Miss the ACA E-filing Deadline?

Now that we’re almost halfway through July, the dust is finally starting to settle from the Affordable Care Act e-filing deadline that was June 30. If your return has come back with errors and you need to make corrections, ExpressIRSForms is the place to be. We’ve been on top of the ins and outs of ACA reporting since Day One.

Hm, what’s that? You haven’t filed yet at all?

Well, while we can’t really say that’s okay, there’s no need to start fretting over being late now. You may not be at the corrections stage like most filers, but ExpressIRSForms can still help!

First Off, There Are No Late Filing Penalties for the 2015 Tax Year
Although the IRS extended the actual deadlines for ACA Forms 1094 and 1095 (from March 31 to June 30) for the 2015 tax year, they realized there would still be many businesses that needed more time to power through the confusion of these new regulations and forms.

That’s why the IRS also announced earlier this year that if you can provide evidence that you made attempts to file on time but were delayed for whatever reason, they’ll forgive any late-filing fees you would have otherwise incurred. The big thing here though is that you still need to submit a completed (or as close to completed as possible) return to the IRS to show your good faith efforts.

Which is Where ExpressIRSForms Comes In
As an online, cloud-based program authorized by the IRS to e-file information returns, ExpressIRSForms is up, running, and able to be used anytime you need to access your account. That means that even weeks after a deadline, you can e-file your forms directly with the IRS. Additionally, our expert customer support team is available throughout the year, not just during tax season, to answer your questions from our base in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

To e-file your ACA Forms 1094 and 1095 with ExpressIRSForms, simply create an account on our website. From there, select the ACA forms option in the “Create New Forms” section. The program will then guide you through, step by step, until you’ve filed your return with the IRS.

If you have any questions or need help getting started, give us a call! We’re in the office Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET, where we’re available by live chat through www.ExpressIRSForms.com or at (704) 684-4751. Have a question after hours? We respond to questions sent via email 24/7! Just send a message to support@ExpressIRSForms.

Happy filing!

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Is Your Small Business Eligible for a Health Care Tax Credit?

Enacted in 2014, there’s a federal law that gives a tax credit to small employers who become eligible by providing health care coverage to their employees. This is something you’ll want to pay attention to for your Affordable Care Act return as well as other IRS filings.

Who Gets the Tax Credit
In order to be eligible for a small business health care tax credit, small employers, including tax-exempt organizations, must:

• have fewer than 25 full-time employees, whose average annual wages are less than $50,000 and
• pay a uniform percentage equal to at least 50% of the premiums for employee-only insurance coverage for all employees.

Keep in mind that your part-time employees add together to make full-time employee equivalents when you’re totaling your full-time employees. You’re also required to contribute toward premiums on behalf of each employee enrolled in the qualified health plan (QHP) you offered through a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP Marketplace).

Calculating the Tax Credit
When calculating your credit, only premiums paid for your employees by you (the employer) for QHPs offered through SHOP are counted, beginning with the tax year 2014. If you have taxable years 2010 through 2013 to report, you may count premiums paid by you for coverage under a qualifying arrangement. For any tax year, these situations are not counted toward your tax credit:

• Health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) payments,
• Health flexible spending arrangement (FSA) payments,
• Health savings account (HSA) payments, and
• Employee tobacco surcharges paid by the employer under certain SHOP plans.

And a Friendly E-filing Reminder
While figuring up your small business health care tax credit, don’t forget the e-filing deadline for your ACA return is next Thursday, June 30, 2016. Make sure you have your forms transmitted through ExpressIRSForms by June 29 to ensure the IRS receives them on time. If you have any questions, our friendly support staff is here to help! Just give us a call Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, at (704) 684-4751 or send us an email anytime to support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

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Reporting Covered Individuals on Form 1095-B

In order to complete Form 1095-B, filers must include information on covered individuals. These are the individuals who were not directly offered an insurance plan but who still benefit from the health care coverage: spouses and dependents.

Form 1095-B: Lines 23-28
Lines 23 through 28 make up Part IV of Form 1095-B, which is where information about the covered individuals is reported. On these lines you’ll include:

• the covered individual’s name,
• their social security number,
• or their date of birth if you don’t have their SSN,
• and indicate which month(s) they were covered.

To help make sure all of your information is present and accounted for before you e-file, get started with ExpressIRSForms today! Our built-in error checks help to make sure you have everything filled out accurately before anything gets filed with the IRS.

If you have any questions about the e-filing process, give our expert customer support staff a call! We’re available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, at (704) 684-4751. We also offer 24/7 email assistance at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

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What is the Origin of Policy for ACA Reporting?

There’s a lot of important information reported to the IRS on your 1095-B Forms regarding the offers of health care coverage you made throughout the year. Included in the information you’re required to provide is the origin of the policy, which is entered on Line 8 of Form 1095-B.

When you come to Line 8 of Form 1095-B, you’ll enter a letter (A-F) to indicate where the health insurance policy you offered your recipients originated:

• A. Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP)
• B. Employer-sponsored coverage
• C. Government-sponsored program
• D. Individual market insurance
• E. Multiemployer plan
• F. Other designated minimum essential coverage (MEC)

ExpressIRSForms helps make sure you have the right information in the right places on all of your ACA Forms, including 1094 and 1095-C Forms. So get started e-filing your ACA forms through your ExpressIRSForms account today - you only have a little over a week left to get them e-filed to the IRS!

If you have any questions, we’re available by live chat and phone (704-684-4751) Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. We also offer 24/7 assistance through support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

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How to E-file Form 1095-B with ExpressIRSForms

If you saw our post the other day about e-filing Form 1095-C with ExpressIRSForms and thought, “That seems helpful, but I need to e-file the 1095-B,” then this post is for you. Today we’re going to go over how to e-file Form 1095-B with our program.

Getting Started
This part isn’t too different from Form 1095-C; you’ll still need to create or log into an account on ExpressIRSForms to start the e-filing process. Once you’re logged in, you’ll see a button that says, “Create New Forms.” Click this, then click “Start Now” under the ACA option.

Employer Information
Next, you’ll start the process by entering the employer information for your return. If you’ve already entered employer data before, you can select it from the drop-down menu. You’ll need to indicate if you, the filer, are an employer or the insurer and whether or not you’re a governmental unit. Once all of the employer information is entered and correct, click Next.

Before you enter employee information, the program determines if you’re a member of an aggregated group and which form you’ll need to file based on the type of insurance offered and the amount of employees you have.

Employer Offered Coverage
The next step is to enter the employee data, including the offers of coverage made to them. You can do this individually, entering each employee and his/her information in one at a time, or you can use our bulk upload option. Just download the Excel template we provide and enter your information - or use one of your own - before uploading the information of all of your employees at once.

Summary
Once all of your information has been entered, you’ll see a summary screen that gives you the opportunity to review and edit your return. Once you’re satisfied, click Review, and we’ll perform one last error check to make sure your return is free of any obvious errors before e-filing it to the IRS.

And that’s really all there is to it. If you’re more of a visual learner, have a look at this video we’ve made taking you step-by-step through the 1095-B e-filing process:

If you have any questions about e-filing with ExpressIRSForms, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. For assistance 24/7, send us an email to support@ExpressIRSForms.com.


Looking for something a little less hands on? Try ExpressACAForms, our full-service ACA e-filing solution!

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What Every Small Business Should Know About the ACA

When it comes to the Affordable Care Act, a lot of the conversation is spent on Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) and their new requirements and regulations. While that’s an important conversation to have, businesses with fewer than 50 employees are affected by the ACA as well. But do you know just how affected you are by the ACA as a small business owner?

You’re Still Somewhat Responsible for your Employees’ Health Care Coverage
Even if you don’t meet the 50 FT-employee-threshold that requires you to provide health insurance for your employees, as an employer you’re still a little responsible for making sure they get covered. This means you’ll need to provide certain information about healthcare Marketplaces if you opt not to offer fully-insured plans to your employees.

If you do decide to provide coverage and other benefits to your employees, you’ll need to establish a plan for making offers of coverage to every eligible employee within 90 days of hire. You’ll also need to provide them with a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) to explain their health plan and what it costs.

You’re Also Required to File
Keep in mind that if you do make offers of coverage to your employees, you’re required to file with the IRS reporting this coverage each year, just as ALEs do. However, small businesses offering fully-funded plans will need to file Forms 1094-B and 1095-B.

For more specific ACA information tailored to the size of your business, you can visit the US Small Business Administration’s page.

And for more information about e-filing your ACA Forms, give us a call at ExpressIRSForms. We’re available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, at (704) 684-4751, to answer any questions you have about the e-filing process. We’re also available 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.



Looking for something a little less hands on? Check out ExpressACAForms, our full-service ACA e-filing program.

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Employee Eligibility: Determining Status Based on Hours of Service

One of the most important parts of ACA compliance is making sure you make the right offers of coverage to the employees who meet the right amount of hours as dictated by the IRS. Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) must offer at least the minimum amount of coverage as dictated by the ACA to their full-time employees, keeping in mind that the IRS considers 30+ hours a week (130+ hours/month) to be full-time.

So when counting up the hours of your employees, what hours do you need to take into consideration? Well, obviously just the hours the employee worked, right? Sort of. An employee’s hours of service include each hour for which the employee is paid and the hours for which the employee is entitled to payment but no job duties are performed. These hours can include:

• Paid Family and Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA)
• Vacation days
• Sick days
• Jury duty
• Military duty

When it comes to what not to count for hours of service, the ACA has an answer for that as well. Excluded from your total tally of hours of service are:

• Volunteer hours
• Work study program hours (performed by students, interns)
• Religious Orders
• In other words, you don’t need to count service hours for someone “subject to a vow of poverty” who is performing the duties usually required of an active member of the order.
• This exception is only used in calculating full-time status, not ALE status.
• Hours paid with foreign-source income

So when you determine the hours your employees have worked, you can do it one of three ways:

1. By calculating the actual hours of service each month for each employee (this may be more difficult for salaried employees)
2. By totalling the number of days each month the employee did eight (8) hours of work
3. By totalling the number of weeks each month the employee did 40 hours of work

ALEs can use any of these methods, but must pick one to stick to for the duration of the calendar year. You may change methods once the year is up. Methods 2 and 3 can both be used for classifying salaried employees, so long as the classifications are consistent. Methods 2 and 3 may not be used if their results understate the employee’s hours, causing them to be classified as non-full-time.

You can find more information for determining the hours of those who are difficult to identify or track (such as adjunct faculty, or those with layover or on-call hours) here.

Once you’ve determined your employees’ hours of service, it’s time to file those ACA Forms 1094 and 1095. You can do that through www.ExpressIRSForms.com. Simply create a free account to get started. If you need help or have any questions, give us a call at (704) 684-4751, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. We’re also available 24/7 through email: support@ExpressIRSForms.com.



Looking for something a little less hands on? Try our full-service e-filing option, ExpressACAForms.

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Ace Adventures: We're Just Getting Started

“Boy, it was nice of Ace to throw us this bar-b-que!”

“Yeah, he sure does go all out for the end of filing season, huh?”

Weeks ago, when he was helping to mail out ACA Forms 1095-B and 1095-C for ExpressIRSForms, Ace took it upon himself to also mail out invitations for his Post-March-31st-Deadline Bar-b-Que to everyone in the city. So here we are today, celebrating the IRS deadline for 1099s and W-2s and the recipient copy deadline for ACA forms for payers and employers.

“Great cook-out, Ace,” a taxpayer Ace helped out earlier this year came up to the grill to say.

“Thanks, it was Alex’s idea,” Ace replied. “I just couldn’t figure out what to do that could include the entire city, but I just had to do something now that that March 31st deadline is over.”

“Yeah, about that,” the taxpayer began. “I thought March 31st was the ACA deadline, but my buddy over there was saying that that’s not until June 30. I don’t get it...why’d I send out all those forms by March 31 if the deadline isn’t until June 30?”

“You see,” Ace continued, “March 31st was the deadline to have your 1095-B and 1095-C forms furnished to your employees or recipients. The deadline to e-file with the IRS is June 30. There’s also a paper filing deadline on May 31, but I don’t want to bring that up too loudly. It could attract Paper Cut!”

“Wait, so the IRS deadline for ACA forms wasn’t last week? I could have sworn it was.”

“And typically it will be. In fact, the IRS announced initially that March 31st would be the e-filing deadline for this year, but in the early days of the 2015 filing season, they decided to extend each of the deadlines so filers had time to clear up any confusion before submitting their forms. But, in future years, recipient copies are due January 31 and IRS copies are due March 31.

“Hey, so Ace,” a taxpayer who picked up on part of their conversation began, “I had my forms sent to my employees through ExpressIRSForms, and they made me transmit them to the IRS to have that done. So I don’t need to do anything else before June 30?”

“That’s correct, other citizen!”

“You had someone send your forms for you?”

“I sure did! And you can, too!”

The 1099 and W-2 filing season may be over, but with ACA, we’re just getting started! Head on over to www.ExpressIRSForms.com to set up your free account. And if you have any questions along the way, give us a call. We’re available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, at (704) 839-2270. We’re also available 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

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Ace Adventures: A Confusing Deadline

Ace, standing tall at his podium, began to address the crowd that started to gather ‘round.

“By the last day of this month,” Ace continued, “you must mail the recipient copies of your 1095-Bs and 1095-Cs to all applicable recipients.

“For my ALEs, that means, uh… That means…” Ace trailed off.

“Well? What does it mean??” A voice from behind Ace questioned.

“And I’ve taken everything you know about the March 31st deadline right out of that thing in your head you call a brain,” Confusion said as she broke into another fit of evil laughter, and Ace fell to his knees in soon-to-be defeat.

“Hey, wait!” called a voice from the crowd. “I know about that! Wasn’t Ace talking about it earlier this year?”

“Oh, yeah,” began another bystander. “The recipient deadline that’s usually going to be when all the other forms are due to payees or employees. You know, like the 1099s and W-2s.”

“Right,” continued the first crowd member, “and if you offer your employees healthcare coverage throughout the year, this is the form you report that to the IRS on!”

“Wait, how did you know that?!” Confusion exclaimed. “My spell should still be clouding your mind!”

“Oh, it’s not your fault, Confusion,” Ace said as he stood up. “I’m sure it’s an excellent spell. But you can’t keep this brain down for very long. No, not with all of my brain exercises.

“But your most fatal mistake was made when you decided to attack me here. For knowledge can be shared more easily than you think, especially when one chooses to speak up.

“Thank you, citizens. I couldn’t have done it without you! As for you, Confusion, be gone. Your spread of ignorance is not welcome here!”

Don’t have time to mail your forms? Select the postal mailing option when you e-file your 1094s and 1095s with ExpressIRSForms and we’ll send them out for you! And if you need help e-filing your ACA forms, give us a call. We’re available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST at (704) 839-2270. We also offer 24/7 email support at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

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Ace Adventures: The Countdown Begins

Welcome, reader, to another exciting installment of The Adventures of Ace, the World’s First E-filing Superhero!

Ace has gathered the citizens of ExpressIRSForms in Town Square for a very special announcement. Towering behind him is a new clock, which seems to be counting down to March 31st.

“By the end of this month,” Ace continues, “you’ll need to have sent out your 1095-B or 1095-C forms to your recipients and/or employees to be compliant with the ACA and IRS’s extended deadline for these forms.”

“What do you mean by an extended deadline?” yells a member of the crowd.

“Since this is the first year the ACA forms are required to be filed, the IRS decided to give filers a little extra time to learn how to file their ACA forms. They extended the recipient deadline for the 2015 tax year - which is what we file in this, the year of 2016 - from January 31 to March 31. Similarly, they changed the paper filing deadline for the IRS copies from February 28/29 to May 31 and the e-filing deadline for IRS copies from March 31 to June 30.”

“Wait, so I have to file more than one copy of these forms?” questions another citizen.

Ace, sensing he was losing them, decided to try a comparison technique in his explanation.

“Just like how when you run a business and pay employees or contractors, you have to report to the IRS and your employee/contractor on a 1099 or W-2, you now have to do the same thing for anyone you provide health insurance to. Or anyone you offer to provide health insurance to. So like your 1099 or W-2, the 1095-B or 1095-C forms you file with the IRS will be a copy of the same form you send to your recipients.”

“Yeah, I was wondering,” began another crowd member, “I’ve got a lot of recipients. Is there some, like, program or something that’ll help me mail them out? Or mail them out for me?”

“You betcha!” Ace replies. “In fact, I was just about to tell you about them! You see, if you file with my sidekicks over at www.ExpressIRSForms.com, you can e-file your ACA forms with the IRS and also have them send your recipient forms for you, saving you a lot of time as well as a trip to the post office. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any of those other deadlines because your forms have already been filed by the IRS. You could be done filing a full three months early!”

“And speaking of time,” Ace continues, “I’m running out of it. It’s back to protecting the city from mayhem for me, back to filing those ACA forms for you citizens!”

You can get in touch with one of Ace’s sidekicks by phone (704-839-2270) or live chat (www.expressirsforms.com) Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We’re also available 24/7 at support@expressirsforms.com.

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EIRSF Presents: The Adventures of Ace in Love

Good morning all! It’s the day after Valentine’s Day in ExpressIRSForms, and love is still in the air. At least, it still is for everyone’s favorite e-filing superhero, Ace.

Little has been said about Ace’s personal life since he came to ExpressIRSForms, but a little birdie just told us that last night Ace asked his very special someone that very special question: “Do you want to order pizza or Chinese?” And then later over a delicious dinner of lo mein and wantons, Ace asked that other special question:

Delighted to hear an ecstatic Yes!, Ace scooped up his new fiancée in his arms and promised they’d go away for the week together, just as soon as he made sure the citizens of ExpressIRSForms would be okay without him for so long.

Which brings us back to this morning: Ace is hurrying around the city, realizing just how much he’s needed in ExpressIRSForms and beginning to wonder about the hasty promise he made.

Ace knows he’ll superhero better once he’s had time to get away and relax, but how can he just leave the citizens behind? Surely there must be some compromise, and surely he can get “superhero” to catch on as a verb! And so with renewed determination, Ace was able to come up with a plan.

*Transition music*

“You've gotta help me,” Ace continues. “See, I proposed last night and-”

“You proposed?!” Doc exclaims. “Well, I presume the answer was yes?”

“You do know as much as me!” Ace replied. “So, anyway we want to go away together for a week or so to celebrate, but the people of ExpressIRSForms need me! It’s becoming clearer and clearer that I can’t just leave them for a week.”

“Say no more, Ace. I’ll take over for you while you’re gone, and I’ll alert your sidekicks to be on high alert for any Confusion-induced mayhem.”

“Thanks, Doc. I really owe ya one.”

“I’m sure I’ll think of something you can do for me when you get back. Hmm…the bullet-proof bathrobe is almost ready for human testing…Or, I suppose, super-human testing,” Doc says with a wink.

“Bullet-proof bathrobe, huh?”

“What, you expect me to wear an uncomfortable vest all the time? ’Sides, vests can’t protect your arms and legs!”

Ace chuckles. “Well, I’d better get going. Alex is waiting in the car outside.”

Walking outside, Ace smiles as he sees his new fiancée (he just loves that word!) waiting in the driver’s seat. “Ready?” he asks.

“Ready!” Alex replies. “But are you sure you’re okay leaving the citizens with Doc?”

If you need any help e-filing your 1099s, W-2s, ACA Forms, or W-9s while Ace is away, give one of Ace’s sidekicks a call at ExpressIRSForms. We’re available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at (704) 839-2270 and at support@expressirsforms.com 24/7.

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EIRSF Presents: The Adventures of Ace and the Recipients

Ahh, what a lovely morning in the land of ExpressIRSForms. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it’s finally above freezing.

But, wait! What’s that? A commotion in Town Square! Hopefully, our helpful e-filing superhero Ace is on the way!

“You claim to know everything about the ACA forms-” begins one angry citizen.

“But you only help out our employers!” interjected another angry citizen.

“Yeah and our insurance providers!” added another.

“But we’ve got questions too,” continued the original citizen, clearly the ringleader of the gathering. “Confusion is affecting us just as much as she’s affecting the people who give us our insurance!”

So Ace sat down to answer the questions of the taxpayers who wouldn’t be giving out 1095-B and 1095-C forms, but who would be receiving them. In fact, it sounded a lot like our previous Q&A blog on individual ACA information forms:

“I have to send the ACA forms I get to the IRS with my W-2, don’t I?” asks the ringleader.

“No, not at all,” Ace replies. “Your employer or insurance provider sends a copy to the IRS when they send a copy to you, so the IRS doesn’t need your copy. You’ll just use it to confirm your health insurance compliance on your W-2 -- or 1099 for some of you -- then keep it for your records.”

“So I have to fill out even more information on my tax returns now?”

“Technically yes, but it won’t be as much as you’re probably thinking. All the IRS requires you do is check a new box that states you received health insurance coverage for the full year, so technically you don’t even need your 1095-B or 1095-C if you know you were covered for the full year. If you receive a 1095-A, or didn’t receive coverage for the full year, you can still go ahead and file your W-2 or 1099, but you can also use your ACA form to determine if you qualify for an exemption or have to make an individual shared responsibility payment.”

On and on they go, the ringleader of the angry mob asking questions and Ace patiently answering them. Until, finally, the crowd disperses and Confusion goes along with it.

If you have any questions about ACA e-filing, or Forms 1095-B and 1095-C, give us a call over at ExpressIRSForms. We’re available by phone (704-839-2270) and live chat Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. We also offer email support anytime at support@expressirsforms.com.

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The Affordable Care Act Forms Are Here!

We’ve talked and talked and talked about them, and they’re finally here! You can now e-file your Affordable Care Act forms through ExpressIRSForms.com!

And even bigger news (for us anyway): ExpressIRSForms is the first e-filing program to be authorized by the IRS for these forms. Although the deadlines for the ACA forms have been extended, you probably won’t want to procrastinate with these things. So why not go ahead and get started with a company you can trust?

To start filing your Affordable Care Act Forms 1095-B or 1095-C, just go to www.ExpressIRSForms.com. Then, click “Sign In” or “Register” to either log into or create your free account. Once you’re at your Dashboard, click “Start New Form,” then the ACA icon. Our program will take you through whichever form you need to file -- first determining that for you if you need! -- before allowing you to transmit your forms directly to the IRS.

And in addition to the ACA forms, we offer e-filing for Form 1099 and Form W-2, their corrections, and Extension Form 8868, as well as FREE e-signing for Form W-9! So what are you waiting for? Get started filing now!

And if you have any questions along the way, our friendly, US-based customer service is here to help! We’re available by phone and live chat Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at 1-704-839-2270; and we offer 24/7 email support through support@expressirsforms.com.

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Happy Holidays from ExpressIRSForms!

Happy Christmas Eve Eve from ExpressIRSForms!

Whether you celebrate your winter holidays in the next couple of days or at another time during December (or not at all), we hope your holiday season is filled with comfort and joy in the company of family and friends.

We invite you to take the next couple of days off from your taxes, because that’s what we’re doing too. Our offices will be closed tomorrow (12/24) and Friday (12/25), with phone and chat support resuming during office hours (9-6 EST) on Monday (12/28).

If you really, really need us, email support will be available throughout the weekend. You can reach us at support@expressirsforms.com during this time should you have an ExpressIRSForms-related emergency (if it’s the regular kind of emergency, call 911).

Happiest of holidays to you and yours! We’ll see you next week!

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E-Sign Form W-9 With ExpressIRSForms

You may have noticed that ExpressIRSForms now offers e-signing for Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. Now you may be wondering exactly what Form W-9 is, whether or not you need to file it, or even why we said “e-sign” instead of “e-file.” Well if you’re wondering any of those things, this blog is for you.

Purpose of Form W-9
From W-9 is used by individuals or entities who are required to file an information return (like a W-2 or 1099) with the IRS; the W-9 is used to obtain the correct taxpayer identification number (TIN) needed for the specific return they’re filing. The TIN needed is usually a social security number (SSN), individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), or employer identification number (EIN). By using Form W-9 to obtain a correct TIN, payers can report on an information return the amount paid to each payee (employee, contractor, recipient, etc.) as accurately and smoothly as possible.

Who Needs to File?
Technically, Form W-9 is never filed with the IRS. Instead of providing information to the IRS, it was created to provide information to those filing with the IRS. Anyone who needs to file a W-2, 1099, or other information return but doesn’t have the TIN for the payee for whom the return is filed needs to submit a Form W-9 to that payee. The payee then fills out Form W-9, signs it, and returns it to the payer. The payer (usually an employer) then keeps the W-9 on file to use for filings of future information returns.

E-Signing Form W-9
Form W-9 used to come in a giant stack of paperwork that had to be filled out at the beginning of each job you started, contracted work you began, or investment you made. It still might these days, but there is an electronic alternative many payers are choosing to utilize. One such electronic alternative is ExpressIRSForms. Rather than passing out or mailing paper W-9 forms, you can use ExpressIRSForms to securely email a W-9 to your recipient. Once they’ve filled it out and e-signed it, you’ll be notified by email, and the form will be updated in your ExpressIRSForms account. You can then save a PDF of this form to your computer or print a hard copy for your records.

Form W-9 has joined the growing lineup of forms offered by ExpressIRSForms, which includes 1099s, W-2s, Affordable Care Act Forms, and correction and extension forms. Take a look at ExpressIRSForms.com today to see how we can help you in the upcoming filing season! And if you need any help along the way, we’re available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST by phone at (704) 839-2270 or by live chat through our website. We also provide 24/7 customer service through email at support@expressirsforms.com.

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ACA Forms: The Benefits of E-filing with ExpressIRSForms

We’ll be back to your regularly scheduled blogs after this final ACA-themed one! We’ve gone over the basics of the ACA forms, and delved more into Forms 1095-B and 1095-C. We’ve even talked about what your employees and recipients need to know about the Affordable Care Act information returns.

But even after all of the long talks we’ve had, what real reason do you have to e-file your ACA returns this year and in years to come? Well, this is the blog post where we give you a few reasons to file with us, starting with…

The 250 Rule
If you’re filing more than 250 of either Form 1095-B or 1095-C, the IRS requires you to e-file your forms. Although the IRS will tell you they do recommend e-filing regardless of how many forms you’re filing, because e-filing is a speedier process and leaves less room for error. And since the IRS recommends us too (we were one of the first e-filing services to be IRS-authorized for e-filing ACA forms!), it only seems right that you use ExpressIRSForms to e-file.

No Form 1094
When you paper file Forms 1095-B and 1095-C, you have to include a transmittal Form 1094-B or 1094-C. Think of it as a cover letter that summarizes all of the information in the forms you’re filing. When you e-file, there’s no need for this form since you’re not sending a stack of papers through the mail. Fill out fewer forms: e-file with ExpressIRSForms.

It’s Pretty Easy...
Like our other tax products, it was important to us that our clients have the simplest filing experience ever with ExpressIRSForms. Our program will walk you through your forms step by step, providing helpful hints and guidelines along the way. We’ll also perform an error check before you transmit your forms to make sure everything gets filed correctly the first time around.

...And It’s Free!
That’s right! It’s absolutely free to e-file the optional 2014 ACA information returns with ExpressIRSForms. It’s always free to create an account with us, and since these ACA forms are brand new, we thought our users might like a free trial with them. Just create your account, choose the form you’d like to fill out, and see how easy it is to e-file with us at no cost to you. Your recipient information will also be saved securely in your account with our cloud-based software, so in a month or so when you do your 2015 ACA returns, you can complete your e-filing in just a matter of clicks!

Lastly, The Service
At ExpressIRSForms, our customer service is second to none. We’re available by phone all year (not just during tax season!), Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at (704) 839-2270. We also offer live chat through our website during these hours and email support at support@expressirsforms.com 24/7. Our US-based headquarters in Rock Hill, SC offers complimentary support in English and Spanish. Whatever your e-filing need, we’re here to help!

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ACA Forms 1094-B and 1095-B

When we last met around the ExpressIRSForms blog fireplace, we scratched the surface of the new Affordable Care Act forms that are required to be filed beginning in 2016 with the 2015 tax year. As a part of our ACA blog series, we’re going to focus today on Form 1095-B.

Who Needs to File?
Usually when we talk about who needs to file the IRS’s ACA forms, we talk about employers. While most employers will need to file, Form 1095-B is for the providers of insurance who aren’t employers. Form 1095-B is filed by every person that provides MEC to an individual during a calendar year. Health insurance issuers and carriers must file this for most health insurance coverage, including individual market coverage, coverage for employees obtained through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), and insured coverage sponsored by employers (this refers to smaller employers who aren’t required to file themselves).

This may seem like a lot, however, there are some instances when you won’t need to report information to the IRS. Insurance issuers and carriers don’t need to report coverage provided under the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid, Medicare (including Medicare Advantage), or the Basic Health Program; these types of coverage are reported by the government sponsors of these programs. You also aren’t required to file Form 1095-B to report coverage in individual market qualified health plans that individuals enroll in through Health Insurance Marketplaces.

What Information is Needed?
In order to complete Form 1095-B, you will need the following information:

• The complete name, EIN, address, telephone number, and contact information of the filer (that’s you)
• The total number of Forms 1095-B that you’re filing
• The complete name, SSN or date of birth, and address of each recipient
• If you’re reporting Employer Sponsored Coverage or coverage provided by another issuer, you’ll need their name, EIN, address, and contact information
• What type of coverage was offered to your recipients broken down by month

E-Filing vs. Paper Filing
If you need to file 250 or more 1095-B forms, you will have to e-file. The IRS recommends e-filing anyway because e-filing is generally quicker, easier, and leaves less room for error. Plus, think of all the paper you’ll save. If, however, you must file by paper, Form 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns, must be sent to the IRS along with your 1095-B forms. On this form, you’ll include all of your identifying and contact information, as well as the number of 1095-B forms accompanying your Form 1094-B. When you e-file with ExpressIRSForms, we’ll automatically fill out a virtual copy of Form 1094-B based on the information you enter and send it to the IRS with your 1095-B forms.

Form 1095-B Deadlines
Your 1095-B forms will be sent out at the beginning of each year to report on the previous year, similar to income tax returns. Your recipients will need to receive their copies of Form 1095-B by January 31st. In 2016, however, they will be due by February 1st, since January 31st is a Sunday. If you’re paper filing, your Forms 1094- and 1095-B will need to be filed with the IRS by the last day of February; and if you’re e-filing, these forms will need to be sent to the IRS by March 31st.

If you have any other questions regarding Form 1095-B, any of the other ACA forms, or the e-filing process, don’t hesitate to reach out to the ExpressIRSForms support team. We’re available by phone (704-839-2270) and live chat Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. We’re also available 24/7 via email support at support@expressirsforms.com!

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