2017 Affordable Care Act Reporting Tips For Success
With another year gone the Affordable Care Act(ACA) remains intact meaning another round of reporting is upon us. With thousands of ACA Forms filed, we have learned a thing or two about ACA reporting and compliance. Check out lessons learned about ACA reporting for successful 2017 filing.
2017 Affordable Care Act Reporting Tips For Success
We have boiled down our 2017 Affordable Care Act knowledge into three tips on how to prepare this year’s ACA reporting.
Tip 1: Accurate ACA Reporting Data
The success of your ACA reporting depends largely on how accurate your source data is. A seemingly innocent typo in an employee file can sabotage your efforts.
One of the most common reporting errors we have seen is entering Social Security Numbers (SSNs) off by one number. This seems like a simple mistake, but if the number you report does not match in the IRS database, your forms will be flagged as incorrect. This is not only true for your employee but also for their spouses and dependents.
Before submitting your data to our team of ACA experts be sure to review all information for accuracy. The more time you have to cross-check and correct information the greater your chances for successfully filing will be. Our internal system will also check for inaccuracies, and you will be notified immediately to provide the correct information if needed.
Tip 2: Reporting COBRA Health Insurance
Your ACA reporting will be the same if instead of electing COBRA coverage, the terminated employee enrolls in a retiree health plan. The reporting may vary based on COBRA qualifying events, such as divorce or a reduction in hours. On line 14 of IRS Form 1095-C COBRA coverage offered should not be reported as an offer of coverage. Instead, Code 1H should be entered for the months following termination regardless if the employee elects to accept the coverage. Line 15 and 16 of IRS Form 1095-C the months following termination should be left blank because Code 1H was entered on Line 14. In line 16 enter Code 2A to mark which months the company did not employ the worker.
Tip 3: ACA Reporting Deadlines: Form 1095-C
Although the deadline for providing ACA forms to your employees was extended to March 2nd, there is not much time for human resource professionals and employers to successfully prepare. Businesses that wait until the last moment without ACAwise’s help will struggle to get all the needed information together, and the chance of inaccuracies increase.
The time for action is now! The deadline is coming up fast so to avoid any unwelcomed penalties, contact one of our expert ACA team members today to get started. We are available Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST at (704)954-820 or send us a live chat. We are also available for 24/7 email support at [email protected].
