Is healthcare mandatory for 2018?

[Howard1948 · Accepted solution]

Until Congress passes and the President signs a bill to the contrary, the answer would be Yes.  The new tax bill that will supposedly be unveiled later today may do away with the mandatory coverage requirement, but we will have to wait to see whether it is in the final bill or not.

[SweetieJean]

and whether it is signed into law.

[TaxGuyBill]

Yes, it is required for 2018.

Although it has not been signed into Law yet, the bill that Congress has been agreed upon does waive the penalty for not having health insurance starting in 2019 (a year from now).

Oddly enough, the law would still technically require health insurance, but the penalty for not having not having it would be $0.

[canamera]

Is the penalty being reduced to $0 for 2018? Or not until 2019?

[TaxGuyBill]

Not until 2019.

[neohxc]

updates?

[TaxGuyBill]

@neohxc   Updates for what?

[neohxc]

Whats the status on the mandate?

[TaxGuyBill]

The law that I referred to was passed.  So even though the "mandate" has not been removed at all, the penalty applies for 2018 (taxes filed in 2019) but the penalty for 2019 (taxes filed in 2020) is $0.

[neohxc]

I heard you dont have to answer the question on if you had health insurance for this year on your tax forms. That true?

[TaxGuyBill]

No, that is not true.  The IRS will not process your 2017 tax return without information about your health insurance (or lack thereof).