Health insurance

[Asiah29]

I didn't get the question about the health insurance for the year..and how do I go about it

[fdm2v2]

Same problem here.  It says my wife wasn't covered all year (she was), but I see no way to correct it. And there is no "Health Insurance" link under the "Federal Taxes" tab like there was last year. Previous answers to this question refer to this link, which I have verified was present in Turbo Tax 2018.

[LindaB1993]

Since the health insurance for Federal purposes is no longer mandatory for 2019, the health insurance section is included as follows:

1. Select the  Federal Tab... Personal Tab(If using Self-employed TurboTax)
2. Deductions and Credits
3. Medical ( and visit all)

This should correct the errors you are encountering.

[dunnmarym]

But I am not on self-employed turbo tax, so how do I tell the Feds that there was no lapse in my insurance?

[JulieS]

Because there is no penalty in 2019 for not having health insurance on the federal level, you do not have to report whether you had health insurance in 2019 on your federal return. 

If your state requires that you have health insurance, you will asked about that in the state interview.

If you had insurance through the Marketplace or Healthcare.gov, you will get a Form 1095-A. If you get a Form 1095-A, you must file a tax return and you must include your 1095-A information on your tax return. Here is how to do that:

    1. Use the search box in the upper right corner to search for 1095A.
    2. Click Jump to 1095-A.
    3. Answer the first question, Yes.
    4. Enter your information.

If you get a 1095-B or a 1095-C, you do not need to enter that on your tax return.
 

[Dannebrog56]

Same problem. It forces me to say why my wifes insurance terminated - which it didn't ?  😕

[BillM223]

Your issue is with the question that asks "What type of High Deductible Health Plan did [name] have on December 1, 2018?"

Unfortunately, the question does not clarify that it is only for a small group of taxpayers and that all other taxpayers should answer "NONE".

NOTE: each spouse can have an HSA. The use of "you" below refers to whichever spouse's name was in the question above.

This question is trying to determine if you utilized the "last-month" rule in 2018 (yes, 2018). The last-month rule lets you use the full annual HSA contribution limit if you had HDHP coverage on December 1, even if you were not covered by an HDHP for all of the year.

However, the catch is that if you used the last-month rule, the IRS requires that you stay under HDHP coverage for all of the following year (2019).

***NOTE*** This question applies only to taxpayers who had HDHP coverage in 2018 and who made HSA contributions to their own HSA in 2018; otherwise, they could not have benefited from the last-month rule.

So, the fix is this: go back to the question (at the end of the HSA interview), and:

• If you had HDHP coverage for all of 2018 , then enter NONE 
• If you had no HDHP coverage for all of 2018, then enter NONE.
• If you did not have an HSA in 2018, then enter NONE.
• If you had an HSA in 2018 but did not contribute to it in 2018, then enter NONE.

Only taxpayers who had their own HSA in 2018 AND who contributed to their own HSA in 2018 should answer “Family” or “Self” or “None” (which can be the right answer in some cases).

[etcadman]

I have the problem with completing my filing. I have no HDHP and have corrected the interview questions, but TT prevents me from filing until  I check any boxes on for 8889, even though none pertain to me. Last year I was still a dependent until  I started work. Have employee contributions for HSA but otherwise no checkmarks. How can I get past this groundhog day looping in order to finish my filing?

[AnnetteB6]

If you have Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions reported on your W-2 in box 12 with code W, then you must complete Form 8889.  If you did not have High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) coverage at any time during the year as you say, then you check the boxes showing None for your coverage.

This will make that HSA contribution an excess contribution that must either be removed as an excess contribution or taxed on your return.  TurboTax will give you your options when you enter the data for the Form 8889.

First, you should confirm with your employer whether your insurance plan was in fact a HDHP.  If it was, you will avoid these issues.  Also, if you are being claimed as a dependent on your parents' return for 2019, then you were not eligible to contribute to the HSA and there will be a penalty on your return.

@etcadman