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Marketplace Health Insurance? Here’s Why Your 1095-A Is Non-Negotiable
- Gwennetta Wright
- Jan 22
- 2 min read
Every tax season, thousands of refunds get delayed for the same reason — and most people don’t realize it until it’s too late.
If you had health insurance through the Marketplace, your Form 1095-A is not optional.
Refund delays start here.
What Is Marketplace Health Insurance?
Marketplace health insurance is coverage you purchased through:
HealthCare.gov, or
Georgia Access (for Georgia residents)
This is the insurance many people get when:
They don’t have coverage through an employer
They’re self-employed
They qualified for premium assistance
If this applies to you, the IRS requires Form 1095-A to be included with your tax return.
What Is Form 1095-A?
Form 1095-A reports:
Your health insurance coverage
The premium tax credits you received
The months you were insured
This form is used to reconcile the tax credit you received during the year with what you actually qualified for based on your income.
📌 Without it, your return is incomplete.
Why the 1095-A Is Non-Negotiable
If you had Marketplace insurance and file without a 1095-A:
Your return may reject
Your refund may be frozen
You may receive an IRS letter
Processing can take months
The IRS now cross-checks Marketplace data automatically.If the numbers don’t match, your refund stops moving.
What Does “Reconciling the Credit” Mean?
Many Marketplace plans include advance premium tax credits that lower your monthly insurance cost.
At tax time, the IRS checks:
How much credit you received
How much you were actually eligible for
This reconciliation:
Happens on your tax return
Requires Form 1095-A
Must be accurate
If income changed during the year and it wasn’t reported to the Marketplace, you may:
Owe some credit back, or
Be due additional credit
Either way, the IRS requires the form.
Common Mistakes That Cause Delays
Here’s what we see every year:
Filing before the 1095-A arrives
Using estimates instead of the actual form
Losing the form or forgetting it exists
Assuming it doesn’t matter
It does.
In fact, missing or incorrect 1095-A forms are one of the top reasons refunds are delayed.
What To Do When You Receive Your 1095-A
As soon as it arrives:
✔️ Take a picture of it
✔️ Save it somewhere safe
✔️ Upload or bring it when you file
Do not ignore it.
Do not guess.
Do not file without it.
IRS Letters Are Increasing
The IRS has increased enforcement around Marketplace coverage.
That means:
More letters
Faster freezes
Longer delays for incorrect returns
Filing correctly the first time prevents all of that.
The Bottom Line
If you had Marketplace health insurance:
Your 1095-A is required
It affects your refund
Filing without it causes delays
Waiting a little longer to file with the correct documents is always better than rushing and waiting months for your money.
At Xpert Tax Service, accuracy comes first — because protecting your refund matters.
📞 Ready to file the right way?
Visit www.xperttaxservices.com to get started.
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