Employers subject to Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 or 6056 should prepare to comply with reporting deadlines in early 2024. For the 2023 calendar year, covered employers must:
- Furnish statements to individuals by March 1, 2024 (an alternative method of furnishing statements to covered individuals is available in certain situations); and
- File paper returns with the IRS by 28, 2024, or April 1, 2024, if filing electronically. Beginning in 2024, employers that file at least 10 returns during the calendar year must file electronically.
Penalties may apply if employers are subject to ACA reporting and fail to file returns and furnish statements by the applicable deadlines.
Individual statements for 2023 must be furnished within 30 days of Jan. 31, 2024. Because 2024 is a leap year, the deadline for individual statements is March 1, 2024. In addition, electronic IRS returns for 2023 must be filed by March 31, 2024. However, since this is a Sunday, electronic returns must be filed by the next business day, which is April 1, 2024.
COVERED EMPLOYERS
The following employers are subject to ACA reporting under Sections 6055 and 6056:
- Employers with self-insured health plans (Section 6055 reporting)
- Applicable large employers (ALEs) with either fully insured or self-insured health plans (Section 6056 reporting)
ALEs are employers with 50 or more full-time employees (including full-time equivalent employees) during the preceding calendar year. Note that ALEs with self-funded plans are required to comply with both reporting obligations. However, to simplify the reporting process, the IRS allows ALEs with self-insured plans to use a single combined form to report the information required under both Sections 6055 and 6056.
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