How Do I Get Proof of Health Insurance For Taxes?
The IRS will give you proof of health insurance for your taxes, called Form 1095.
- What is it? A 1095 form or letter is a document you get from the IRS that includes health insurance details you may need when you file your taxes. You can use it to calculate tax credits and deductions.
- How do you get it? It's often sent automatically by the company you work for, insurance company or the marketplace where you bought insurance.
- What do you do with it? You don't need to do anything with the 1095 form. That's because the IRS already has a copy. However, the form's information might come in handy if you choose to itemize deductions on your taxes.
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Do I need to prove I have health insurance for my tax returns?
No, you no longer need to prove you have health insurance on your federal tax returns. This change happened in 2019 when Congress ended the tax penalty for not having health insurance.
You may still get one of three types of tax forms, which show your health insurance information for the 2024 tax year. The type of health insurance tax form you get depends on how you got health insurance.
1095 health insurance tax forms
- Form 1095-A: For marketplace health insurance bought on HealthCare.gov or your state exchange
- Form 1095-B: For plans you bought directly from an insurance company, health insurance through the government (Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP), or plans through your job if you work for a small business
- Form 1095-C: For workplace health insurance if you work for a large company
All 1095 forms will have basic information about your health insurance, including the coverage dates and how much you paid for insurance.
The 1095-A, 1095-B and 1095-C aren't the same. But, they are similar.
Of the three types of 1095s, Form 1095-A is the only one with information about discounts that most people with a marketplace plan get on their health insurance bill, called premium tax credits or subsidies.
If you got these health insurance discounts, you'll need your 1095-A to fill out your income tax return.
You won't need to attach the 1095 to your tax returns. That's because the IRS already has a copy of the form. However, it is a good idea to keep your 1095 with your tax records for reference.
You can use the information on your 1095 to help you fill out your tax return. For example, you can use it to itemize health care costs or calculate if you can deduct your health insurance premiums.
Yes, you'll find what you paid for health insurance on the W2 you get from your job, but the health information on your W2 is an annual summary and a 1095 tax form has more detail.
Form 1095-A
You'll get Form 1095-A if you were enrolled in a marketplace health plan during the past year. The health insurance marketplace (either HealthCare.gov or your state's health care exchange) will send you a form that says you had medical insurance coverage. The form will also have information about your policy.
The 1095-A includes:
- Household members with coverage
- Subsidies you got during the year
- The total amount you paid for health insurance premiums
- Your coverage dates
Learn more from the IRS:
If you got advance premium tax credits or want to apply for the tax credits on your return, you will need the 1095-A information to file your taxes.
By using the 1095-A as proof you have health insurance, you can then complete Form 8962 to file with your tax returns. This will calculate the final amount in premium tax credits you qualify for. You may get more money back on your taxes if you're eligible for more tax credits than you got during the year. Keep in mind that it's also possible to owe money to the IRS if you claimed more tax credits than you qualify for.
You will only get a 1095-A for health insurance plans that are Bronze level or above. You won't get a 1095-A for Catastrophic health plans or dental plans.
You have up to two years to file your 1095-A with your taxes.
That means if you got discounted health insurance in 2024, you'll have more time to find out if you're eligible for more subsidies because of your income.
- File the 1095-A for your 2024 health insurance before the usual tax deadline on April 15, 2025
- Get a tax extension and file your 1095-A with your 2024 tax return before the Oct. 15, 2025 deadline
Form 1095-B
If you have health insurance that's not through a large employer or the marketplace, the company or government agency responsible for your health insurance may send you a Form 1095-B. For example, you may get a 1095-B form if you bought health insurance coverage directly from an insurance company or participated in a government program, such as Medicare or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Learn more from the IRS:
Even when you're eligible for a 1095-B, you may not get one automatically. That's because you no longer have to file one with your tax return. However, you can usually download it from your insurance provider, whether that's a company or the government, or request a paper copy.
In states that require health insurance, you may still get a copy of your 1095-B to include in your state's income tax return. The insurance company may also send the paperwork directly to the state.
Form 1095-C
Employers might send you tax form 1095-C to confirm that you enrolled in an employer health insurance plan. The form contains policy and coverage information.
Learn more from the IRS:
Generally, companies with 50 or more employees will send employees Form 1095-C to keep as a tax record. As with Form 1095-A, you don't need to attach Form 1095-C to your tax return.
How do I use 1095 forms when filing my tax returns?
Premium tax credits that pay for your marketplace health insurance costs are listed on Form 1095-A.
Your 1095-A will show the subsidies you got each month to lower the cost of your health insurance plan. The amount of your subsidy was set when you signed up for insurance using the income you expected to earn in the year.
When you file your taxes, you'll compare the premium tax credits you got to the total amount you can get based on the income information in your tax return. The 1095-A has the numbers you'll need to calculate your final tax credits.
- If you got more tax credits than your income qualifies for, you'll probably have to pay more when you file your taxes.
- You could get a tax refund if you got fewer tax credits than your income qualifies for.
When does my Form 1095 come and how do I get a copy?
You can usually get tax form 1095-A as early as January or early February because you'll need that information to file your taxes.
You may get tax forms 1095-B and 1095-C as late as March 3 because you usually don't need the information for your tax return.
Where to get a 1095-A tax form for marketplace plans
- By mail: HealthCare.gov or the state marketplace where you bought insurance will usually send you form 1095-A automatically. The IRS mailing deadline for Form 1095-A is Jan. 31, 2025. You should get the form by mail before mid-February.
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Download online: If your federal income tax requires a 1095-A and you don't have one, you can download your 1095-A starting mid-January from the marketplace website where you bought your insurance. You usually won't be able to get a 1095-A from your health insurance company.
Start by logging in to your HealthCare.gov account or your state's health insurance marketplace. On HealthCare.gov, go to "Your Existing Applications" and select the year you want. Then select "Tax Forms" in the menu on the left to download your 1095-A.
How to get a copy of your 1095-B or 1095-C form online
You can get your 1095-B and 1095-C tax forms from your workplace, the insurance company or the government agency where you get your insurance.
- Download online: You can usually download your 1095-B or 1095-C through the member portal of your insurance company or through your online account with Medicare or Medicaid.
- Request a copy: Not all companies have a way to get your 1095-B or 1095-C online. So you may need to request the tax form by contacting your insurance company, employer or government agency responsible for your health insurance.
- By mail: The deadline for you to get a 1095-B and 1095-C tax form is March 3, 2025.
You won't normally use the information on your 1095-B or 1095-C form when filing your taxes. That means you can do your taxes before you get your health insurance tax forms.
However, if you plan to itemize your healthcare costs, you can either wait for the 1095 or calculate how much you spent on health insurance using your W-2s or financial records.
What to do if your 1095-B is missing months of payments
If your 1095-B is missing months of payments or has other issues, start by checking the insurance coverage you had during the year. In many cases, your insurance information could be split across two 1095-B forms.
- Did you change jobs or insurance plans that would cause you to get two forms?
- Did your job change its type of health plan between a fully-insured plan and a self-insured plan ?
If your coverage didn't change, contact the company that sent your 1095-B to get it fixed. The new 1095-B you get will be marked as "corrected" in the checkbox at the top.
Health insurance premiums on your W2
You can usually find your health insurance rates on your W2 under Box 12.
Box 12, code DD: Cost of employer-sponsored health coverage
Box 12, code DD on your W2 has the annual cost of your health insurance plan. That includes the total of what's paid by your job and what's paid by you. It will always include the cost of your medical plan. It may also include the cost of dental and vision insurance, depending on your employer.
Learn more from the IRS:
You usually wouldn't use W2 Box 12-DD to prove that you have health insurance. That's because it's an annual summary that doesn't have the details that are in tax form 1095.
For example, you won't get a breakdown of what you paid for health insurance on your W2 if you had coverage for a few months or for the whole year.
Box 12 code FF: Qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement
If you work for a small company that pays you back for some of your medical costs if you buy your own insurance, then you'll find the payments made by your job on your W2 in Box 12 code FF.
This type of coverage is called QSEHRA (qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement).
You'll use the information from Box 12 code FF, along with the rest of your W2, when you're filling out your federal income taxes. This will help you find your total tax amount for the year.
Box 12, code W: Employer contributions to your HSA
You can find your employer contributions to your HSA (health savings account), on your W2 in Box 12, code W.
Box 12, code W may also include any HSA contributions you make through a cafeteria health insurance plan.
If you have HSA information on your W2 in box 12, code W, you'll usually also need to complete IRS Form 8889. This lets you know if you can deduct your HSA payments on your taxes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a 1095-A to file my taxes?
If you bought your health insurance through the ACA marketplace, you need the information on your 1095-A to complete your taxes. But you don't have to include the form when you file your return.
What do I do if I don't have a 1095-A?
If you bought insurance through the marketplace and didn't get a 1095-A form either by mail or online, contact the marketplace where you bought the plan. You'll usually need to wait to get your 1095-A before filing your taxes.
Do I need a 1095-C to file my taxes in 2025?
No, you don't need to include a 1095-C with your tax return. However, you can use the information that your employer sent on the 1095-C if you want to itemize your healthcare costs. You can also keep it for your records to prove you had health insurance.
Is there a tax penalty for not having health insurance?
There is no longer a tax penalty to the IRS for not having health insurance. That's because the national health insurance mandate ended in 2018. However, some states still require health insurance. California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C. penalize those without health insurance.
Sources
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- HealthCare.gov and state health insurance marketplaces
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
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