The Adventures of Ace: Ace's Bar-B-Que

Welcome, welcome!

It’s a hot, sunny August day here in the land of ExpressACAForms, and you’re just in time for the bar-b-que Ace is throwing to celebrate (after taking some time for a little R&R, of course) the first ever ACA deadline!

“Ace sure does like throwing barbeques,” Doc said between bites. “He even got a new grill just for the occasion!”

“Well, Doc,” Ace replied, “it’s the perfect time! It’s still warm out, we’ve got a few weeks of summer left. Plus football season is right around the corner, so we’ll grill out a lot for tailga-”

“No need to convince me,” Doc interrupted. “Your burgers are doing a good enough job of that!”

“So, Ace,” an ACA filer and honored barbeque guest began. “Are we really done with 2015 ACA filing? I mean, there isn’t anything else we need to do, is there?”

“Unless you’re still working on any corrections, and as long as your forms have been accepted by the IRS, the 2015 ACA filing is over!” Ace replied amidst cheers.

“But don’t forget,” Ace continued as the clapping died down, “you can still access your ExpressACAForms accounts at any time during the year to go over any information to prep yourselves for next year. And my sidekicks work all year long, not just during tax season, so you can always call them if you need any assis-”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s great Ace,” Doc interrupted. “But, uhh, we’ve run out of ketchup. Could you be a pal and pop over to the supermarket?”

“Oh! Of course! Can’t have a barbeque without ketchup! In the meantime, if you need anything, call my sidekicks,” Ace began as he was taking off.

“Ace, I don’t think they’ll be able to help with barbecue-related things!” Doc called after him.

While we can’t guarantee we can help with your barbeque-related needs, we are here for your ACA ones! If you have any questions, give ExpressACAForms a call. We’re available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET at (704) 839-2270 and through live chat through our website. We also offer 24/7 email assistance at support@ExpressACAForms.com.

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ACA Reporting for Employers & Health Insurers

In the world of ACA filing, no two returns will be the same. Similarly, how you e-file your return depends on what your role is in the providing of health insurance coverage to taxpayers. In other words, applicable large employers (ALEs) will file differently than how health insurance providers will.

ACA Reporting for Employers
All applicable large employers (ALEs), or those that have more than 50 full-time employees throughout the year, are required to report their offers of coverage on Forms 1094-C and 1095-C each year, beginning with the 2015 tax year. Copies of Form 1095-C must be sent to the IRS, as well as to each full-time employee who was offered at least minimum essential coverage (MEC) that year.

Smaller employers, those with fewer than 50 full-time employees, aren’t required to meet the same coverage providing standards as ALEs. However, if they do choose to offer fully-funded health coverage to their employees, it’ll need to be reported on Forms 1094-B and 1095-B.

ACA Reporting for Health Insurers
Those who don’t fall under the ALE category but still provide health insurance coverage for individuals throughout the year will need to report this on Forms 1094-B and 1095-B. Like Form 1095-C, copies of Form 1095-B need to be sent to the recipients of the coverage as well as to the IRS.


ExpressACAForms offers fast and easy e-filing for all filers of ACA Forms 1094 and 1095, ALEs, small employers, and health insurers alike. Create an account today to get started. And if you need any help, we’re available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at (704) 839-2270 and anytime at support@ExpressACAForms.com.

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More on the Affordable Care Act

As often as we’ve talked about the IRS ACA Forms 1095-B and 1095-C, we haven’t gone too in depth on the actual Affordable Care Act itself. So while we can’t go super in depth on the legislature in just one post (there’s a lot - the condensed version is 1000 pages long), we can give you a quick overview of how the Act has affected America’s healthcare laws.

In a sentence, the ACA was written to attempt to reform the healthcare system by providing more Americans with affordable, quality health insurance and by curbing the growth in healthcare spending. Keep in mind, though, that healthcare reform doesn’t begin and end with the Act itself. In most cases, the law gives power to ongoing efforts by Health and Human Services and other government programs to reform health care.

Under the Affordable Care Act:

• All Americans with health insurance are privy to new benefits, rights, and protections which ensure that they get treatment when they need it.
• Insurance is more affordable. By reducing premium and out-of-pocket costs for millions of families and small business owners, over 32 million Americans who couldn’t afford health care before now can.
• Risk is spread equally to end insurance discrimination. This means you can no longer be charged more based on gender, health status, or age.
• A new competitive health insurance marketplace was set up, giving Americans access to group buying power. This also allows Americans to compare plans and receive cost assistance.
• The budget and economy are put on a more stable path. By cutting government overspending and reining in waste, fraud, and abuse in the healthcare industry, it’s predicted the deficit will be reduced by more than $100 billion over the next ten years, and more than $1 trillion over the second decade.

Nothing in the ACA forces any American to have healthcare or to drop their current healthcare plan, assuming that plan complies with the ACA.

For a more information on the Act, check out this post from Obamacare Facts that goes into each Title of the ACA in more detail. Or, you can read the Act itself, but it’s not exactly light reading.

And for more information on e-filing your ACA forms, give us a call! We’re available by phone (704-839-2270) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. We also offer 24/7 email support at support@expressirsforms.com.

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ExpressACAForms: The Features

At ExpressACAForms, we’ve worked hard to create the best program for e-filing your Affordable Care Act forms. After all, this is the first time anyone’s filing these forms, and you only get one time to make a first impression, right?

Part of what makes ExpressACAForms such a user-friendly program are all of the great features we’ve included to help you e-file with unprecedented ease. Allow us to take this blog post to tell you a little more about some of those features…

Cloud-Based Filing
At ExpressACAForms, our program is entirely cloud-based, which means there’s no need to download any software or forms. You can access your account and information anywhere you have access to an internet connection, through your desktop, tablet, or phone. But don’t think that means we’re any less safe - we’ve taken every precaution to make sure your information is secure and shared only with the IRS.

Bulk Uploading
Got a lot of recipients? Already have all of your recipients’ information in a spreadsheet? You really don’t wanna enter your information individually? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. When it comes time to enter your recipients into your forms, you’ll have the option to bulk upload all of their information at once. Use your own spreadsheet, or download the template we’ve made available.

Postal Mail
Before you start printing forms and stuffing envelopes one by one, why not use ExpressACAForms’s postal mail feature? For a small postal fee, you can have your recipient forms mailed for you by a member of our attentive support team.

Help Text and Videos
In the program, we’ve included a Help Text section to explain the ins and outs of the ACA forms. This text updates as you make your way through the forms so all the information you need is at your fingertips. We’ve also created a series of videos to help clear up any confusion you may have as you begin filing. You can check them out on our Youtube channel!

Customer Support
When we say we’re here for you, we mean it. At ExpressACAForms, we don’t just want to help you file your forms, we want to help you understand them. If you have any questions or need help along the way, give us a call. Or a live chat. Or an email. Our phone (704-839-2270) and chat support is available live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST; and email support is available 24/7 at support@expressirsforms.com.

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2015 Filing Is Almost Here!

Since we’re sure you’ve got other things on your mind this week, we’ll keep this post short, sweet, and to the point: filing for the 2015 tax year is almost upon us, and ExpressACAForms is here to help! After you read this blog, feel free to take a break from thinking about your taxes for this week; you’ve earned it. But, for now, take our crash course on preparing yourself for the new Affordable Care Act forms due this coming tax season.

Who?
Anyone who provided at least the minimum essential coverage of health insurance to individuals during any month of the year 2015. This means insurance issuers and carriers, most employers, and designated government program sponsors.

What?
Form 1094-B or 1094-C and Form 1095-B or 1095-C. Insurance issuers and carriers, small employers, and government program sponsors will file Forms 1094-B and 1095-B to report information on the coverage they provided each recipient. Applicable Large Employers (ALEs with 50 or more full-time employees) file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to report their health care coverage details.

When?
You’ll need to get the copies of your forms to your recipients by February 1, 2016. Normally, these forms are due January 31, but in 2016 that day falls on a Sunday. If you paper file your forms with the IRS, you’ll need to send them in by February 29, 2016; and if you choose to e-file, your forms need to be transmitted to the IRS by March 31, 2016.

Where?
At ExpressACAForms.com, of course! It’s the easiest and quickest way to file your ACA forms. And if you need any help on the way, you’ve got access to the best customer service in the biz: we’re available by phone (704-839-2270) and live chat Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, and offer 24/7 email support at support@expressirsforms.com.

So go celebrate the holidays; we’ll see you when it’s time to file!

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