How can I avoid the health care penalty??

Beginning January 1, 2020, California residents must either:

• Have qualifying health insurance coverage
• Obtain an exemption from the requirement to have coverage
• Pay a penalty when they file their state tax return

You may qualify for an exemption to the penalty. Most exemptions may be claimed on your state income tax return while filing.

• Income is below the tax filing threshold
• Health coverage is considered unaffordable (exceeded 8.24% of household income for the 2020 taxable year)
• Families’ self-only coverage combined cost is unaffordable
• Short coverage gap of 3 consecutive months or less
• Certain non-citizens who are not lawfully present
• Certain citizens living abroad/residents of another state or U.S. territory
• Members of health care sharing ministry
• Members of federally-recognized Indian tribes including Alaskan Natives
• Incarceration (other than incarceration pending the disposition of charges)
• Enrolled in limited or restricted-scope Medi-Cal or other coverage from the California Department of Health Care Services.
• Religious conscience exemption
• Affordability hardship
• General hardships

• Visit Covered California for more details.

TurboTax State form for CA doesn't give the option to request health insurance exemption for an adult dependent that has been a resident of another state for the whole year.  Will the tax form be updated to include this?

Were you domiciled in California, but outside California for a temporary or transitory purpose?

CA Residents.

If you were a resident of another state, you are not required to maintain qualifying health insurance throughout the year in CA.

California Individual Health Care Mandate