Affordable Care Act Transmittal Forms 1094-B and 1094-C

Did you know that there’s more to your Affordable Care Act return than just Form 1095-B or 1095-C? That’s right: your ACA forms must be sent with a transmittal return, either Form 1094-B or 1094-C, each year.

Form 1094-B
Submitted with Forms 1095-B is Form 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns. The majority of Form 1094-B consists of basic information about the filer, including name, EIN, and contact information. On Form 1094-B, the filer also needs to report the number of Forms 1095-B submitted with the transmittal form.

Form 1094-B also requires the filer’s signature, title, and date before it can be submitted with the complete ACA return.

Form 1094-C
Form 1094-C, Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns, which is submitted with 1095-C Forms, is a bit more complex than Form 1094-B. Because it requires more information, Form 1094-C is split into three parts:

• Part I: Applicable Large Employer Member (ALE Member)
• Part I includes all the basic information about the ALE whose ACA report this 1094-C belongs to, including the name, EIN, address, and person of contact.
• Lines 9-16 of Part I are filled out if the filer is a Designated Governmental Entity (DGE) filing on behalf of an employer. So in some instances, these lines will need to be left blank.
• On line 18 of Part I, the total number of 1095-C forms accompanying the 1094-C is included.
• And lastly, if this Form 1094-C is the authoritative transmittal for an ALE member in a group return, the box on line 19 should be checked. There can only be one authoritative transmittal filed for each employer.
• Part II: ALE Member Information
• In Part II of Form 1094-C, the filer will provide information on whether or not they’re a member of an Aggregated ALE Group. They’ll also need to include the total number of 1095-C forms filed by and/or on behalf of the ALE member and indicate if they apply for any Certifications of Eligibility.
• If the filer has multiple returns, they only need to fill out Part II on the authoritative transmittal Form 1094-C (as indicated by line 19).
• Part III: ALE Member Information - Monthly
• In Part III, filers indicate how many full-time employees and total employees they had each month of the year.
• Part IV: Other ALE Members of Aggregated ALE Group
• If the filer is a part of an Aggregated ALE Group and checked “Yes” on line 21 of Form 1094-C, they’ll need to complete Part IV.
• In Part IV, the filer lists the names and EINs of other ALE members of the Aggregated ALE Group.

Questions?
So there you have it: Forms 1094-B and 1094-C. If you have any further questions about these forms or how to e-file them, don’t hesitate to contact us here at ExpressACAForms! You can give us a call (704-839-2270) or send us a live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. Can’t make it then? Just send us an email to support@ExpressACAForms.com and we’ll get back with you as soon as possible!

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Understanding ACA Form 1095-B

When we talk about the information returns associated with Affordable Care Act, we tend to get hung up on Form 1095-C. It makes sense: Form 1095-C is the form Applicable Large Employers file and they’re the “insurance providers” going through the most changes thanks to the ACA. (And “most change” tends to mean “most attention.”)

That’s why we’re taking this post to talk exclusively about Form 1095-B!

Purpose of the Form
Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, is used to report information to the IRS and taxpayers about the minimum essential coverage of health insurance provided by the filer.

And in case you need a reminder: minimum essential coverage (or MEC) is the least amount of coverage legally required for taxpayers to have each year. While it’s the individual taxpayer’s responsibility to make sure they have coverage that meets MEC, it’s also the responsibility of insurance providers to offer MEC plans as set by the ACA.

Who Needs to File Form 1095-B
Generally, every person that provides MEC to individuals during the calendar year must file Form 1095-B to report the coverage. This does exclude certain employers (ALEs) and government employers who are subject to the employer shared responsibility provisions and therefore must file Form 1095-C.

In other words, health insurance issuers and carriers for most health insurance coverage, including individual market coverage and insured coverage sponsored by employers, as well as small employers need to file Form 1095-B for each covered individual each year.

When to File
If you need to file Form 1095-B with the IRS, you must do so at the beginning of the year following the year you offered coverage. And how you plan to file determines when you’ll need to file.

If you’re sending in paper copies to the IRS, you must submit Form 1095-B, along with its transmittal form, Form 1094-B, by February 28 (or 29). If you plan to e-file, you have until March 31. Keep in mind that if your due date ends up falling on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

And speaking of “automatically extended,” you can get an automatic 30-day extension of time to file your 1095-B forms if you file Form 8809 with the IRS by your original deadline.

And How to File
The more traditional way to file your ACA return is to mail it in each year. While the IRS recommends everyone e-file, you really only have to if you have more than 250 forms to file. So if you’re planning for traditional, mail Form 1094-B and your 1095-B forms by your deadline to:

• Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Center, Austin, TX 73301
• If your principal business is in: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, or West Virginia
• Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Center, Kansas City, MO 64999
• If your principal business is in: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin, or Wyoming

Of course, if you’re looking for a faster, easier, more secure way to file, then you should e-file with ExpressACAForms! With ExpressACAForms, you don’t have to fill out each individual form by hand before mailing it in, which can leave you susceptible to human error and at the mercy of the postal system. Instead, just upload the the ACA information you have using our bulk upload spreadsheet or one of your own, review the forms our program creates for you, and securely e-file them directly with the IRS.

If you have any other questions regarding Form 1095-B or e-filing your ACA return, give us a call! We’re always happy to help. We’re available at (704) 839-2270 and through live chat on our website Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m ET and we offer 24/7 customer assistance via email at support@ExpressACAForms.com!

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Brush Up on Your ACA Knowledge

There’s no better time than the present to brush up on your ACA knowledge. Mostly because, at this present moment, you’ve come across the ExpressACAForms blog on the subject!

Listen, we figure you’re in one of three situations with your ACA filing: 1. You’re done with your 2015 filing and are trying to forget about 2016’s until it’s time to file 2016’s.; 2. You’re still making corrections and trying to complete your 2015 return.; or 3. You’re just blowing it off altogether.

In all of these situations, you stand to benefit from a little ACA know-how. That’s where we come in.

Below are a few tips about ACA filing that you’ll want to keep in mind - yes, even now, in late August. January will be here before we know it, and the filing period for ACA will be shorter than it was this year. So you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared by staying up-to-date on ACA info.

• For starters, to elaborate on our last point there, for the 2015 tax year, the IRS extended the due dates of ACA Forms 1094 and 1095 by two or more months. So far, for the 2016 tax year, they have no plans to do so, so your forms will have to be e-filed by March 31, three months earlier than this past year. Additionally, your recipient copies will need to be sent out by January 31, along with your 1099s and W-2s.
• Applicable Large Employers, those with 50 or more full-time employees, are still required to offer health insurance coverage to those employees. This coverage must meet the minimum essential coverage (MEC) requirements as stated by the ACA, and you’ll have to pay a penalty for each uncovered employee. This penalty is slated to increase each year from here on out, so you may want to set up a plan sooner rather than later.
• If you have more than 250 forms to file, you’re required by the IRS to e-file. You’ll need to make sure you have a system or program in place (like ExpressACAForms!) to handle getting your forms to the IRS.
• If you file late or not at all, the IRS is issuing penalties in the coming year. They were lenient this past year, forgiving late fees for those who could prove they made the effort to file on time. That won’t be their policy anymore, however, as we’re past the first year of filing.

And if you filed with ExpressACAForms last year, the good news is you’re already a few steps ahead! Since our program is online and cloud-based, rather than a software you have to download and update each year, all of your filing information is saved from year to year. So, when it’s time to file again, all you need to do is update any changes from the year and transmit your return. It’s that simple!


As always, if you have any further questions regarding ACA e-filing, feel free to give us a call! We’re in the office Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET, at (704) 839-2270 and on live chat through our website. We also offer 24/7 customer assistance through our email, support@ExpressACAForms.com.

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ACA Forms: What Your Recipients Should Know

If you’re a frequent flier of our Express tax products blogs, you might experience a little déjà vu when reading this one, because today we’re going to focus on what your employees and recipients should know about the Affordable Care Act information return forms. But bear with us, and we’ll try to spice things up for you as you re-review this information!

When we talk about the new ACA Forms 1094 and 1095, we tend to focus on the employers and the providers of health care coverage. Which makes sense: the responsibility of completing and filing these forms falls on them. But there’s a good chance that, at this point, your employees or recipients have asked you about what they need to know about the new ACA filing requirements.

The more you can do to educate your employees or recipients about Forms 1094 and 1095 and their purposes, the less likely you are to deal with confused and frustrated employees or clients. You may even want to consider sending out a notice or having a meeting to explain these forms and how they’ll affect your recipients.

Quick! Who makes the better detective, Sherlock Holmes or a tax accountant? The tax account: she makes more deductions.

Told ya we’d try to spice things up for you (winky-face emoticon).

Anyway, your employees should know that the ACA requires all employers with 50 or more full-time employees are required to provide affordable health coverage to their employees. These employers and other providers of minimum essential health care coverage will send out a Form 1095 (either B or C) to recipients to provide information about this coverage each January, around the same time they receive their W-2 or 1099s. This form indicates that they had health care coverage for all 12 months, unless they declined enrollment or an error has been made. Let your recipients know who they should contact if an error has been made on their 1095 form. Make sure that if an error does occur, your recipient’s form is updated along with the copy that is transmitted to the IRS.

You can stress the importance of the ACA forms without stressing out your employees or your clients. Make sure there’s someone they can come to who can answer questions about their forms.

And if you need any help with the ACA forms - or keeping stress-free when you file them - don’t hesitate to reach out to us. ExpressACAForms is here for you every step of the way: just give us a call at (704) 839-2270, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; live chat us through our website; or send us an email 24/7 at support@expressirsforms.com!

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But Why ExpressACAForms?

Filing for the 2015 tax year hasn’t even begun yet, but there’s a good chance you’re already tired of hearing about the new Affordable Care Act forms that are required to be filed next year. In fact, there’s a good chance you’re just tired of the Affordable Care Act altogether at this point.

So that probably means you want to get these forms done as quickly and easily as possible so you can focus on other, more important things, right? Unless, of course, you’re the type to close your eyes and ears and shut yourself in your room until the scary, mean form goes away. But since we don’t get to do that so often as adults, you might want to go for the former option with these ACA forms.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to get Forms 1094-B/C and 1095-B/C completed and filed with the IRS is to e-file with ExpressACAForms. If you’ve used one of our other tax filing products (like ExpressTaxFilings or Express990), then you’re probably already familiar with how we break down these complicated IRS forms into easy-to-understand questions. Since you won’t be spending so much time trying to decipher Forms 1094 and 1095, you’ll be able to finish them in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken you to paper file.

ExpressACAForms also saves you time and headaches by making sure your forms are filed and accepted the first time around. We guarantee accurate calculations based on the information you enter, and before anything gets sent to the IRS, our exclusive audit check feature will review your form for any obvious errors.

And, as always, our customer support is beyond stellar. Our team of e-filing experts are located right here in the United States -- Rock Hill, South Carolina to be exact -- and are always happy to help you out. Just give us a call Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at (704) 839-2270, or send us a live chat through our website. We also offer 24/7 email support at support@expressirsforms.com.

Oh, and did we mention that you can e-file your ACA forms for the current 2014 tax year absolutely free? Because you can. So give us a shot, and see why you’ll want to keep filing with ExpressACAForms!

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Benefits of E-filing Form 1095-B/1095-C with ExpressACAForms.com

No one likes hearing they have to do something. Yes, there are some things that we all have to do (the phrase “death and taxes” comes to mind), but isn’t it nice when you have an incentive to do those things?

The IRS doesn’t usually give you much of an incentive when they tell you that you have to do something, they’re more the my-way-or-the-highway types. And now you have to do these Affordable Care Act information returns, putting in time and effort, and for what? To stay within the lines of the law? To NOT pay a $3 million fine? Yeah, okay, avoiding fines isn’t a bad incentive, but it’s not a super fun one either.

Enter ExpressACAForms, your bright light at the end of the ACA reporting tunnel, your end-of-the-year bonus check, your treat for drooling when Pavlov rings the bell. Take a look at some of the great incentives you have for e-filing your Affordable Care Act information returns with ExpressACAForms.com:

Save Time
With ExpressACAForms, a seamless, sophisticated, electronic process is integrated into information filing that is much faster than paper filing. Transmit your form to the IRS and print and mail copies to your recipients all from one service with one website.

Save Money
Yeah, you might find someplace else offering similar service, but rest assured it won’t be at this premier level with the most tax-savvy, comprehensive assistance that you’ve ever experienced. We’re even offering filing of the 2014 tax year for free! You won’t find our value-based pricing anywhere else.

Feel Smarter
Nothing will make you feel like you’re reading Greek like an IRS form (unless, that is, you’re actually reading something written in Greek). ExpressACAForms doesn’t just slap a scanned version of an ACA form on your screen and have you fill in the blanks. We’ve screened every page, section, and question of the original forms and present them as basic “Yes or No” questions. And before the IRS sees anything, our built-in form review will let you know about any mistakes or errors so you can correct them before your final transmission. By the end of your first use, you’ll truly feel like an ExpressACAForms expert.

Stay Safe
ExpressACAForms works closely with the IRS to offer you the utmost in security, simplicity, and accuracy with your e-filing experience. Our site is encrypted, McAfee secure certified, and protected by SSL (Secured Socket Layer). Your information goes directly to the IRS and no one else.

Make Some Friends
Okay, so we can’t promise this friendship won’t be a little one-sided, but when you need us, we’ll be there! ExpressACAForms sports the best in support and technical teams, working hard gaining the most experience within the industry. Our live assistants, based in Rock Hill, South Carolina, know all the ins and outs of the e-filing process. Whenever you need help, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email! We can be reached by phone at (704) 839-2270 and live chat at www.expressacaforms.com, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, and by email 24/7 at support@expressirsforms.com.

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ExpressACAForms.com Reveals Online Software for e-Filing ACA Forms

From the company that brought you such popular software products as UnitWise, ExpressTruckTax, and ExpressTaxFilings comes the revolutionary new software in e-filing: www.ExpressACAForms.com! With ExpressACAForms, you can e-file Forms 1094-B and 1095-B or Forms 1094-C and 1095-C, which are now required to be filed with the IRS under the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. ObamaCare).

E-filing saves you time, money, and the hassle of dealing with the IRS. And if that doesn’t sound like the best way to handle your required information returns, then we’re going to guess you’re one of those people who throws out bubble wrap without popping it too.

The Affordable Care Act requires health insurance companies, employers, and some government entities to provide additional tax information about the people to whom they provide health care coverage. So if you’re going to have to fill out these forms anyway, why not do it the easiest and most secure way possible? (Hint: that way is with ExpressACAForms.)

ExpressACAForms turns the process of filling out Forms 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C into an interview-style process; no more trying to make sense of paragraphs full of tax jargon. You can move through the program at your own pace and even save your progress at any point if something else happens to come up.

Filing your ACA information returns shouldn’t have to be complicated, and with ExpressACAForms, it isn’t. We’ve set things up so that even the newest of e-filers can navigate the program with ease. But if you hit a snag or have a question, our friendly support team of experts located in Rock Hill, South Carolina are happy to help. Give us a call Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST at (704) 839-2270 or email us 24/7 at support@expressirsforms.com.

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