IRS releases small business health care tax credit
August 5, 2010The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released information and guidance on a new health care tax credit which passed under the health overhaul legislation approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama earlier this year.
The small business health care tax credit, which is in effect this year, is designed to encourage small employers to offer health insurance coverage for the first time or maintain coverage they are already providing to their employees.
The IRS guidance, which can be found on the IRS Web site (www.IRS.gov), is intended to make it easier for small businesses to determine whether they are eligible for the new health care tax credit and how large a credit they will likely receive.
The credit is specifically targeted to help small businesses and tax-exempt organizations that primarily employ moderate- and lower-income workers.
Small businesses receiving state health care tax credits may still qualify for the full federal tax credit.
In general, the credit is available to small employers that pay at least half the cost of single coverage for their employees.
Small businesses are permitted to receive the credit not only for regular health insurance but also for add-on dental and vision coverage.
For tax years 2010 to 2013, the maximum credit is 35 percent of premiums paid by eligible small business employers and 25 percent of premiums paid by eligible employers that are tax-exempt organizations. The maximum credit goes to smaller employers –– those with 10 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees –– paying annual average wages of $25,000 or less.
The credit is completely phased out for employers that have 25 FTEs or more or that pay average wages of $50,000 per year or more. Because the eligibility rules are based in part on the number of FTEs, not the number of employees, businesses that use part-time help may qualify even if they employ more than 25 individuals.
Eligible small businesses can claim the credit as part of the general business credit starting with the 2010 income tax return they file in 2011. For tax-exempt organizations, the IRS will provide further information on how to claim the credit.
More information about the credit, including a step-by-step guide and answers to frequently asked questions, is available under the under the Affordable Care Act Tax Provision tag on the IRS Web site.
Members with further questions should contact Matt Willette of the AOA Washington office at mwillette@aoa.org.
