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IRS Quietly Prepares to Assess ACA Employer Shared Responsibility Payments

Late last week, without announcement, the IRS amended a FAQ about its planned process for assessing employer shared responsibility payments (ESRPs) under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Previously, the document suggested that further guidance would be forthcoming, prior to notifying affected applicable large employers (ALEs) about potential penalties owed under the federal health care law’s employer mandate.

That statement is now gone. In its place are several questions and answers detailing how the IRS will notify companies that they may owe an ESRP. In addition, the IRS intends to send assessments for the 2015 tax year in “late 2017,” which gives the agency approximately six weeks to do so.

Deadlines

The IRS notification will take the form of Letter 226J, which will include a month-by-month payment summary and a list of employees who:

  • were full-time employees for at least one month of the tax year
  • also received a premium tax credit
  • and did not allow the employer to qualify for an affordability safe harbor or other relief

While Letter 226J will indicate the employer’s deadline to respond, recipients generally will have 30 days from the letter’s printed date to contest its information. Then, following correspondence between the IRS and the ALE, if the agency determines the employer indeed is liable for an ESRP, the IRS will issue a demand and instructions for payment, via Notice CP 220J.

The FAQ’s changes to describe specific procedures and deadlines represent the clearest indication we have received that the IRS soon will notify ALEs that they may owe an ESRP for 2015. If such notifications are sent within the next few weeks, it will mark significant news.

For more on ACA, check out the October 2017 article: Trump Announces 2 Changes to ACA