Your Business's IRS Forms Are Due This Week!

It’s getting down to the nitty-gritty for IRS return filing for business owners!

Not only are your 1099 Forms due by this Friday (well, except for the 1099-MISCs reporting nonemployee compensation that were due January 31), your Affordable Care Act Forms 1094 and 1095 are due as well! And this is the e-filing deadline so, if for some reason, you were thinking of sending in paper forms: don’t. They’ll be counted as late, you’ll incur a late-filing penalty, and you’ll be making the whole ordeal a lot more difficult for yourself - especially since e-filing is the easier, more secure option for filing anyway.

You may remember last year and years before when W-2 Forms were due March 31 as well. Unfortunately - and we tried to warn you! - the IRS changed the W-2 deadline for 2016 tax year forms to January 31, 2017. If you missed the memo, try to get these forms in as soon as possible, but remember there’s a chance you’ll receive IRS penalties anyway.

At any rate, this year for the 2016 tax year, Forms 1099 and ACA Forms 1094 and 1095 are due this Friday, March 31, 2017.

Of course, ExpressIRSForms is here to help you get those forms e-filed correctly and securely on time, but if you’re still a little hesitant, we’ve also got another card to play: Form 8809. Form 8809 is the extension form for information returns like Forms 1099 and 1094/1095 and when you apply, you get an automatic 30-day extension to get your forms to the IRS. Don’t even have to have an excuse or anything! You can e-file Form 8809 and get your extension confirmation email all in just a few hours - and for only $3.55 - with ExpressIRSForms!

You can even go ahead and e-file a Form 8809 and if you still get your other forms in on time, you’re golden! The IRS doesn’t care if you apply for an extension and don’t use it, but they do very much care if you don’t apply for an extension and end up being late.

So, to get started, just log into your ExpressIRSForms account, click the big, orange Start New Form button, and get going on your 8809, 1099, and/or ACA Forms! And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team: we’re available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat. And we also provide 24/7 assistance at support@ExpressIRSForms.com!

Read More »

The New ACA Form 1095-C Codes

Let’s switch gears here for a post and talk about the Affordable Care Act Forms. More specifically, Form 1095-C and the changes it’s gone through to be ready for 2016 filing early next year.

If you filed 1095-C Forms this past year, you may recall on lines 14 and 16 you were required to enter codes that corresponded with the type of coverage you offered and the safe harbor relief for which you were eligible. These codes were chosen from Code Series 1, Offer of Coverage, and Code Series 2, Section 4980H Safe Harbor Codes and Other Relief for ALE Members, respectively.

Code Series 1 Changes
This past year, Code Series 1 provided a variety of codes, numbered 1A to 1I, to indicate more information about the coverage offer you provided to the employee. But for 2016 filing, this code is a little different.

For one thing, code 1I, which only applied for 2015 transitional relief options, is no longer available and is marked as “reserved” by the IRS. In other words, don’t use it on any future forms.

For another, codes 1J and 1K were added to the list. Codes 1J and 1K address conditional offers of spousal coverage. A conditional offer refers to an offer of coverage that is subject to one or more objective conditions, which must be found reasonable to the IRS. An example of an appropriate conditional offer would be an offer to cover an employee’s spouse only if the spouse is not eligible for coverage under a group health plan sponsored by another employer or Medicare.

Code 1J: Minimum essential coverage providing minimum value is offered to the employee and at least MEC is conditionally offered to the spouse. MEC is not offered to the dependent(s).
Code 1K: MEC providing minimum value is offered to the employee and dependent(s) and at least MEC is conditionally offered to the spouse.

Code Series 2 Changes
Code Series 2 was a little bit different than the first series because not everyone would necessarily use it. Code Series 2, with codes 2A to 2I, is used to indicate the safe harbor relief for which you may be eligible.

This coming year, for the 2016 filing season, code 2I is no longer applicable. Similar to code 1I, code 2I only applied for a 2015 safe harbor relief option, so, naturally, it can’t be used past the tax year 2015.



We’ll be sure to keep you updated on any major ACA changes in the coming months to help make sure you’re as prepared as possible for the 2016 filing season. And if you have any questions in the meantime or need to e-file Form 1095-C, don’t hesitate to give ExpressIRSForms a call! We’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat (through our site) Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. We also provide 24/7 customer support via email at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

Read More »

Back to School Tax Credits

Well, folks, Labor Day’s just a stone’s throw away. You know what that means: no more white clothing and school is definitely back in session.

In the time you’re saying goodbye to your summer and hello to college, you’re probably not thinking about your taxes. But, you know, it might not be a bad thing to touch on when you’ve got a sec; those who pay for college in 2016 may be eligible for receiving tax savings on their 2016 federal return.

Here’s a bit info from the IRS about back-to-school tax credits:

American Opportunity Tax Credit
The AOTC is an education credit worth up to $2,500 per year for eligible students. This credit is only available for the first four years of higher education and is 40% refundable. If you’re eligible for the credit, this means you can get up to $1,000 of the credit as a refund, even if you don’t owe any taxes.

Lifetime Learning Credit
Another education credit, the LLC is worth up to $2,000 per tax return. Unlike the AOTC, there isn’t a limit on the number of years you can claim the LLC for eligible students.

Qualified Expenses
When calculating your credit, you may only use qualified education expenses paid. Qualified expenses include tuition costs and other fees or related expenses eligible students must cover to enroll in and attend an eligible institution. Speaking of…

Eligible Educational Institutions
You’ll need to make sure that the school you’re attending is considered an eligible educational school before receiving an education credit. Eligible institutions are those that offer education beyond high school, so that includes most colleges and universities. Some vocational schools and other postsecondary schools may also qualify you for a credit.

Stay Tuned with ExpressIRSForms
While our services have less to do with individual tax filing and more to do with businesses who need to file information returns, like W-2s, 1099s, and ACA forms, we do try to provide as much IRS-related information as we can! So stay tuned to our blog for more IRS updates, as well as tax and e-filing tips and facts.

And if you do have any IRS e-filing questions in the meantime, we’re available to help with that as well. Just give us a call or send us a live chat or email - we’re here for you 24/7!

Read More »

The Forms of ExpressIRSForms

Boy, oh boy, has it been a big year for ExpressIRSForms! Growing from the simple, dependable e-filing base ExpressTaxFilings created with its 2012 launch, ExpressIRSForms had a booming first season, providing you with more e-filing capabilities than ever before.

The expansion into ExpressIRSForms brought with it e-filing support for twice as many IRS forms as before. To catch you up on all the forms we’ve added, here’s a bit about all the forms you can e-file at ExpressIRSForms.

Form 1099
The Form 1099 is a classic, used to report when a taxpayer has received income from sources other than a wage-paying job. That means it needs to be filled out by you (the employer) for all of the independent contractors and other non-employees you paid more than $600 to throughout the year for work related to your business.

Depending on how the payee received that moolah is which 1099 form you need to complete. Luckily, ExpressIRSForms supports four of the most commonly used 1099 forms, as well as their correction and transmittal forms:

• Form 1099-MISC, used to report payment for services performed for a business by people who aren’t employees, like subcontractors, renters, or prize recipients
• Form 1099-INT, which summarizes income of at least $10 from interest income
• Form 1099-DIV, used by banks and financial institutions to report dividends and other distributions over $10 received
• Form 1099-R, which reports distributions of retirement benefits over $10

W-2 Forms
For the people you hired as actual employees, we’ve got Form W-2 generation and e-filing. And when you e-file your W-2s with ExpressIRSForms, a digital copy of Form W-3 (the W-2 transmittal form) is automatically sent to the IRS along with your return. And while we try to make sure your return is sent off without any errors, making corrections to rejected W-2s is a breeze through ExpressIRSForms.

Affordable Care Act Forms
One of the biggest changes from ExpressTaxFilings to ExpressIRSForms was the addition of ACA Forms 1094-B, 1094-C, 1095-B, and 1095-C. Starting with the 2015 tax year (which was filed this past tax season), these forms became required to be filed by certain business owners and health insurance providers. ExpressIRSForms was one of the first IRS-authorized e-filing programs to have software capable of filing ACA forms, and we work every day to make sure we stay the best option for it.

Form W-9
Form W-9 isn’t a form you need to file with the IRS, but it is a form you need to complete to be able to complete the forms you need to file with the IRS. Typically when you hire someone, you’ll have them fill out and sign a Form W-9 to have a record of the information you’ll need to fill out their tax information returns each year, whether that’s a 1099, W-2, or ACA form. ExpressIRSForms gives you the ability to handle getting all that information and e-signature through a secure portal within your account. How simple does that sound?

Wanna Know More?
We get it, August isn’t a big time to think about your information returns. Or the upcoming tax season. That’s why we aim to make everything about your information return e-filing easier. So take a minute, check out our site, create an account, give us a call if you have a question. Then, go enjoy the rest of your summer, and come back in January when we’ll have everything ready for you to complete your 2015 return!

Read More »

E-file ACA Corrections with ExpressIRSForms

After all that hassle in June, it’s likely the last thing you want to hear about as you’re trying to enjoy the rest of your summer is your ACA return. The forms were sent, the IRS has got ‘em, and they’re not doing penalties this year anyway, right? Why give it another thought before it’s time to do next years?

Well, for one, you probably shouldn’t assume that just because your return has been sent to the IRS that there’s nothing left to do. Because even if the IRS is waiving penalties this year, they’re only doing that for those who prove they made good faith efforts to file correctly.

Even if you’ve sent in your 1094 and 1095 forms, they could be accepted with errors or rejected altogether. And if you don’t do anything to amend them, it doesn’t really look like you made the effort to file correctly.

So, after you e-filed with ExpressIRSForms, you should’ve received an e-mail from us once the IRS processed your forms letting you know the outcome of your return. It would have either said “Accepted,” “Accepted with Errors,” or “Rejected.” If your return was accepted, you’re in the clear; if it was accepted with errors or rejected, you’ve got some work to do.

Thankfully, you initially filed with ExpressIRSForms, so you’ve got access to the easiest correction process in the biz. Just log back into your account and find the ACA return in question. Click the blue Employee(s) box, and you'll see a breakdown of which forms were accepted and which have errors. Click on "View Errors" to see an explanation and link to fix each error.

From there all you have to do is make the necessary corrections and resubmit your return. It’s that easy!

But just in case you have any questions along the way, our all-star customer support team is here to help. You can give us a call (704-684-4751) or send us a live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. We’re also happy to help 24/7 via our email support - support@ExpressIRSForms.com!

Read More »

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!

Read More »

How to Determine Average Annual Wages of Your Full-Time Employees

Whether or not you need to file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C is determined by your total number of full-time employees. The average annual wages you pay your employees also figures into your ACA compliance, so it’s important to be able to correctly calculate not only your total of full-time employees but their collective wages as well.

What is a Full-Time Equivalent Employee (FTE)?
A full-time equivalent employee (FTE) is an employee whose hours of paid service equal or exceed the 30-hour per week full-time standard for employees as outlined by the IRS. An FTE can be one employee who works more than 30 hours a week, or can be made up of two or more part-time employees whose combined hours exceed 30 hours.

Who is Considered an Employee when Determining FTEs and Average Annual Wage?
Generally, all of your employees will be taken into consideration when determining your FTE total and average annual FTE wages. This includes employees who terminated employment during the tax year, employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement, and employees not enrolled in your health care coverage.

Can I be Counted as an Employee if I Own My Small Business?
No. Additionally, the following individuals are not considered employees for the purposes of the credit:

• Any other owners of the business, like sole proprietors, partners, or shareholders who own greater than 2% of an S corporation or 5% of a C corporation
• Spouses of the owners
• Family members of the owners, including children, grandchildren, [step] siblings, [step] parents, nieces/nephews, aunts/uncles, son/daughter-in-laws, father/mother-in-laws, brother/sister-in-laws
• Spouses of family members of the owners

How is the Number of FTEs Determined?
To determine your FTEs:

1. Add up the total hours of service you pay wages to employees during the year (not to exceed 2,080 hrs/employee).
2. Divide that amount by 2,080.
3. If necessary, round to the next lowest whole number. If your result is less than one, round up to one.

Example: An employer pays five employees for 2,080 hours each and three employees for 1,040 hours each:

1. (5 x 2,080) + (3 x 1,040) = 13,520
2. 13,520 / 2,080 = 6.5
3. The employer has six FTEs

How are the Average Annual Wages Determined?
When determining the average annual wages, all wages paid to employees, including overtime, are taken into consideration:

1. Add up the total wages you paid during the taxable year to your employees.
2. Divide that by the number of FTEs you had during the year.
3. If necessary, round your result down to the nearest $1,000.

Example: An employer pays a total of $224,000 in wages to employees and has 10 FTEs.

1. $224,000 / 10 = $22,400
2. The employer’s average annual wages are $22,000

E-filing with ExpressIRSForms
Parts of the ExpressIRSForms e-filing process for ACA forms include a full-time employee calculator and multiple error checks to ensure your return is ACA compliant. Create an account today to get started. If you need any help, you can give our customer support staff a call at (704) 684-4751 or send us a live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. We also provide 24/7 email assistance at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

Read More »

Void or Corrected: Which Box Should You Check on Form 1095-C?

If you look at the top of Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage, you’ll see two boxes, one labelled VOID, one CORRECTED. If you find yourself amending an ACA return you’ve already submitted to the IRS, you may end up doing more than just looking at the boxes. The question we’re here to answer today is which do you use for what situation?

The Void Box
This one’s pretty straightforward. If you’ve filed a Form 1095-C for an employee in error or need to just void completely a filed Form 1095-C for any other reason, you’ll check this box on a new Form 1095-C. Fill out the same information as is on the 1095-C you’ve already filed and are voiding so the IRS knows to which form in your original return you’re referring.

The Corrected Box
This box you may check for any number of reasons, the main one being that you need to make a correction on a Form 1095-C you’ve already filed. You’ll enter an X in the “Corrected” box on a new 1095-C form for any form you’ve already filed that had incorrect

• Employer/employee name,
• SSN or EIN,
• Offer of Coverage,
• Premium Amount,
• Safe Harbor or other relief codes,
• Covered Individuals’ information.

You’ll need to furnish a corrected copy to the recipient of the coverage (and the original Form 1095-C) in addition to the one you send to the IRS.


With ExpressIRSForms, ACA corrections are a breeze. Get started e-filing today by creating a free account! And if you have any questions, you can give our expert customer service center a call at (704) 684-4751 or send us an email to support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

Read More »

3 Ways CPAs Benefit From Using ExpressIRSForms

CPAs are facing a whole new workload this (extended) tax season: ACA forms. With all the sensitive information being handled in CPA offices during the busy season, ExpressIRSForms wants to help make sure CPAs e-filing ACA forms for their clients aren’t met with any avoidable issues. That’s why we’ve included a few features to our ACA e-filing system we think, as a CPA, you’re going to like.

File for Multiple EINs Using One Account
One of the issues with a lot of e-filing software out there is that you can only assign one business or EIN to an account. As a CPA with multiple clients - and therefore multiple EINs - this could mean keeping track of login and password details for each of those clients. Let’s be honest, you’ve got better things to keep track of. With ExpressIRSForms, you can add as many different EINs as you need.

You can even check out and e-file all of your forms at once (rather than transmitting them individually by EIN) to take advantage of our higher volume filing prices.

Multi-user Functionality
Whether you work as part of a team or your clients want to review their returns before you transmit them, we understand there are instances when you’ll need to give others access to your ExpressIRSForms account. That’s why each account comes with multi-user functionality, enabling you to give secure access to your account to whoever you need. From your Account Settings, you can send a secure link to your coworker/boss/client, giving them as much access to the account as is necessary.

Postal Mailing Options
Along with filing 1095 Forms to the IRS for your clients, copies of these 1095 Forms must also be sent to the recipients of their offers of coverage you’re reporting. That adds up to a lot of extra time (and money) spent printing copies, stuffing envelopes, stamping them, and mailing them to the correct people. Unless you use ExpressIRSForms.

Before you transmit your forms, you’ll have the ability to select our Postal Mailing feature. If you opt for this feature, our ACA team in Rock Hill, South Carolina is alerted and sends the recipient copies of the 1095 Forms out in the mail by the next business day after you transmit.


If you have any questions about filing with ExpressIRSForms, give us a call! We’re available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, at (704) 684-4751 or by live chat. We also offer 24/7 assistance through support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

Read More »

Reporting COBRA Coverage

As an employer or any filer of ACA returns, it’s important that everything is reported correctly on your 1094 and 1095 forms. This isn’t too hard with full-time employees who worked all year under the same coverage. But what about when it comes to reporting COBRA Coverage?

What is COBRA Coverage?
COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which was passed in 1986. The act amended existing laws by giving certain former employees, retirees, spouses, and dependents the right to temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates. COBRA coverage is offered when the employee loses access to coverage under a group plan, due to voluntary or involuntary termination or a reduction in their hours of employment.

Reporting COBRA Coverage on Part II of Form 1095-C
If you’ve offered COBRA coverage to a terminated employee (generally anyone whose employment didn’t end because of gross misconduct), you won’t report it as an offer of coverage on line 14 of Form 1095-C. Instead, use code 1H, no offer of coverage, for any month the continued coverage applies.

If you need to report COBRA coverage for an active employee, say, someone whose hours were reduced and is, therefore, ineligible for plan coverage, you’ll report it in the same manner as an offer of that type of coverage to any other active employee.

Self-Insured Plans and COBRA Coverage
Under self-insured COBRA plans, spouses and dependents can elect to receive the continued coverage independently of the employee (i.e., if the employee declines coverage or is deceased). Employers who sponsor these plans will still need to report coverage offered to each non-employee spouse and dependent on a separate Form 1095-B or 1095-C from the employee. If a spouse and dependents elect to receive COBRA coverage along with the employee, you can report them on the same form.

Whatever you have to report on your ACA forms, ExpressIRSForms can help. Create an account or log in today to get started e-filing your ACA returns! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call (704-684-4751) or send us a live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. We also provide after hours assistance at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

Read More »

Unique ACA Challenges Employers with Multiemployer Plans Face

ALEs, or Applicable Large Employers, who contribute to a multiemployer health coverage plan will face some unique challenges when reporting their offers of coverage to the IRS on Forms 1094-C and 1095-C. Multiemployer plans - so we’re all on the same page here - are plans that cover employees of unrelated companies as settled upon in a collective bargaining agreement.

Internal Revenue Code Section 6056 indicates multiemployer plan administrators may prepare their return for employees eligible for the multiemployer plan, reporting information on the plan and the ALE member. However, when the Forms 1094-C and 1095-C were finalized and published by the IRS, the instructions didn’t appear to provide any way for a plan administrator to do this. In other words, it appears that ALE members must report full-time employees eligible for a multiemployer plan and that ALE member is responsible for any incorrect reporting and subsequent penalties incurred.

It is true that ALE members must file a Form 1095-C for each full-time employee and provide information regarding the offer of health coverage. However, in the case of multiemployer arrangements, ALEs typically don’t make the direct offer of coverage. This means you’ll need to get details of the offer(s) from your coverage provider.

As for reporting your data on Forms 1094-C and 1095-C, the Preamble to the Code Section 4980H has included interim guidelines for employers who contribute to a multiemployer plan:

• On Form 1094-C, Part III, column (a), treat all the employees you contribute to the multiemployer plan as if they have been offered minimum essential coverage (MEC), even if they haven’t, for the months you’re eligible to use interim guidance.
• On Form 1095-C, Part II, line 14, enter the code of health coverage that corresponds with the coverage actually offered to the employee, even if it contradicts what you included on Form 1094-C in Part III.
• On Form 1095-C, complete lines 15 and 16 as usual, including the premium amount (line 15) and any applicable Safe Harbor relief code (line 16).
• If you’re completing multiple 1094-C Forms for one ALE member, one of the forms must be marked as the authoritative transmittal copy. This copy must include aggregate employer-level data for all full-time employees.
• Sponsors or insurers of multiemployer plans are required to furnish information about health coverage to any enrolled employees on Forms 1094-B and 1095-B. ALE members should not complete Form 1095-C, Part III for these employees.

ExpressIRSForms works to make sure you’re reporting everything correctly the first time around. Create an account today to get started e-filing ACA forms for your multiemployer plans! And if you have any questions, we’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. Have questions after hours? Send us an email to support@ExpressIRSForms!



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

Read More »

How to E-file Form 1095-C with ExpressIRSForms

Hello, and welcome to ExpressIRSForms! Today we’re going to take you step by step through the process of e-filing a Form 1095-C with ExpressIRSForms. If you’ve e-filed your 1099s or W-2s with us before, things may look a little familiar. If you’re just stopping by for the first time, sit back, relax, and see how easy it is to e-file with ExpressIRSForms:

Getting Started
First things first, you’ll need to either create an account at www.ExpressIRSForms.com, or log into your existing one. Select either the “Register” or “Sign In” button on the top right corner of our home page, as it is applicable to you. Once you’ve logged into your account, you’ll see a button that says “Create New Forms.” Click this, and select the ACA forms option.

Employer Information
After you’ve indicated you’d like to e-file ACA forms, you’ll be taken to a screen to enter the employer information needed for your ACA return. Enter your employer by either selecting their name from the drop-down menu of your existing employers, or filling in the boxes to add a new employer. Once you’ve confirmed all of your information is correct, click Next.

Next, the program will determine if your employer is a member of an aggregated group, what type of insurance is sponsored by the employer, and the amount of full-time employees (FTEs) your business has by asking a few simple questions. Before completing the next part of your form, you’ll come to a checkpoint screen that summarizes the type of ACA form you’re filing along with your employer information. Click Continue to go to the next part.

Employer Offered Coverage
Now onto what the ACA forms are all about: your employees and the coverage you offered them. You’ll see on the first screen for this section that you have the option to add employees individually or bulk upload them using our Excel template or one of your own. Select which option you’d like, and either enter your employees’ data individually, or upload your ACA data spreadsheet.

Authoritative Transmittal
Once you’ve either entered or uploaded your employee data, click Next to indicate whether or not this return will be considered the Authoritative Transmittal for your complete ACA return. If this is your only transmittal, it automatically becomes the Authoritative Transmittal (AT).

After indicating the AT, the program will ask about any transition relief your organization or business qualified for during the tax period. The next pages will ask you to confirm you offered minimum essential coverage (MEC) throughout the year and your total number of FTEs as well as total number of employees overall.

Summary
Lastly, you’ll come to your summary screen. Look over everything to make sure your employer and employee info is entered correctly and click Review. The program then performs one last error check to make sure your return is free of any obvious errors before it’s transmitted to the IRS. If there are no errors, just click through to add your payment information for the one-time transmittal fee, and transmit your return to the IRS.

See, wasn’t that simple?

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



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

Read More »

TIN Matching: Your FAQs Answered

One of the most talked about features among ACA filers using ExpressIRSForms is the TIN Matching and Verification Process.

What is TIN Verification?
TIN Verification is the process your forms go through in ExpressIRSForms before your return is e-filed with the IRS. It checks to make sure the Social Security Numbers (SSNs), Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), and any other Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) entered in your return match the person or business with whom they’re associated according to the IRS’s records.

What format should names and TINs be in?
If you’re entering the names and TINs individually in ExpressIRSForms, the program will make sure all your names and TINs are formatted correctly. If you’re bulk uploading using ExpressIRSForms’s Excel template, the column headers will indicate what information needs to be in which box. If you’ve got your own template, list your recipient names by first then last name and the TIN without any dashes or other characters.

Is there an additional charge for TIN matching?
When you e-file with ExpressIRSForms, we perform a TIN verification to ensure TIN matching automatically as a part of your form generation process at no cost to you.

What should I do if a TIN in my return fails?
If we’ve caught the TIN mismatch before your return is transmitted (which would likely be the case), all you’ll need to do is verify the TIN with the person or entity in question, then make the necessary correction(s) in your account before e-filing.

If for any reason the IRS finds a TIN mismatch on your forms, your return will more than likely be rejected or accepted with errors. Once your return has been processed, you can go back into ExpressIRSForms, correct your return, and retransmit it at no additional cost.

You can get started e-filing your ACA return through ExpressIRSForms today! If you have any questions, just let us know. We’re available by live chat and phone at (704) 684-4751 Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. We’re also available to answer questions 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.



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

Read More »

Minimum Value

Going hand-in-hand through the ACA regulations with Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC), which we posted about earlier this week, is Minimum Value (MV). 

What is Minimum Value?
Healthcare plans meet a Minimum Value (MV) if they’re designed to pay for at least 60% of the total cost of medical services for a standard population, according to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This minimum standard is the equivalent of a Bronze plan sold on the Health Insurance Marketplace. The plan’s benefits must also include a substantial amount of any inpatient hospital and physician services necessary.

In order to remain completely compliant with the ACA, the healthcare plan you as an employer offer your employee(s) must offer both Minimum Essential Coverage and meet the Minimum Value allowed. If the plan you offer doesn’t meet MEC or MV standards, you might have to pay an employer shared responsibility payment.

An employer shared responsibility payment is incurred when their employee receives a premium tax credit when purchasing additional insurance from the Marketplace. Since the employee would only receive this tax credit if their existing insurance didn’t meet MEC or MV guidelines, this could launch an IRS investigation into your coverage offers and you could end up paying out of pocket for each full-time employee considered under-covered.

However, just because an employee seeks additional insurance from the Marketplace doesn’t mean he/she will automatically receive the premium tax credit. If the insurance you provide meets MEC and MV, the employee will still be able to purchase additional coverage but they won’t be eligible for the credit.

The clock is ticking to get your ACA forms e-filed! The deadline is June 30, so be sure to sign up with ExpressIRSForms to complete your ACA filing today. And if you have any questions, our customer support team is happy to help! 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 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

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

Read More »

Reporting Safe Harbor & Affordability on Line 16 of Form 1095-C

A couple of slots down from Line 14 on Form 1095-C is Line 16, as is usually the case with sequential numbers. The thing about Line 16 is that not everyone will fill it out. Read on to learn more about this reporting requirement.

Form 1095-C, Line 16
The thing to keep in mind about Line 16 is that you’ll only fill it out if certain situations apply for the employee (i.e., the employee not being full-time or employed at all) or for you, as the employer (i.e., Safe Harbor relief eligibility), during any month of the year.

ACA Code Series 2
The following Safe Harbor Codes are used on Line 16 of Form 1095-C:

• 2A: Employee was not employed during this month.
• If the employee worked even one day that month, Code 2A is not applicable.
• Code 2A may not be used for the month an employee resigns.
• 2B: Employee is not a full-time employee.
• Use Code 2B for a non-FTE who didn’t enroll in coverage that month (if offered).
• Use Code 2B for FTEs whose coverage ended before the last day of the month because the employee resigned (otherwise, the coverage would’ve continued).
• Use Code 2B for January 2015 if you offered MEC with MV to the employee no later than the first day of the first payroll period beginning that month.
• 2C: Employee enrolled in coverage offered.
• Code 2C should be used even if another code might apply (other than 2E).
• Don’t use Code 2C if Code 1G is entered in the “All 12 Months” box on Line 14.
• Don’t use Code 2C for any month a terminated employee is enrolled in COBRA (use Code 2A instead).
• 2D: Employee in a section 4980H(b) Limited Non-Assessment Period
• Use Code 2D for any month the employee is in a Limited non-Assessment Period for section 4980H(b).
• If Code 2E is also applicable, use that instead of Code 2D.
• 2E: Multiemployer interim rule relief.
• Use Code 2E for any month the multiemployer arrangement interim guidance applies to the employee.
• Code 2E should be used regardless of any other code that may apply.
• 2F: Section 4980H affordability Form W-2 safe harbor.
• Use Code 2F for any month you used the section 4980H Form W-2 safe harbor to determine affordability for the employee’s coverage.
• 2G: Section 4980H affordability federal poverty line safe harbor.
• Use Code 2G for any month you used the section 4980H affordability federal poverty line safe harbor to determine affordability for coverage.
• 2H: Section 4980H affordability rate of pay safe harbor.
• Use Code 2H for any month you used the section 4980H affordability rate of pay safe harbor to determine affordability.
• 2I: Non-calendar year transition relief applies.
• Enter Code 2I if non-calendar year transition relief under section 4980H(b) applies to this employee for any month.

At ExpressIRSForms, we help make sure you have the right codes in the right places. With built-in error checks, we’ll make sure no obvious errors are sent in your forms to the IRS. And if you have any questions along the way, our support team will be happy to help! Give us a call Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, at (704) 684-4751. Filing in the middle of the night? We offer 24/7 assistance via email at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.



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

Read More »

Minimum Essential Coverage

When we talk about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the phrase “Minimum Essential Coverage” gets thrown around a lot, and it’s an important one. As an employer, you’ll need to keep Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) in mind when providing your employees with health insurance. In this post, we’ll dive into why that is.

What is Minimum Essential Coverage?
Minimum Essential Coverage, or MEC, is the phrase used to describe the type of healthcare coverage you’ll need to provide to applicable employees in order to stay compliant with the ACA. It’s pretty straightforward in its definition as it applies to any coverage that offers at least the minimum amount of benefits required to be had by all American taxpayers.

MEC usually goes hand in hand with Minimum Value (MV), meaning the coverage you offer pays for at least 60% of the total allowed cost of benefits under the plan.

What Types of Health Insurance are Considered MEC?
For the most part, all Government and job-based insurance, as well as most private insurance, meet MEC requirements. This includes:

• Employer-sponsored coverage
• COBRA and retiree coverage
• Medicare Part A & Medicare Advantage coverage
• Most Medicaid coverage
• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage
• Some types of Veterans Administration coverage
• TRICARE
• Coverage provided under the Peace Corps
• Coverage under the Non-appropriated Fund Health Benefit Program
• Refugee Medical Assistance (supported by Administration for Children and Families)

What Doesn’t Count as MEC?

• Plans that provide limited benefits typically don’t qualify as MEC, such as:
• Short Term Health Plans
• Fixed Benefit Health Plans
• Supplemental Medicare (Part D, Medigap)
• Some Medicaid
• Vision-only, Dental-only, and other limited benefit plans
• Grandfathered plans

So now that you know about MEC, get ready to e-file your ACA forms with ExpressIRSForms! All you need to do is create an account and you’re on your way. If you need any help with the process, don’t hesitate to contact our customer support team in Rock Hill, SC. We’re available by phone Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, at (704) 684-4751. If you can’t get us then, we offer 24/7 email assistance at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.



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

Read More »

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.

Read More »

What You Should Know About ACA Reporting Penalties

We recently spoke about the penalties and fees you could face from the IRS if you fail to comply with the new reporting requirements as outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Today, we’re going to dive a little deeper into how an employer can become liable for paying these compliance or reporting fees.

What puts you at risk for a penalty?
The main penalty to watch out for as an employer is the Employer Shared Responsibility Payment (ESRP). You become liable for this payment if you either

• (a) don’t offer health coverage to at least 95% of your full-time employees (and their dependents), and at least one of them receives a premium tax credit from the Marketplace, or
• (b) you do offer health coverage to at least 95% of your full-time employees but at least one is still able to receive a premium tax credit to help pay for coverage from the Marketplace (meaning your coverage didn’t meet Minimum Essential Coverage and Minimum Value regulations).

So, keeping in mind what we learned in our last post, you can avoid these penalty risks by providing the right amount of coverage to the right amount of employees as defined by the ACA, and by reporting this coverage to the IRS each year on Form 1094 and Form 1095.

The IRS is offering transition relief for employers who need it for the 2015 tax year, which you can read more about on the IRS’s website here.

How do you know if the coverage you offer is affordable and provides minimum value?
Coverage is considered affordable if the employee’s share of the premium is less than 9.5% of the employee’s annual household income. Since employers generally don’t know their employees’ entire household incomes, you can determine if the employee’s share is affordable based on:

1. the wages on their W-2,
2. their rate of pay, or
3. the federal poverty line.

You’ll know if a plan provides minimum value if it covers at least 60% of the total cost of benefits expected to be incurred under the plan.

A good way to avoid any filing penalties is to make sure to e-file ACA Forms with ExpressIRSForms; we’ll make sure everything you fill out is correct and in place before you file your return with the IRS. To get started, just create a free account!

Have questions? That’s what we’re here for - from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, at (704) 684-4751, or 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.



Looking for something a little less hands on? Check out ExpressACAForms, our full-service e-filing software for Forms 1094 and 1095.

Read More »

ACA Compliance: How to Track Variable Hour Employees

Variable hour employees are those who, based on circumstances surrounding their employment, cannot easily be classified as a standard, 30-hour-per-week full-time employee. In other words, their schedules fluctuate so greatly, it requires a longer measurement period to determine whether they’re eligible for health coverage and benefits extended to other full-time employees.

But just because they’re variable hour employees doesn’t mean they can be swept under the rug. If any of these employees does work, on average, over 30 hours per week and you don’t make an offer of coverage to them, you could face a $100 per day penalty for each affected employee.

Employers are given a full year, or “measurement period,” under the ACA to determine whether or not their variable hour employees average 30+ hours of work each week. If an employee is discovered to have exceeded 30 hours/week, you must make an appropriate offer of coverage. It must go into effect within 90 days of acceptance and be available for a full 12 months, even if the employee’s hours worked drop below 30 hours/week. This time period that the employee is covered is called the “stabilization period.”

Unlike your regular full-time employees, variable hour employees must qualify for their offers of coverage each year by working that average of 30 hours a week. That’s why it’s recommended employers set their measurement period to start 90 days before the annual renewal date. So the measurement period for companies with a January 1 renewal date will measure their employees’ variable hours from October 1 to September 30 of the year before. This also makes it easier for handing out your offers of coverage, since you’ll only have one open enrollment period.

Already have your employees tracked and ready to file? Great! You can start with ExpressIRSForms today! And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call our customer support center in Rock Hill, South Carolina. We’re available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, at (704) 684-4751 and 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.



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

Read More »

Affordable Care Act Compliance Penalties

If an ALE (Applicable Large Employer), or anyone else who has to file information returns under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), fails to comply with this new ACA reporting requirement, they may be subject to IRS penalties and fines. And remember: penalties apply to both the forms that were supposed to be sent to the IRS but weren’t and forms that were supposed to be sent to your employees/recipients but weren’t.

Your potential penalty is determined by when your forms are received by the IRS (or your recipients) without any errors. If you send your completed return

• within 30 days of the deadline, you’ll be charged up to $50 per form.
• after 30 days after the deadline but before August 1, you’ll be charged up to $100 per form.
• after August 1 or not at all, you’ll be charged up to $250 per form.

There are regulations in place to cap the total amount you can be charged each year (the largest limit being $3,000,000), however, the IRS does reserve the right to increase these charges if they find evidence of willful intent not to file.

The IRS is offering exemption from these filing penalties for the 2015 filing year, which is completed this year (in 2016) if you can prove you made every effort to file your return correctly and on time.

You can avoid these penalties by filing on time and correctly, which is where ExpressIRSForms comes in. While we can’t make you file on time, it is our policy to remind you of any upcoming deadlines, and all of the bonus features we pack into our program will help make sure your return is error-free. So give it a try today!

For help getting started e-filing your ACA forms, or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team. We’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT, and by email (support@ExpressIRSForms.com) 24/7.



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

Read More »