Schwarz Insurance Blog
When it comes to health care and tax season, there are three forms you should concern yourself with the: 1094-B, 1095-A and 8962. Why?
Well, filing them could save you money.
What is the 1094-B? It's a simple form that comes from your insurance carrier if you are insured through you employer. The 1094-B form proves you have minimum essential health care coverage. The Affordable Care Act requires most people to have a basic benefits health care package. Those who do not have this coverage have to pay a penalty when they file their tax returns, although there are some exceptions.
Usually insurance companies are responsible for filing this form, but sometimes it fall on the employer's shoulders. Regardless, people with minimum essential coverage should receive a 1094-B form confirming their coverage in the earlier part of 2016. If you have a subsidized plan through The Health Insurance Marketplace you will receive a 1095-A form to file.
On the other hand, Form 8962 is a Premium Tax Credit form that you file with your tax return. If you purchased through the Marketplace you may be eligible for a credit that helps you pay your health insurance premiums. The form helps you figure out if and how much you're eligible for.
When you enroll for health care coverage, you may be given a choice to send the credit directly to your health insurance company, reducing your monthly payment, or to get the money with your tax return. If you choos
With summer ending and impending holiday's right around the corner, it's easy to get caught up in all the hoopla and forget about your health insurance needs. But before you put away your grill and start defrosting your turkey, here's your reminder: November 1st, 2015 marks the first day of Open Enrollment for a 2016 Health Insurance Marketplace plan.
"But I'm currently using COBRA coverage," you might be saying. What is COBRA coverage? COBRA stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. It's a law that mandates that in the event in which you would typically lose health insurance benefits, your employer must offer continuation group health care coverage to you and certain family members for a period of time. When someone loses their job-based insurance due to voluntary or involuntary separation from employment, a reduction of house worked or a divorce, he or she may take COBRA continuation coverage. However, if you're terminated because of negligence or your employer simply changes or cancels the company health insurance plan, you are not eligible for COBRA.
COBRA coverage maintains your current health insurance plan even when unemployed for up to 18 months. However, it can be expensive. You are responsible for paying 100% of the premiums, including the share the employer used to pay, plus a small administrative fee. But with Open Enrollment coming up, you have options besides COBRA that may be less expensive.
If you're thinking about sw
November 1st is right around the corner, and you, along with many other Americans, may be preparing for Open Enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM). While the process won't be too painful (hopefully), some parts can be confusing.
Take estimating your household income. When you fill out a Marketplace application, you'll need to estimate what your household's income will be during the period you want coverage. You have to make your best estimate so you qualify for the right amount of savings. Sounds like a lot of pressure right?
There's some information that may help you:
Your household income should include you, your spouse and you dependents, including those who don't need insurance coverage. The Marketplace counts estimated income of all household members who are required to file a tax return, like: Dependent children, including adopted and foster children Children you share custody of only during the years you claim them as dependents Children over 18 but under 26 who you want to be on your plan Dependent parents Dependent siblings or other relatives Separated spouse unless legally separated The Marketplace uses modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) from your adjusted gross income (AGI) on your most recent federal income tax return to determine the cost of your insurance. This ca be found on Form 1040: Line 37, Form 1040 EZ: Line 4 or Form 1040 A: Line 21. To establish whether you're eligible for savings, they'll consider: Federal tax
Ah, the life of a freelancer. Waking up whenever you want, staying in your PJs all day and binge-watching Netflix while getting some work done. But is freelancing as easy and straightforward as most people think?
Having a lax schedule and being your own boss does come with some risks, and one of those risks is the potential to be subject of a lawsuit. Say a site you've built for a client crashes or a client gets injured in your home. Those who sell through home-parties can also be held liable for injuries that happen in someone else's home or be brought into a product liability lawsuit when the goods they've sold malfunction and cause bodily harm. Even if you've done nothing "wrong," costs of defense lawyers often break the freelancer's bank.
When determining what kind of liability insurance you need, consider the following questions:
Is there a possibility of bodily injury to other or property damage while you're working? Keep in mind the unexpected. Someone could trip over a cord you're using or you could accidently bump into a $25,000 14th century vase while on your way to an interview. Can my work cause financial harm? The website crashing. A mistake on an audit. Bad advice. Creating or publishing something that is incorrect. All of these things and more can cause your clients to lose money. That is what Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions Liability) insurance is for. Do I have any other liability exposures? Having company veh
It's that dreaded time for your kids: the end of summer and the start of a new school year. A new grade in school doesn't just mean changes for them -- it means changes for you and perhaps even you insurance needs. With your kids getting older and a new school year beginning, now is a great time to evaluate your insurance before homework time commences.
Car Insurance
Is your child getting his or her license this year? Do you have someone in your family going off to college who is taking a car along? It's important to look into your different coverage options as your child grows up and moves out. Some insurance providers offer a good student discount that your young driver can take advantage of provided they maintain a certain grade point average.
If your child is an adult and is heading off to college, you'll have to decide if they are taking a vehicle with. If they are moving more than 100 miles away and aren't taking a vehicle, your insurance premiums could decrease by as much as 30 percent. If they are taking a car with them, your premiums may change due to the change in location.
Home Insurance
Your soon-to-be college grad is probably bringing expensive items along to their university like laptops, TVs and other electronics. Luckily, most home insurance policies that will cover these items if your child is staying in the dorms. However, if your child has lots of expensive equipment or furniture or is living off campus, yo