New 2018 IRS Update on Employee Benefits

IRS Announces Employee Benefit Plan Limits for 2018

Overview:

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced cost-of-living adjustments to the annual dollar limits for various welfare and retirement plan limits for 2018, to account for inflation. While some of the limits remain the same, many of the limits will increase for 2018. How will the IRS update on employee benefits affect your business?

Here’s a snapshot of commonly offered employee benefits that will increase:

• High deductible health plans (HDHPs) and health savings accounts (HSAs)
• Health flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
• Transportation fringe benefit plans
• 401(k) plans

IRS Reverses Policy on Certifying Individual Mandate Compliance

Announced on October 13, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reversed recent policy on how it monitors compliance with the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate.

Here’s what you need to know for the upcoming 2018 filing season (filing 2017 tax returns):

• The IRS‎ will not accept electronically filed tax returns where the taxpayer does not certify whether the individual had health insurance for the year.
• Paper returns that do not certify compliance with the individual mandate may be suspended pending receipt of additional information, and any refunds due may be delayed.

This is the first time the IRS will not accept tax returns that omit this information.

To avoid refund and processing delays, taxpayers should indicate whether they (and everyone on their return) had health coverage, qualified for an exemption, or are paying an individual mandate penalty. This process reflects the ACA’s requirements and the IRS’s obligation to administer the law.

Contact Embroker if you have any questions about your company’s health and employee benefits.

The IRS Update on Employee Benefits & Individual Mandate

The ACA’s individual mandate took effect in 2014, requiring most individuals to obtain acceptable health insurance coverage for themselves and their family members or pay a penalty.

The individual mandate is enforced each year on individual federal tax returns. Starting in 2015, individuals filing a tax return for the previous tax year will indicate, by checking a box on their individual tax returns, which members of their family (including themselves) had health insurance coverage for the year (or qualified for an exemption from the individual mandate). Based on this information, the IRS will then assess a penalty for each nonexempt family member without coverage.

Previous Policy on “Silent Returns”

On February 6, 2017, the IRS announced that it would not automatically reject individual tax returns that did not provide this health insurance coverage information for 2016 (known as “silent returns”). Instead, silent returns would still be accepted and processed by the IRS.
This enforcement policy was intended to reduce the burden on taxpayers, including those who are expecting a tax refund. The IRS noted that taxpayers filing silent returns could still receive follow-up questions and correspondence from the IRS at a future date.

Change in Enforcement Policy

The IRS recently reversed its previous enforcement policy on silent returns. As a result, the IRS will not accept any silent returns for the 2017 tax year that are filed electronically. In addition, any silent returns that are filed on paper may be suspended pending receipt of additional information, and any refunds due may be delayed.

The 2018 filing season will be the first time the IRS will not accept tax returns that omit this health coverage information. The IRS reiterated that taxpayers remain obligated to follow the law and pay what they may owe at the point of filing‎. According to the IRS, identifying omissions and requiring taxpayers to provide health coverage information at the point of filing makes it easier for the taxpayer to minimize related refund delays.

Now that you have a better understanding of Employee Benefits, you may be wondering how the IRS update on employee benefits affects your business and where to go from here. If you need more help or information, you can reach out to our team of expert brokers. Or, if you prefer to get started on intelligent quotes, create your Embroker account today.