Health Care All You Need to Know About Advanced Premium Tax Credits Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by TurboTaxBlogTeam Published Jan 15, 2016 - [Updated Sep 30, 2016] 2 min read Americans often wonder what exactly an advanced premium tax credit (APTC) is and how it could offset the costs of a health insurance plan. To start, if you have purchased or are considering purchasing Marketplace insurance, you may be one of the millions of Americans eligible for an APTC to help pay for health insurance premiums. How does it work? Using your projected annual household income and household size, the Marketplace estimates what your 2016 premium tax credit will be when you apply. The process to determine your premium tax credit also depends on several variables like marriage status, location, dependents, etc. What does this mean for my taxes? Starting in February, all Marketplace enrollees will receive Form 1095-A which will include information regarding your health insurance coverage such as your monthly premium cost, the date you were insured, and your APTC. When you file your 2015 taxes with TurboTax, you will enter the information from the Form 1095-A just like you would a W-2. TurboTax calculates the APTC’s you were eligible for based on your actual income and family size. But don’t worry, TurboTax makes reporting the APTC you were eligible for easy by doing the calculations for you based on your entries! All ACA related tax forms are included at no extra cost through TurboTax. You can also check out a free tool the IRS provides to estimate your tax credit. What if I calculated incorrectly? If you overestimated your income when you applied for a subsidy, you may see a larger tax credit on your taxes if you took your health insurance tax credits up front on the Marketplace. However, if you underestimated, you may see a lower tax refund and in some cases you may owe money back. It may be possible to reduce your income and avoid paying back and APTC if for example you pay into your IRA before April 15th. Moving forward for 2016, in order to receive the most accurate APTC, make sure to notify the Marketplace about any changes in your circumstances as soon as they happen. And if it’s possible, TurboTax recommends only taking half of the APTC up front to avoid any surprises come tax time. Some of the changes in circumstances that can affect the amount of your ATPC and should be reported to the Marketplace include: Increases or decreases in household income Marriage/Divorce Birth or adoption of a child Other changes in household composition Gaining or losing eligibility for government-sponsored or employer-sponsored health care coverage Change of address Have more questions about the Affordable Care Act and how it impacts your taxes and finances? Don’t sweat it, TurboTax has you covered. Go to TurboTax Health to get your questions answered. Previous Post Skip Automatic Renewals: Shop Around for a Better Deal Next Post Get Your 1095 InFORMation from TurboTax Written by TurboTaxBlogTeam More from TurboTaxBlogTeam Leave a ReplyCancel reply Browse Related Articles Crypto Understanding Crypto and Capital Gains Work 7 Things You Need to Know About the New Business Report… Work Using Form 8829 to Write-Off Business Use of Your Home Tax Tips Roth 403(b) vs. Roth IRA: Which Should You Invest In? Life Interest Rates, Inflation, and Your Taxes Investments Essential Tax Tips for Maximizing Investment Gains Uncategorized TurboTax is Partnering with Saweetie to Elevate Hoop Dr… Business Small Business Owners: Optimize Your Taxes with a Mid-Y… Small Business The Benefits of Employing Your Children and the Tax Bre… Income and Investments Are Olympics Winnings Taxed?