IRS Extends Deadline for Employers to Furnish Forms 1095-C and 1095-B

On December 22, 2017, the IRS released Notice 2018-06 to extend the due date for employers to furnish 2017 Form 1095-C or 1095-B under the Affordable Care Act’s employer reporting requirement. Employers will have an extra 30 days to prepare and distribute the 2017 form to individuals. The due dates for filing forms with the IRS are not extended.

Background

Applicable large employers (ALEs), who generally are entities that employed 50 or more full-time and full-time-equivalent employees in 2016, are required to report information about the health coverage they offered or did not offer to certain employees in 2017. To meet this reporting requirement, the ALE will furnish Form 1095-C to the employee or former employee and file copies, along with transmittal Form 1094-C, with the IRS.

Employers, regardless of size, that sponsored a self-funded (self-insured) health plan providing minimum essential coverage in 2017 are required to report coverage information about enrollees. To meet this reporting requirement, the employer will furnish Form 1095-B to the primary enrollee and file copies, along with transmittal Form 1094-B, with the IRS. Self-funded employers who also are ALEs may use Forms 1095-C and 1094-C in lieu of Forms 1095-B and 1094-B.

Extended Due Dates

Specifically, Notice 2018-06 extends the following due dates:

• The deadline for furnishing 2017 Form 1095-C, or Form 1095-B, if applicable, to employees and individuals is March 2, 2018 (extended from January 31, 2018).
• The deadline for filing copies of the 2017 Forms 1095-C, along with transmittal Form 1094-C (or copies of Forms 1095-B with transmittal Form 1094-B), if applicable, remains unchanged:
  • If filing by paper, February 28, 2018.
  • If filing electronically, April 2, 2018.

The extended due date applies automatically so employers do not need to make individual requests for the extension.

More Information

Notice 2018-06 also extends transitional good-faith relief from certain penalties to the 2017 employer reporting requirements.

Lastly, the IRS encourages employers, insurers, and other reporting entities to furnish forms to individuals and file reports with the IRS as soon as they are ready.

_{Originally Published By ThinkHR.com}