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What Is the 1095-B Form and Why It Matters

The 1095-B is a tax form that reports information about health insurance coverage. It shows whether you or your family members had health insurance during a specific tax year. The form itself does not determine taxes owed or provide any government benefits. Instead, it serves as documentation that you had coverage, which the IRS uses as a reference when processing tax returns.

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Each person with health insurance should receive a 1095-B form from their insurance company or plan administrator. The form lists coverage details for each month of the year. For example, if you had health insurance from January through December, all 12 months would be marked on the form. If your coverage started in March, only March through December would be marked.

The 1095-B comes in three parts. You keep one copy for your records. A second copy goes to your tax preparer or is used when filing your own taxes. The third copy is sent to the IRS for their records. Having this form matters because it provides official documentation of your coverage status, which can be referenced if questions arise about your tax filing.

Insurance companies are required by law to send 1095-B forms to all people with coverage under their plans. This includes coverage through employer plans, individual market plans, government programs, and other health insurance arrangements. The deadline for sending these forms is typically early February of the following year, though the exact date can vary.

Practical Takeaway: Keep your 1095-B form in a safe place with your other tax documents. Do not throw it away, even after filing taxes. You may need to reference it later if the IRS has questions about your coverage history.

Who Receives a 1095-B Form and When

Anyone with health insurance coverage during a calendar year will typically receive a 1095-B form. This includes people with employer-sponsored insurance, plans purchased through the health insurance marketplace, coverage through government programs like Medicare or Medicaid, military coverage, Indian tribal plans, and coverage through organizations like unions or trade associations.

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The timing of when you receive your form matters. Insurance companies must mail 1095-B forms by early February following the tax year. For example, for coverage during 2024, you should receive the form by early February 2025. However, some plans may send them earlier or later. If you do not receive your form by mid-February, you should contact your insurance company to request a copy.

Multiple 1095-B forms may arrive if you had more than one type of coverage during the same year. For instance, if you changed jobs and had health insurance from two different employers in the same year, you would receive two separate forms. If you switched from marketplace coverage to employer coverage, you would receive forms from both sources. Each form covers the months when that specific coverage was in effect.

Some people may not receive a 1095-B form even though they had coverage. This can happen if there was an administrative error or if the insurance company did not process your enrollment correctly. Additionally, certain types of coverage, such as coverage through the Veterans Health Administration or coverage for federal employees, may be reported on different forms.

Practical Takeaway: Keep track of all 1095-B forms you receive. Make a list showing each form, the insurance provider, and the coverage dates it reports. This helps ensure you have complete information when filing taxes.

Information Contained on the 1095-B Form

The 1095-B form contains specific information about you and your health insurance coverage. At the top of the form are identifying details including your name, address, and Social Security Number. The insurance company's name and contact information also appears on the form. This section allows the IRS to match the form to the correct taxpayer and verify that the information comes from a legitimate source.

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The main part of the form shows a grid with twelve months across the top. For each month you had coverage, a box is marked or filled in. Different boxes indicate different types of coverage. One box indicates self-only coverage, meaning just one person. Other boxes show coverage that includes a spouse, dependent children, or a combination of family members. This breakdown helps determine what type of plan you had throughout the year.

The form also lists the names and Social Security Numbers of all people covered under the plan. If you have a family plan, each family member's information appears on the form. This includes any children covered under your plan, even if they do not have their own tax filing requirements. The form shows which months each person was covered during the year.

There is a section for the type of coverage you had. Common coverage types include employer-sponsored insurance, coverage purchased on the health insurance marketplace (also called exchange coverage), government-sponsored coverage such as Medicaid or Medicare, military coverage, Indian tribal coverage, and other forms of insurance. This information helps the IRS understand what kind of plan provided your coverage.

Practical Takeaway: Before you file taxes, review your 1095-B form carefully. Verify that all names are spelled correctly, that Social Security Numbers are accurate, and that the coverage months match what you remember. If you see errors, contact your insurance company to request a corrected form.

How the 1095-B Form Connects to Taxes

The 1095-B form itself does not change how much income tax you owe. It is purely informational. The form documents that you had health insurance, which is important information for the IRS but does not directly affect your tax bill. Some people mistakenly believe that receiving a 1095-B means they will get a tax refund or owe less tax. This is not correct.

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However, the information on the 1095-B form can matter in certain situations. If you received tax credits to help pay for health insurance through the marketplace, those credits are reconciled when you file taxes. The 1095-B form helps verify the coverage periods that were used to determine your credits. If there are differences between what you reported and what the form shows, adjustments may need to be made to your tax filing.

The form also serves as documentation if you need to show proof of coverage. Some employers and government programs may ask for evidence that you had coverage during a specific period. Your 1095-B form provides official documentation from your insurance company that can be used for this purpose. This is separate from your tax filing but uses the same form.

Understanding the relationship between your 1095-B and your taxes is important. The form is a record, not a tax return or tax calculation tool. You do not send the form separately to the IRS. Instead, you keep it with your records and reference it if needed when preparing your tax return. Whether you file taxes yourself or use a tax professional, having your 1095-B organized and ready is helpful.

Practical Takeaway: When gathering documents to prepare your tax return, include your 1095-B form in your collection. Give it to your tax preparer if you use one, or keep it nearby if you prepare your own return. This ensures accurate reporting of your coverage information.

Correcting Errors on Your 1095-B Form

If you receive a 1095-B form with errors, the insurance company should send you a corrected version. Common errors include misspelled names, incorrect Social Security Numbers, wrong coverage dates, or incorrect coverage type information. If you notice any mistakes, contact your insurance company's customer service department and explain the error. Most insurance companies can issue a corrected form quickly.

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When contacting your insurance company about errors, have your original form available and be specific about what is wrong. For example, instead of saying "the dates are wrong," explain exactly which months are marked incorrectly. Provide the correct information if you have documentation showing what it should be. The insurance company may ask you to provide proof of your coverage dates, such as enrollment confirmation letters or billing statements.

Corrected forms are typically labeled as "Corrected" or marked with the word "Corrected" clearly on the document. The corrected form will have the same filing date as the original but with the updated information. When filing taxes, you should use the corrected form instead of the original. If you have already filed your return with incorrect information, you may need to file an amended return once you receive the corrected form.

Some errors are minor and do not affect your tax filing, such as a slightly misspelled middle name. Other errors are significant, such as missing coverage months or incorrect Social Security Numbers. For significant errors, it is