Ex-employer wrongly reporting health insurance on 1095-C that was never offered - what can I do?

This is definitely something you should address before filing your taxes. The 1095-C form reports to the IRS whether you were offered qualifying health coverage by your employer, and incorrect information could potentially affect your premium tax credits if you received any through the marketplace. First step should be contacting your former employer's HR department. Call or email them explaining the discrepancy and request a corrected 1095-C. Be specific about your employment classification (part-time, temporary) and reference your contract that excluded benefits. Keep copies of all communications for your records. If they don't respond or refuse to correct it, you have a couple options. You can file Form 8275 (Disclosure Statement) with your tax return explaining the discrepancy. This form allows you to tell the IRS why information on your return doesn't match what they received from third parties. You should also keep documentation proving you were part-time/temporary and not eligible for benefits - your employment contract, pay stubs showing limited hours, and any company policy documents you have access to.

When I had a similar issue with incorrect information on my 1095-C last year, I was going in circles with HR for weeks! Then I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me resolve it. They analyzed my employment documents and tax forms and gave me detailed guidance on exactly what to do. The tool looked at my contract terms, pay stubs, and the incorrect 1095-C, then generated a customized letter to send to my former employer citing the specific regulations they were violating. Having that professional documentation made HR take my request seriously, and they issued a corrected form within days. What impressed me was how the system breaks down complex tax situations into simple steps. For your situation, I think it would help clarify whether your employer made an innocent mistake or if there's something more concerning happening with your tax documents.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after trying it for my incorrect W-2 situation. Honestly, it was way more helpful than I expected! I uploaded my documents and within minutes had a detailed analysis showing exactly where the discrepancies were. The service generated a formal correction request letter citing specific tax regulations that my employer was required to follow. I sent it to HR, and they responded within 48 hours saying they would issue a corrected W-2. What would have probably been weeks of back-and-forth was resolved in just a few days. For anyone dealing with tax document errors like these 1095-C issues, having the right documentation makes all the difference. My employer initially tried to brush me off until they saw the detailed letter with all the regulatory citations.

If you're getting nowhere with your employer about fixing the 1095-C, you might need to talk directly with the IRS. But calling them is basically impossible these days! I tried for THREE WEEKS last year about a similar issue and couldn't get through. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They have this system that navigates all the phone trees and waits on hold for you, then calls you when an agent is on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with explained that incorrect 1095-C information is actually a common problem and gave me specific guidance on how to document the error. They said filing Form 8275 with your return (like someone mentioned above) was the right approach if your employer won't fix it, and explained exactly how to fill it out.

I need to apologize for my skepticism earlier. After two more failed attempts to reach the IRS on my own (got disconnected after 45 minutes of waiting!), I broke down and tried Claimyr. I'm shocked to admit it actually worked exactly as described. They called me back in about 25 minutes with an IRS agent on the line. The agent confirmed that if an employer incorrectly reports offering health insurance on a 1095-C, it's ultimately their responsibility to correct it. They also explained that if the employer refuses, I should document everything and file Form 8275 with my return explaining the situation. What I learned is that the IRS actually has a process for this exact situation, but getting that information directly from them is nearly impossible without assistance. Consider me converted from skeptic to believer. Sometimes it's worth getting help rather than banging your head against the wall.

Quick question - check box 14 on your 1095-C. What code is listed there? If it's code 1H, that actually means you WEREN'T offered coverage (it's for employees who aren't offered and aren't full-time). So the form might actually be correct. The 1095-C is confusing because employers have to send it to all employees regardless of whether they were offered insurance. Sometimes people panic thinking it's incorrect when it's actually properly coded to show no offer of coverage.

Has anyone had experience with what happens if the employer just refuses to correct the 1095-C? My cousin had a similar situation last year and his former employer basically ghosted him when he tried to get it fixed.

I went through something very similar last year with a former employer who incorrectly classified me as full-time on my 1095-C when I was actually a part-time contractor. The key is being persistent and documenting everything. Since you have code 1A and 2C on your form, which clearly indicate full-time status with qualifying coverage offered, you definitely have grounds for a correction. Start with a formal written request to HR citing the specific incorrect codes and referencing your employment contract that shows part-time/temporary status. If they don't respond within 2-3 weeks, escalate to their payroll department or whoever handles tax compliance. Sometimes HR doesn't understand the tax implications, but the payroll/benefits team will. Include copies of your contract, pay stubs showing limited hours, and any documentation about your employment classification. Keep detailed records of all your attempts to resolve this - dates, who you spoke with, their responses. This documentation becomes crucial if you need to file Form 8275 with your return. The IRS understands that these employer errors happen and has processes in place to handle them when you can show you made good faith efforts to get it corrected. Don't let this stress you out too much - as long as you report your actual health insurance situation correctly on your tax return, you should be fine even if the employer won't fix their mistake.

I work as a tax preparer and see this exact issue several times each tax season. The combination of codes 1A and 2C that you mentioned is a dead giveaway that their system incorrectly classified you as full-time when you were clearly part-time temporary. Here's what I always tell my clients in this situation: Start with a written request to HR, but also send a copy to their benefits/payroll department. Large employers often have different departments handling different aspects of tax reporting, and sometimes HR doesn't have the authority to make corrections to tax forms. In your letter, be very specific about the codes and reference the IRS instructions. Say something like "Code 1A indicates I was offered qualifying coverage as a full-time employee, but my employment contract shows I was hired as part-time temporary with explicit exclusion from benefits. Additionally, code 2C indicates full-time status, which contradicts my pay records showing consistent 20-hour weeks." Most employers will correct this once they understand the liability issues. Incorrect 1095-C reporting can create compliance problems for them with the IRS, so it's in their interest to fix it. Give them about 10 business days to respond, and if they don't, that's when you'd file Form 8275 with your return to protect yourself. Don't worry too much about your marketplace subsidies - as long as you report your actual coverage correctly on your tax return, having an incorrect 1095-C shouldn't affect your premium tax credits.