Self-employed health insurance deduction: how to enter split year: 3 months on Covered CA + 9 Medicare premiums

[socalgalish]

As the title says, self-employed and I want to deduct the full years health premiums. I had 3 months on Covered CA + 9 months on Medicare, but I cannot find a way to add both...  When the health insurance questions come up, I get a path to enter one or the other. Any ideas?

Another question: last year I had to pay back some Covered CA APTC (2023 tax year), but it would not allow me to add that back to my total cost of self-employed health insurance for the year. Some "expert" here said I would claim the repayment back on 2024 taxes, because that is the year I paid it in. How do I do that on the 2024 forms?

In other words: for the 2024 tax year, how do I enter 3 months of Covered CA premiums + 9 months of Medicare/Medigap/Rx premiums, and the APTC that was repaid in 2024, thereby adding to my total heal insurance premium cost.

TIA    

[Vanessa A · Accepted solution]

I am not sure which path you are taking that wants you to enter ONLY one or the other?  Have you already walked through the business section of TurboTax and entered your business info?

After you walk through the Business Set-Up, you will come to a screen that says Your Business. 

1. Scroll down to Business Expenses
2. Select start next to Other Common Business Expenses.
3. Here you will select start next to Insurance Payments.  You will include the premiums you paid this year as well as the repayment made in 2024.
4. When you get to this step, you SHOULD see a box that allows you to enter a description and the amount paid so you can enter each amount separately.  If you are not coming up with a screen that allows you to enter all number separately, you can combine your total premiums you paid for the 3 months plus the 9 months.  This will all go to the same section in your return. 

Keep in mind that you can only deduct your total health insurance premiums up to your total Self-Employment income. As long as you have income to offset, this will show up on Schedule 1 line 17 which will then flow to line 10 of your form 1040.