The Affordable Care Act requires you, your spouse and your dependents to have qualifying health care coverage for each month of the year, qualify for a health coverage exemption, or make an Individual Shared Responsibility Payment when filing your federal income tax return. If you had coverage for all of 2015, you will simply check a box on your tax return to report that coverage.
However, if you don’t have qualifying health care coverage and you meet certain criteria, you might be eligible for an exemption from coverage. Most exemptions are can be claimed when you file your tax return, but some must be claimed through the Marketplace.
For any months you or anyone on your return do not have coverage or qualify for a coverage exemption, you must make a payment called the individual shared responsibility payment. If you could have afforded coverage for yourself or any of your dependents, but chose not to get it and you do not qualify for an exemption, you must make a payment. You calculate the shared responsibility payment using a worksheet included in the instructions for Form 8965 and enter your payment amount on your tax return.
More Information
Determine if you are eligible for a coverage exemption or responsible for the Individual Shared Responsibility Payment by using our Interactive Tax Assistant on IRS.gov at https://www.irs.gov/uac/Am-I-Eligible-for-a-Coverage-Exemption-or-Required-to-Make-an-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Payment%3F
For more information about the Affordable Care Act, visit IRS.gov/aca. If you need health coverage, visitHealthCare.gov to learn about health insurance options that are available for you and your family, how to purchase health insurance, and how you might qualify to get financial assistance with the cost of insurance.
From IRS
