What Is the Premium Tax Credit?
The premium tax credit is part of the Affordable Care Act. It’s designed to help lower the cost of monthly health insurance premiums for families or individuals who meet the requirements. The credit is only available if you enroll in a qualifying plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace. The exchange’s “metal” plans, such as gold or silver, qualify for the credit, but you can’t apply the credit toward a catastrophic plan. You get to decide when you’ll use these funds if you qualify. You can apply them all or in part to your premiums each month, which is referred to as taking advanced payment, or you can wait and claim your entire premium tax credit to get a refund when you file your tax return.
Who Qualifies for the Premium Tax Credit?
You must meet the following requirements to qualify for the premium tax credit:
Have a household income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level File a tax return with a filing status that’s not married filing separately Aren’t eligible to be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return
In addition, you or a family member must:
Have had health insurance through the Marketplace for at least one monthNot be able to get affordable coverage through your employerNot qualify for health insurance through a government program such as Medicaid, Medicare, or TRICARE
Income Requirements
Your household income must fall between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level based on the size of your household. You can use this chart to see if you meet the income requirements for the premium tax credit if you live in the 48 contiguous states or Washington, D.C. Typically, your annual household income must be between the two amounts listed above for your family size, but the American Rescue Plan of 2021 provided a temporary increase in the premium tax credit for 2021 and 2022. No one must pay more than 8.5% of their household income in premiums for benchmark or less expensive plans. Benchmark plans are the second-lowest-priced silver plans available in the Marketplace, and their costs are used to calculate your credit. You can get an idea of how much your credit might be based on your state, household size, and income using this HealthCare.gov calculator.
How To Get Premium Tax Credits
You must take the following steps to claim the premium tax credit if you meet the requirements.
1. Apply for Health Insurance on the Marketplace
Premium tax credits are only available for Marketplace plans so you must fill out an application for coverage. The amount of your premium tax credit is estimated based on the financial information you provide when you fill out the application.
2. Decide When To Use the Discount
When you have your discounted rate, you get to decide when to use it. You have three options: You’ll have to decide which option makes the most sense for your family. You’ll have to reconcile your account when you file your tax return no matter which option you use.
3. Reconcile Your Accounts
You’ll be using last year’s tax information when you fill out an application on the Marketplace. Those numbers may not accurately reflect your household size and income during the current year so you must reconcile your advance premium tax credit each year. You must file Form 8962 when you file your tax return if you had advanced payments sent to your insurer. This form compares your actual income for the year with the estimated totals you used when you applied for health insurance. There’s generally a maximum reconciliation payment. The maximum payment ranged between $300 and $2,650 based on family size and income in 2019. The IRS suspended all requirements to repay excess advance payments for the 2020 tax year. This was a temporary measure, and standard rules were reinstated for the 2021 tax year and going forward. Your advanced payments might have been too small if you earned less money than you thought you would. In this case, you can take the balance back with your tax refund when you file your return.
Other Health Care Tax Credits
The premium tax credit isn’t the only credit available to help you save money on health insurance. The health coverage tax credit is another federal tax credit that helps reduce the cost of insurance for people aged 55 through 64 who receive benefits from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp or those who are eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance allowances due to a qualifying job loss. You may also qualify for the small business tax credit if you own a small business. You must enroll in a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) plan to claim it. There are additional eligibility requirements based on the size of your business and the number of employees you have.
The Bottom Line
Health insurance premiums can be expensive. The premium tax credit can help reduce your monthly bill if you qualify. Make sure you apply to claim your credit.
