health in the 2016 tax year), questions around what constitutes full-time equivalency abound.  Determining full-time versus part-time employees can prove maddening especially when variable and seasonal workers enter the fray. In addition, measurement periods play a key role in establishing full or part-time status, and therefore must be utilized properly to ensure compliancy.

Continuing with the topic of the pending ACA reporting for the 2015 tax year, this post focuses on the specifics of Forms 1095-C and 1094-C, including how they’re different and what information is needed for each.  In addition, the question of who is responsible for different areas of reporting is addressed.

While we have been hearing and talking about the employer mandate for many months now, the impending tax season makes it all the more crucial to really understand the law (IRS sections 6055 and 6056) and how to stay in compliance. In part one of this two-part series, we looked at reporting information, forms, and who needs to comply with reporting requirements. In part two, we will look further into methods of reporting, deadlines, and penalty relief.