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Level 2
February 13, 2023
Question

FORM 8962 AND MAGI & AGI

  • February 13, 2023
  • 6 replies
  • 21 views

Form 8962 reports my MAGI to be $26K more than my AGI.  Yet, we don't have any of the expenses/deductions that are listed to add up to the MAGI.  Our biggest deduction is our standard deduction.  This is causing us to be 401% above FPL with a full repayment of APTC...

What am I missing here?

6 replies

Level 15
February 13, 2023

The most likely explanation is any non-taxable part of your Social Security.  If line 6a of your Form 1040 or 1040-SR is significantly higher than line 6b, this is probably where the additional MAGI amount is from.

Other possible culprits are tax-exempt interest from Form 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR, line 2a, or foreign earned income and foreign housing deduction from Form 2555.

If none of these appear to be the cause, please post back with any other information you might think is relevant.

See Worksheet 1-1, Taxpayer's Modified AGI—Line 2a, in the Instructions for Form 8962 for more MAGI details.

SMLANZAAuthor
Level 2
February 13, 2023

Thanks for your response.

 

Neither of us taking SS benefits.

No foreign interest, income or property.

 

My investigation  shows me that MAGI is ALL INCOME, including unemployment compensation which I had. It does not include our standard deduction of $25,900.

 

Our AGI is taxable income after deductions which DOES include the the standard deduction.

My problem is health insurance APTC.

I get private health insurance through my work that is based on my wages earned.  However, because my wife's employer offers health insurance, my health will not allow her to take them as primary.

She elected to buy a Covered California plan at $647/mo or $7767/yr.  The SLCSP IS 421/mo or 5062/yr and the APTC is 420/mo or 5050/yr. 

Form 8862 uses MAGI to figure out the health insurance burden.  In essence, Form 8862 is using my income to figure out what she should be paying instead of just using her income or our AGI.  Which means my earned allow me to get health insurance through my employer, but my wages penalize my wife by giving her/us a much larger wage above the FPL.  

 

Last year's FORM 8862 had a box to check to account for anyone approved/taking Unemployment compensation.  If that box was checked, it capped your FPL at 133%.

 

This year, no such option appears and it is putting us at 401%, even though we made $20K less.  It makes no sense to me.





Level 15
February 13, 2023

Please that the AGI from which the MAGI is calculated is on line 11 of form 1040, before the standard deduction, and NOT after the standard deduction as you stated above.

 

Also, the percentage of 133% of the poverty level for those receiving or eligible for unemployment applied in 2021 and has been rescinded for 2020.

 

One other point is that in 2022, even if your MAGI is above 400% of the poverty level, you still receive some premium tax credit and do not have to repay the totality of the advance premium tax credit received.

 

Please read this IRS document for more information.

 

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