Health Care Who Qualifies for a Penalty Exemption Under the Affordable Care Act? 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 Jun 3, 2014 - [Updated Sep 19, 2016] 3 min read Are you unsure if you need to sign up for health insurance? Don’t worry, TurboTax has you covered and can help you understand who is exempt from having insurance under the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act requires that all Americans have health insurance starting in 2014. Those who choose to not have insurance will have to pay a tax penalty unless they qualify for an exemption. The tax penalty can also be called an “individual responsibility payment.” The tax penalty is based on family size and income. For 2014, the fee is $95 per adult or one percent of your total yearly income depending on your income and is paid when you file your 2014 federal tax return (the one you file in 2015). The annual fee will increase each year, and the IRS has a free online tool to determine if you’re eligible for an exemption. If you go without coverage for only part of the year, you’ll pay a partial fee; if you’re uninsured for less than three consecutive months, you won’t have to pay a fee at all. But for some Americans who do not already have insurance through their employer, their parents, Medicaid, Medicare, TRICARE, the Veterans health care program, or individual insurance – you may be exempt. The Affordable Care Act exemptions cover a variety of people, like followers of particular religious groups, members of Native American tribes, and people who do not meet the minimum income requirement, for which health care coverage would be considered unaffordable. Most people must have health care coverage or pay the tax penalty, but here’s a list of specific cases where you may be able to get an exemption. Exemptions include: You’re uninsured for less than 3 consecutive months of the year Your lowest-priced coverage option is more than 8% of your household income You don’t have to file a tax return because your income is under the IRS filing requirement ($10,000 if single, 20,000 married filing jointly) You’re a member of a federally recognized tribe or eligible for services through an Indian Health Services provider You’re a member of a recognized health care sharing ministry You’re a member of a recognized religious sect with religious objections to insurance, including Social Security and Medicare You’re incarcerated, and not awaiting the administering of charges against you You’re not lawfully present in the United States, You may qualify for the Cancellation Hardship Exemption if you received a cancellation notice due to your health plan not meeting minimum requirements. You also may qualify for a hardship exemption if your circumstances affected your ability to purchase health coverage A complete list of exemptions is available at Healthcare.gov. How to apply for exemptions Do you qualify for one of these conditions? If so, then what’s next? If you’ve been uninsured for less than three consecutive months of the year, or you aren’t lawfully present in the U.S., you don’t need to apply for an exemption. This will be handled when you file your 2014 taxes next year. Also, if you don’t have to file a tax return because your income is too low, you don’t need to apply. You can claim certain other exemptions on your 2014 tax return when you file in 2015, such as exemptions based on coverage being unaffordable or being a member of a federally recognized tribe or ministry. For all other exemptions, you’ll have to submit an application to the Health Insurance Marketplace along with required documentation in certain cases. Different exemptions require different forms, so be sure to apply with the correct form. You can find and print all of the forms here. Previous Post Spring Cleaning and Charitable Giving Tips Next Post What Life Events Qualify for a Special Enrollment Period Under… Written by TurboTaxBlogTeam More from TurboTaxBlogTeam 64 responses to “Who Qualifies for a Penalty Exemption Under the Affordable Care Act?” I work at a clinic and I work in the lab. The clinic has changed lab companies 2 times not allowing me the chance to get insurance and when I finally did, it doesn’t start until Jan 1. This stretch was from Sept to December. Why am I required to pay the penalty it wasn’t my fault… Reply Hi Sha, Sorry about the changes in your employer that didn’t allow you to get insurance, but the law only allows no more than a 2 month consecutive lapse in insurance. You may be able to qualify for an exemption from the penalty. You can check TurboTax exemption check to see if you qualify https://turbotax.intuit.com/health-care/exemptions/#!/exemption-home. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Hi I worked thru a temporary agency with my current employer until they hired me on March of 2015, but they never offered me their health insurance because they said the enrollment was already closed (they only do a one time enrollment in November of every year) so I was not able to get in their health insurance plan, does that mean I will have to pay the penalty fee for having no insurance for the whole year 2015 or is any way I can get an exemption when filing my income taxes Reply Hello, I’m 21 and depedent on my taxes. I had health insurance but it was removed once I had a job over the summer. By the time my job offered me health insurance I had to leave to school. I made around 5500. How much of a penalty would I have to pay? Reply My wife is a stay-at-home mother without medical coverage. We’ve been paying the Obamacare penalty because it’s automatically taken off our electronically-filed return. Because we file joint, does that negate her eligibility for an exemption for insufficient income? She has $0.00 income individually, but does the application of the penalty for a person filing joint get based on the combined income of the married couple? Reply Hello! I was under 26 and on my parents’ insurance until May and then got insurance for June-December through the marketplace. How can I show this legitimate reason on my turbotax form? Also, is there a place for me to upload my 1095a’s that I received from healthcare.gov? Thank you! Reply Hello, I had a job at one company; that i had insurance thru,changed jobs and got hurt. I’m on workers comp. Insurance. My injury will take about 1 year to recoup from surgery,and apply for insurance thru company. What are my opitons? Thank you j.miller. Reply I am a single mother with two sons, 22 and 24 and a 17 year old daughter. I cannot afford to cover my kids through my work. It would cost me nearly 500 a month. Both sons work and are in college but don’t have access to other health insurance as they don’t work enough to qualify for it or to pay for it. What are our options? Reply Will Turbo Tax guide and handle my situation? I am a resident of Japan and subscribe to the national insurance. I don’t see this situation listed for an exemption. Reply If you are self employed and only made $16,000 for the year do you still need to file taxes (because of SS)? If you do have to file because of SS would the exemption still apply since it is under the amount required? Reply Is Vision and/or Dental cost considered part of the Affordable Care Act requirements for health insurance when calculating the 8% of your household income? Reply I applied for an exemption months ago and have yet to hear anything. I have called our state marketplace and the ACA contact number as well and no one knows where I can check on the status of my exemption. So basically if I never receive anything in the mail I’m SOL????? Reply They are overwhelmed with exemption applications which they did not expect. If it’s been over 3 months you may want to apply again. Reply I have a registered company in Texas but I live overseas. This company business has been reduced to a small number of transactions. I rarely come to the USA and I conduct my business all via phone and internet. I export goods overseas. I prepare my taxes as if I am resident in Texas since I have an active company/office/bank account/driver’s license/voter’s reg card Do i have to get health inssurance Reply Maybe. Read the exemption for living outside to the US. It’s possible you can qualify for it. Reply HI was on medicad for both myself and my son. until recently i was sent a copy for renewal fill out form and never heard from the office call and was told that it was cancelled we no longer qualified. I am working but the insurance is too expensive to cover both my son and i what are my options now that we both don’t have any ins. we both live in NJ. thanks Sapphire Reply Read the hardship exemption and see if you qualify. I believe it states that if the premium if more than 8% of your income then you are exempt. You may also qualify for exemption under the hardship of a cancelled insurance plan. Reply My fiance has not been able to find a job since 2011 so I claim him as a dependent on my taxes but i cant afford insurance for him. Will i be charged the penalty? Should i not claim him on my taxes, even thoygh i pay for all the bills? Reply Hi Jessica, Since you are not married and he would have to file as single you would not be responsible for the penalty. Because he has not worked, if he has not earned any income he would most likely be exempt from the penalty and the requirement to purchase health insurance since he falls under the exemption of not earning enough income to meet the IRS filing requirement. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply same question as jessica except i am married would i have to pay thd penalty if my son dont work if i claom him Hello, what if you live overseas full-time, except for a few weeks a year in the USA.? Still a US citizen…… Reply Hi Dan, As long as you spend at least 330 days out of the year outside the U.S., you should qualify to be exempt from the health care penalty fee. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at https://turbotax.intuit.com/health-care/ Reply If you do not live in the US, you are not required to have this insurance. Mary Ellen Reply I am unemployed, and live for more than 1 year outside US in a foreign country.now I am back home.still do I need to apply? Reply Hi abdou, If you spend 330 days of the year or more outside the U.S., you don’t need to submit an application to be exempt from the health care penalty fee. We can handle it on your taxes. If you come back to the U.S. and are unemployed, you could qualify for Medicaid in your state. See what the new health care law means for you at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com Reply I am unemployed and live outside US for more than 1 year now.do I have to apply though? Reply If you are not a resident of the US you are not required to be covered under the ACA. Mary Ellen Reply Texas women’s health plan….does this qualify as health coverage. U get birth control and yearly exams Reply Coverage for a specific disease or condition, and plans that solely offer discounts on medical services do not count as minimum essential coverage under the ACA. Reply Hi thomasandcassondra08, It looks like the Texas Women’s Health Plan doesn’t meet the minimum requirements under the Affordable Care Act to qualify as health insurance. But because Texas didn’t expand Medicaid, you might be exempt from the health care penalty fee. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply If all the plan covers is birth control and yearly exams, it does not cover the essential health benefits required by the ACA. It will not be eligible for the tax credit, and may not be protection from the tax penalties. Mary Ellen Reply I am married to a person who is not in this country legally. Am I required to insure him and if he does not have insurance will I have to pay a penalty if he is my dependant on my taxes. He does not work at this time. I have been paying for his medical needs out of pocket as my employers charge to add him to my insurance is far more than paying out of pocket. Reply People who are not lawfully present in the US can file for exemption from healthcare. You can apply for the exemption on your tax return or get a form here: https://www.healthcare.gov/exemptions/ Reply Joann, Your husband does not qualify to purchase insurance or to receive the credit. As an undocumented immigrant he is not covered by the mandate to have insurance and there will be no penalty for him. Mary Ellen Reply I go to the VA hospital for medical treatments, and I have Medicare A&B. My wife has Medicare A, B, &D. We both are on Social Security. Are we exempt from this penalty to healthcare ??? Reply Yes. You have insurance Reply Medicare qualifies as valid health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. You will NOT be subject to a penalty. Reply You and your wife are all set. Having Medicare A meets the Affordable Care Act requirement to have insurance, so you won’t owe a penalty fee. Reply Medicare is considered Minimum Essential Coverage. You should not incur a penalty as long as you carry Medicare. Reply Hi Allen, If you have Medicare you are covered. You are exempt from the penalty. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Lisa quick question? I have insurance but if doesn’t meet the definition because it excludes abortion, birth contro, pediatrics. I am Catholic and in my mid 50’s and I refuse to pay more than I’m paying now and don’t want or need the items excluded. is it possible to get a religious exemption? And if so how? My current provider refuses to accept the ACA payment, because it is much lower than my old insurance. I’ve been unable to locate an acceptable doctor even though many are listed as accepting new patients. Total premiums for ACA are 20 % more, including subsidies, than my old insurance, yet doctor’s recieve 20 % less for services. HARDSHIP ??? Reply The definition of Minimum Essential Coverage includes a provision for affordability. This may be worth following up. Reply i have a chronic condtion for which I have regular acupuncture treatments and chinese medicine. None of the insurers on obamacare cover acupuncture, and I cannot afford to pay for both. Can I get an exemption? Reply Where it says an exemption is: ■Your lowest-priced coverage option is more than 8% of your household income Is that for the Premiums, the deductions, or both? Reply Hi Vicky, This refers to the total cost of insurance. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply What if you are a full time student and you are no longer employed due to the elimination of the FWS program at your University. I’m seeking employment opportunities but nothing has come through as of yet. Reply Hi Aurielle, If you’re under 26, you’re eligible to be on your parents’ plan, which would meet the requirements of the law. Otherwise, if if the lowest-priced plan in your area is 8% of your income or more, you could be be exempt from the health care penalty fee. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply I haven’t worked since 2011 & had unemployment til 2012, and still unemployed. With no income do I still have to pay a 95.00 fee and I tried for all the florida programs and I dont qualify either because of my age or not having kids. Reply Sounds like you may qualify for a subsidy from the government toward the cost of your healthcare. Talk to someone at healthcare.gov. Reply Hi Tara, Because your income is low and Florida did not expand Medicaid, you could be eligible to get your penalty fee waived. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply My son is turning 26 at the end of this year. He is no longer eligible under our health insurance, but is unemployed and unable to afford his own premium. Although he is claimed as a dependent on our taxes, with only one income, we can’t afford the monthly premiums to get him health insurance. Will we still have to pay the penalty? Reply Are you taking into consideration that there is government subsidy available based on income? Talk to someone at healthcare.gov Reply Hi H. Ortiz, If you claim your son as a dependent, you will likely have to pay a penalty of either $95 or 1% of your income, whichever is greater. However, if your son files independently, his lack of income could make him exempt from the penalty. For you, it’s a matter of numbers. If the deduction you get for claiming your son as a dependent is greater than the penalty you would pay, you might still want to claim him. Otherwise, he might want to file on his own. See more about what the new health care law means for you at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply I’m 59 & lucky to have a PT job but it doesn’t provide health insurance & I take home about $200 weekly. I can’t find affordable insurance & Obamacare is just scary !!! What can I do? Reply Re: Mary Repko’s post on July 22, 2014. – Age and similar work scenario. – No tax refund anticipated; have had to pay for last 3 or 4 years. Suggestions? Thanks. Reply Hi Mary, Depending on your home state, you could be eligible for Medicaid or low-cost health insurance. If your state didn’t expand Medicaid or your options still more than 8% of your income, you could be exempt from the health care penalty fee. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply I was in the navy 1970. I SIGNED WITH VA. For healthcare. I have not used it yet. Do I still need obamacare. Will I have to pay tax penalty if I dont buy in to obamacare Reply Hi Gregory, No your health care should qualify for the insurance requirement. You will not have to a pay a penalty. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply It is correct, the VA insurance signed up for complies with coverage, no penalty. I would tell you to use it though, there are some exclusions if your not in the active VA system of usage with them. (even a once a year physical is good) Reply I have coverage through my union , ibew. Do I need to be aware of any minimum requirements my coverage might be in violation of?… Reply Hi Bobby Stewart, If you have health care coverage through your union, it probably meets the minimum requirements set forth by the Affordable Care Act and won’t have to pay a penalty. See more about what the new health care law means for you at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply Excellent summary for all of those who finds this government initiative confusing. Exact and and one page. Love it! Reply Thank you John. Please continue to check back for more up to date information. 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I work at a clinic and I work in the lab. The clinic has changed lab companies 2 times not allowing me the chance to get insurance and when I finally did, it doesn’t start until Jan 1. This stretch was from Sept to December. Why am I required to pay the penalty it wasn’t my fault… Reply
Hi Sha, Sorry about the changes in your employer that didn’t allow you to get insurance, but the law only allows no more than a 2 month consecutive lapse in insurance. You may be able to qualify for an exemption from the penalty. You can check TurboTax exemption check to see if you qualify https://turbotax.intuit.com/health-care/exemptions/#!/exemption-home. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Hi I worked thru a temporary agency with my current employer until they hired me on March of 2015, but they never offered me their health insurance because they said the enrollment was already closed (they only do a one time enrollment in November of every year) so I was not able to get in their health insurance plan, does that mean I will have to pay the penalty fee for having no insurance for the whole year 2015 or is any way I can get an exemption when filing my income taxes Reply
Hello, I’m 21 and depedent on my taxes. I had health insurance but it was removed once I had a job over the summer. By the time my job offered me health insurance I had to leave to school. I made around 5500. How much of a penalty would I have to pay? Reply
My wife is a stay-at-home mother without medical coverage. We’ve been paying the Obamacare penalty because it’s automatically taken off our electronically-filed return. Because we file joint, does that negate her eligibility for an exemption for insufficient income? She has $0.00 income individually, but does the application of the penalty for a person filing joint get based on the combined income of the married couple? Reply
Hello! I was under 26 and on my parents’ insurance until May and then got insurance for June-December through the marketplace. How can I show this legitimate reason on my turbotax form? Also, is there a place for me to upload my 1095a’s that I received from healthcare.gov? Thank you! Reply
Hello, I had a job at one company; that i had insurance thru,changed jobs and got hurt. I’m on workers comp. Insurance. My injury will take about 1 year to recoup from surgery,and apply for insurance thru company. What are my opitons? Thank you j.miller. Reply
I am a single mother with two sons, 22 and 24 and a 17 year old daughter. I cannot afford to cover my kids through my work. It would cost me nearly 500 a month. Both sons work and are in college but don’t have access to other health insurance as they don’t work enough to qualify for it or to pay for it. What are our options? Reply
Will Turbo Tax guide and handle my situation? I am a resident of Japan and subscribe to the national insurance. I don’t see this situation listed for an exemption. Reply
If you are self employed and only made $16,000 for the year do you still need to file taxes (because of SS)? If you do have to file because of SS would the exemption still apply since it is under the amount required? Reply
Is Vision and/or Dental cost considered part of the Affordable Care Act requirements for health insurance when calculating the 8% of your household income? Reply
I applied for an exemption months ago and have yet to hear anything. I have called our state marketplace and the ACA contact number as well and no one knows where I can check on the status of my exemption. So basically if I never receive anything in the mail I’m SOL????? Reply
They are overwhelmed with exemption applications which they did not expect. If it’s been over 3 months you may want to apply again. Reply
I have a registered company in Texas but I live overseas. This company business has been reduced to a small number of transactions. I rarely come to the USA and I conduct my business all via phone and internet. I export goods overseas. I prepare my taxes as if I am resident in Texas since I have an active company/office/bank account/driver’s license/voter’s reg card Do i have to get health inssurance Reply
HI was on medicad for both myself and my son. until recently i was sent a copy for renewal fill out form and never heard from the office call and was told that it was cancelled we no longer qualified. I am working but the insurance is too expensive to cover both my son and i what are my options now that we both don’t have any ins. we both live in NJ. thanks Sapphire Reply
Read the hardship exemption and see if you qualify. I believe it states that if the premium if more than 8% of your income then you are exempt. You may also qualify for exemption under the hardship of a cancelled insurance plan. Reply
My fiance has not been able to find a job since 2011 so I claim him as a dependent on my taxes but i cant afford insurance for him. Will i be charged the penalty? Should i not claim him on my taxes, even thoygh i pay for all the bills? Reply
Hi Jessica, Since you are not married and he would have to file as single you would not be responsible for the penalty. Because he has not worked, if he has not earned any income he would most likely be exempt from the penalty and the requirement to purchase health insurance since he falls under the exemption of not earning enough income to meet the IRS filing requirement. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
same question as jessica except i am married would i have to pay thd penalty if my son dont work if i claom him
Hello, what if you live overseas full-time, except for a few weeks a year in the USA.? Still a US citizen…… Reply
Hi Dan, As long as you spend at least 330 days out of the year outside the U.S., you should qualify to be exempt from the health care penalty fee. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at https://turbotax.intuit.com/health-care/ Reply
I am unemployed, and live for more than 1 year outside US in a foreign country.now I am back home.still do I need to apply? Reply
Hi abdou, If you spend 330 days of the year or more outside the U.S., you don’t need to submit an application to be exempt from the health care penalty fee. We can handle it on your taxes. If you come back to the U.S. and are unemployed, you could qualify for Medicaid in your state. See what the new health care law means for you at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com Reply
If you are not a resident of the US you are not required to be covered under the ACA. Mary Ellen Reply
Texas women’s health plan….does this qualify as health coverage. U get birth control and yearly exams Reply
Coverage for a specific disease or condition, and plans that solely offer discounts on medical services do not count as minimum essential coverage under the ACA. Reply
Hi thomasandcassondra08, It looks like the Texas Women’s Health Plan doesn’t meet the minimum requirements under the Affordable Care Act to qualify as health insurance. But because Texas didn’t expand Medicaid, you might be exempt from the health care penalty fee. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply
If all the plan covers is birth control and yearly exams, it does not cover the essential health benefits required by the ACA. It will not be eligible for the tax credit, and may not be protection from the tax penalties. Mary Ellen Reply
I am married to a person who is not in this country legally. Am I required to insure him and if he does not have insurance will I have to pay a penalty if he is my dependant on my taxes. He does not work at this time. I have been paying for his medical needs out of pocket as my employers charge to add him to my insurance is far more than paying out of pocket. Reply
People who are not lawfully present in the US can file for exemption from healthcare. You can apply for the exemption on your tax return or get a form here: https://www.healthcare.gov/exemptions/ Reply
Joann, Your husband does not qualify to purchase insurance or to receive the credit. As an undocumented immigrant he is not covered by the mandate to have insurance and there will be no penalty for him. Mary Ellen Reply
I go to the VA hospital for medical treatments, and I have Medicare A&B. My wife has Medicare A, B, &D. We both are on Social Security. Are we exempt from this penalty to healthcare ??? Reply
Medicare qualifies as valid health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. You will NOT be subject to a penalty. Reply
You and your wife are all set. Having Medicare A meets the Affordable Care Act requirement to have insurance, so you won’t owe a penalty fee. Reply
Medicare is considered Minimum Essential Coverage. You should not incur a penalty as long as you carry Medicare. Reply
Hi Allen, If you have Medicare you are covered. You are exempt from the penalty. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Lisa quick question? I have insurance but if doesn’t meet the definition because it excludes abortion, birth contro, pediatrics. I am Catholic and in my mid 50’s and I refuse to pay more than I’m paying now and don’t want or need the items excluded. is it possible to get a religious exemption? And if so how?
My current provider refuses to accept the ACA payment, because it is much lower than my old insurance. I’ve been unable to locate an acceptable doctor even though many are listed as accepting new patients. Total premiums for ACA are 20 % more, including subsidies, than my old insurance, yet doctor’s recieve 20 % less for services. HARDSHIP ??? Reply
The definition of Minimum Essential Coverage includes a provision for affordability. This may be worth following up. Reply
i have a chronic condtion for which I have regular acupuncture treatments and chinese medicine. None of the insurers on obamacare cover acupuncture, and I cannot afford to pay for both. Can I get an exemption? Reply
Where it says an exemption is: ■Your lowest-priced coverage option is more than 8% of your household income Is that for the Premiums, the deductions, or both? Reply
What if you are a full time student and you are no longer employed due to the elimination of the FWS program at your University. I’m seeking employment opportunities but nothing has come through as of yet. Reply
Hi Aurielle, If you’re under 26, you’re eligible to be on your parents’ plan, which would meet the requirements of the law. Otherwise, if if the lowest-priced plan in your area is 8% of your income or more, you could be be exempt from the health care penalty fee. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply
I haven’t worked since 2011 & had unemployment til 2012, and still unemployed. With no income do I still have to pay a 95.00 fee and I tried for all the florida programs and I dont qualify either because of my age or not having kids. Reply
Sounds like you may qualify for a subsidy from the government toward the cost of your healthcare. Talk to someone at healthcare.gov. Reply
Hi Tara, Because your income is low and Florida did not expand Medicaid, you could be eligible to get your penalty fee waived. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply
My son is turning 26 at the end of this year. He is no longer eligible under our health insurance, but is unemployed and unable to afford his own premium. Although he is claimed as a dependent on our taxes, with only one income, we can’t afford the monthly premiums to get him health insurance. Will we still have to pay the penalty? Reply
Are you taking into consideration that there is government subsidy available based on income? Talk to someone at healthcare.gov Reply
Hi H. Ortiz, If you claim your son as a dependent, you will likely have to pay a penalty of either $95 or 1% of your income, whichever is greater. However, if your son files independently, his lack of income could make him exempt from the penalty. For you, it’s a matter of numbers. If the deduction you get for claiming your son as a dependent is greater than the penalty you would pay, you might still want to claim him. Otherwise, he might want to file on his own. See more about what the new health care law means for you at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply
I’m 59 & lucky to have a PT job but it doesn’t provide health insurance & I take home about $200 weekly. I can’t find affordable insurance & Obamacare is just scary !!! What can I do? Reply
Re: Mary Repko’s post on July 22, 2014. – Age and similar work scenario. – No tax refund anticipated; have had to pay for last 3 or 4 years. Suggestions? Thanks. Reply
Hi Mary, Depending on your home state, you could be eligible for Medicaid or low-cost health insurance. If your state didn’t expand Medicaid or your options still more than 8% of your income, you could be exempt from the health care penalty fee. See what the new health care law means for you and whether you qualify for a penalty exemption at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply
I was in the navy 1970. I SIGNED WITH VA. For healthcare. I have not used it yet. Do I still need obamacare. Will I have to pay tax penalty if I dont buy in to obamacare Reply
Hi Gregory, No your health care should qualify for the insurance requirement. You will not have to a pay a penalty. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
It is correct, the VA insurance signed up for complies with coverage, no penalty. I would tell you to use it though, there are some exclusions if your not in the active VA system of usage with them. (even a once a year physical is good) Reply
I have coverage through my union , ibew. Do I need to be aware of any minimum requirements my coverage might be in violation of?… Reply
Hi Bobby Stewart, If you have health care coverage through your union, it probably meets the minimum requirements set forth by the Affordable Care Act and won’t have to pay a penalty. See more about what the new health care law means for you at http://www.turbotaxhealth.com. Reply
Excellent summary for all of those who finds this government initiative confusing. Exact and and one page. Love it! Reply
Thank you John. Please continue to check back for more up to date information. Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply