irs reporting requirements: section 6055 and 6056
DESCRIPTION
IRS Reporting Requirements: Section 6055 and 6056TRANSCRIPT
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New IRS Reporting
Requirements
Enforcement of the Individual and Employer Mandates
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New tax reporting requirements are the
foundation of IRS enforcement of various
tax provisions of the ACA
Individual mandate (IRC section 5000A)
Employer mandate (IRC section 4980H)
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The purpose of the 6055 filing is to track compliance with the individual mandate to purchase coverage.
Section 6055 requires employers that sponsor self-funded plans and insurance companies, on behalf of
fully-insured group plans, to file an annual report with
the IRS; and
Issue an annual statements to individuals indicating the calendar months in a given year in which
individuals were enrolled.
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Section 6056 has three purposes:
(1) to provide IRS with the information it needs to assess a penalty on an employer that
fails to follow the Pay or Play rules;
(2) to provide IRS with the information it needs to determine whether an individual is
eligible to receive tax credits and subsidies;
and
(3) to provide information to individuals so they can understand whether they are
eligible for tax subsidies.
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Like the Section 6055 filing requirements,
Section 6056 requires applicable large
employers
to file an annual return with the IRS; and Issue annual statements to full-time
employees about the coverage to the
employee.
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The insurance company is responsible for the 6055 and 6056 filing
requirements for fully-insured small and
large plans.
Plan sponsors are responsible for self-funded plans.
Who Files
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Employers under 50 FTEs --- Report under section 6055 and File Forms 1095-B (Health Coverage Information)
and 1094-B (Transmittal Health Coverage
Information Returns).
Employers 50 FTEs and over Report under 6056 and File on Form 1095-C (Employer-Provider Health
Insurance Offer and Coverage) and 1094-C
(Transmittal of Employer-Provider Health
Insurance Offer and Coverage).
WHAT GETS FILED
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What must be reported?
(1) Name, address and EIN of reporting entity.
(2) Name, address, and TIN (i.e. SS#) for most
responsible individuals.
(3) Name and TIN of each covered individual.
(4) Months when the individual was covered during
the calendar year.
(5) For insured group health plans, the name, address
and EIN of the employer sponsoring the plan.
(6) Whether coverage is a QHP enrolled through the
SHOP exchange, and the SHOPs unique identifier.
6055 Reporting: What is Reported?
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What Must Be Reported?
Name, address, and employer identification number
(EIN) of the ALE member (employer).
Name and telephone number of the ALE members
(employers) contact person (which can be an
employee or agent of the employer).
Calendar year for which the information is reported.
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6055 Reporting: What is Reported?
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Certification as to whether the employer offered its full-time employees and their dependents the opportunity to enroll in
minimum essential coverage under a eligible employer-sponsored
plan, by calendar month
The months during the calendar year that minimum essential coverage under the plan was available
Each full-time employees share of the lowest cost monthly premium (self-only) for coverage providing minimum value
offered to that full-time employee under an applicable employer-
sponsored plan, by calendar month
6055 Reporting: What is Reported?
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Number of full-time employees for each month during the calendar year.
Name, address and taxpayer identification number (TIN) of each full-time employee during the calendar
year and the months, if any, during which the
employee was covered under the plan.
Note: the TIN of the spouse or dependent is not
required
Any other information prescribed by forms or instructions.
6055 Reporting: What is Reported?
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Penalties may apply for a failure to file a return to IRS or furnish statement to individuals.
Very generally, may be up to $100 per return, with a maximum of $1.5 million.
Waiver available where failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect .
Limited relief for returns and statements filed or furnished in 2016 (for 2015 coverage), if incorrect or
incomplete information is reported.
6055 Reporting: Penalties
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Employees also must be provided individual information annually on or before January 31, and can
be included with the W-2 mailing.
The information provided is the same information that the employer or insurer filed with the IRS for that
particular individual.
EMPLOYEE MAILINGS
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Employers with 250 or more returns must file electronically by March 31, 2016.
Employers under 250 may file manually no later than file February 28, 2016.
FILING DEADLINES