ACA Forms › Overview of ACA 1095-B and 1095-C Reporting Obligations
At a Glance
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), all U.S. citizens employed domestically must acquire healthcare coverage. The IRS enforces this by overseeing Sections 6055 and 6056 of the ACA.
Explore further to understand the implications of Sections 6055 and 6056.
B Series
Filed by:
- Insurance companies
- Employers that offer coverage on a self-funded plan with less than 50 full-time + full-time equivalent employees
Consists of:
Form 1094-B
1 per Issuer
Form 1095-B
1 per Responsible Individual
A 1094-B and its 1095-Bs MUST be filed together
C Series
Filed by:
- Employers that offer coverage to at least 50 full-time + full-time equivalent employees
- Includes employers with self-funded, fully-funded, ICHRA, and union-based plans
Consists of:
Form 1094-C
1 per Applicable Large Employer (ALE)
Form 1095-C
1 per Eligible Employee
A 1094-C and its 1095-Cs MUST be filed together
What is Form 1095-B?
Form 1095-B is an information return filed by health insurance providers or employers offering self-funded coverage with fewer than 50 full-time + full-time equivalent employees.
Insurance Providers
Self-Funded Small Employers
less than 50 full-time + full-time equivalent employees
Learn more about what Form 1095-B is for Tax Year 2025.
What is Form 1095-C?
Form 1095-C is an information return filed by employers with at least 50 full-time + full-time equivalent employees. These employers are known as 'Applicable Large Employers' or ALEs by the IRS. This form tells the IRS if the employer met ACA guidelines for the healthcare coverage they offer, and it requires that employees receive a recipient copy.
Applicable Large Employers
at least 50 full-time + full-time equivalent employees for all EINs added together that share a common owner
Learn more about what Form 1095-C is for Tax Year 2025.
We also recommend checking out the IRS.gov ACA FAQ, which contains many common 1095-C questions in an easy-to-understand format.
2022 Affordable Care Act Reporting Changes
In the 2022 tax year, there were no modifications to the ACA Forms. Fundamentally, ACA reporting can be accomplished using two forms. Health coverage providers to individuals and employers with less than 50 employees should utilize 1095-B and 1094-B. ALEs who extend healthcare coverage to their employees and dependents should use 1095-C and 1094-C.
Changes to Form 1095-C for the 2021 Tax Year
In the 2021 tax year, the IRS introduced two new ACA codes to Form 1095-C for the purpose of reporting individual coverage HRAs and other related information.
Discover more about all Form 1095-C Code Instructions for the 2022 Tax Year.
What is Required to E-File ACA Form 1095-C?
At a minimum, you need the following information to complete a 1095-C:
-
Part I - Employee: Basic census data, including the employee's name, SSN, and address
Employer or Applicable Large Employer (ALE): Company name, EIN, and address
-
Part II - Employee Offer of Coverage: ACA Codes Box 14 - 17, premium amounts, and optional data for ICHRA plans.
-
Employee Age on January 1st
- This should only be completed if certain ICHRA codes (1L, 1M, 1N, 1O, 1P, 1Q, 1T, or 1U) are entered on Line 14.
-
Plan Start Month
- This should be completed with the month the employer's plan year begins. This must be completed with the two-digit number corresponding to the month (00-12). If there is no plan in which the employee was offered coverage, 00 should be entered.
-
Employee Required Contribution
- This should be completed with the employee's share of the lowest-cost self-only plan offered to the employee. This line should only be completed when specific codes (1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1J, 1K, 1L, 1M, 1N, 1O, 1P, 1Q, 1T, or 1U) are entered in Line 14.
-
ZIP Code
-
This should only be completed if certain ICHRA codes (1L, 1M, 1N, 1O, 1P, 1Q, 1T, or 1U) are entered on Line 14.
-
This should only be completed if certain ICHRA codes (1L, 1M, 1N, 1O, 1P, 1Q, 1T, or 1U) are entered on Line 14.
-
Employee Age on January 1st
-
Part III - Covered Individuals: Name, TIN, Date of Birth (optional if TIN entered), and checks for the covered months
This section should only be completed if you offered employer-sponsored, self-insured health coverage, including an individual coverage HRA.
ALL individuals covered under the offered plan should be listed here, including the employee.
Please note: each line should list a different covered individual. Either (d) or (e) should be completed for each covered individual.
What Data is Necessary to File ACA Form 1095-B Electronically?
-
Personal Details: Name, EIN, and Address
-
Employer/Coverage Provider Information: Name, EIN, and Address
-
Details of Issuer: Name, EIN, and Address
Consult our 1095-B guide to understand how to complete your Form 1095-B.
Submission Deadlines for Form 1095-B and Form 1095-C in Tax Year 2025
Here are the critical dates for filing and distributing Form 1095-B & 1095-C deadlines.
March 2nd, 2026
Paper File Deadline
March 2nd, 2026
Employee Copy Deadline
March 31st, 2026
E-File Deadline
What are the 1095-C State Reporting Deadlines?
Besides e-filing with the IRS, certain states require employers to report health coverage information to their respective state departments. Below are the states that require Individual Mandates and their respective deadlines:
| State | Deadline |
|---|---|
California |
Furnish Forms January 31st File With State March 31st |
District of Columbia |
30 days after the federal ACA e-file deadline |
Massachusetts |
December 15th of the reporting year |
New Jersey |
Furnish Forms March 2nd File With State March 31st |
Rhode Island |
File With State March 31st |
Vermont |
No additional requirements for employers |
With BoomTax, you also have the option to e-file your ACA Form 1095 with the IRS and the applicable states ahead of the deadline.
Import Your ACA Forms Data
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Step-By-Step Wizard
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E-File & Mail Employee Copies
Once your data is loaded, you can e-file and distribute employee copies in minutes.
BoomTax is an IRS-authorized e-file provider for various IRS tax forms, including 1095 forms, 1095-B, 1095-C, 1094-B, and 1094-C.
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BoomTax and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors prior to engaging in any transaction.