Need 1095-A form from parents to file taxes, but they're refusing to provide it

This is a frustrating situation, but I can clarify some things for you. Yes, you absolutely do need the 1095-A information if you were covered under a Marketplace plan, even if you didn't pay for it yourself. The IRS requires this form to verify health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The reason your dad's CPA might have advised against sharing it could be because the 1095-A contains information about premium tax credits that your father might have received. If you claim any part of those credits on your return, it could potentially affect his tax situation. However, this doesn't change the fact that you need this information to properly file your return. When you file, you don't necessarily need to claim any premium tax credits yourself - you just need to report that you had coverage through a Marketplace plan. You can do this by completing Form 8962 with the information from the 1095-A, but indicating that you're not claiming any portion of the premium tax credit.

When I was caught in a similar situation with my stepfather not giving me my 1095-A, I found a solution through taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). They have this document analyzer that helped me understand exactly what information I needed from the form and how to talk to my family about it. The tool actually broke down what specific lines from the 1095-A were required for my tax return versus what information my stepfather needed to keep private for his own taxes. Once I showed him I only needed certain information that wouldn't affect his premium tax credits, he was much more willing to help. They also provided me with the exact IRS guidelines that explained my situation, which made it much easier to have a productive conversation with my family rather than just arguing back and forth about who was right.

I was totally in your position last year! After seeing the recommendation for taxr.ai here, I decided to give it a try since my mom was being super difficult about sharing her marketplace info. What really worked was the personalized letter the service generated explaining exactly which parts of the 1095-A I needed and why. When I showed my mom the document with all the official IRS references and explanations about how it wouldn't impact her premium tax credit if she just shared the specific coverage months with me, she finally understood. The best part was it explained everything in normal language that both of us could understand, not just tax jargon. It saved me from having to file by mail and wait for the inevitable rejection letter. My return was accepted within 48 hours once I had the right information. Totally worth checking out if you're still stuck in this situation with your parents!

Have you tried calling the IRS directly to ask about your options? I was in the same boat trying to get through to them about a similar marketplace insurance issue for weeks. Busy signals, disconnects, hours on hold... it was maddening! I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. They have this system that navigates all the phone menus and waits on hold for you, then calls you when an actual human picks up. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with explained exactly what documentation I needed and what my options were when my family member wouldn't provide the form. They even sent me a letter I could show my relative explaining the requirement. Much better than playing phone tag or trying to interpret confusing IRS website info.

I take back what I said about Claimyr being a scam. After another week of failing to get through to the IRS myself, I broke down and tried it. Within 20 minutes I was talking to an actual IRS representative who explained that I have several options when a policyholder won't share the 1095-A. The agent told me I could request my own copy of the 1095-A information directly from the Marketplace by calling the Healthcare.gov helpline, which I didn't know was possible. They also explained exactly what would happen if I filed without it (they'd send a letter requesting more info) and what penalties might apply if I didn't resolve it quickly. The call saved me weeks of back-and-forth with my stubborn family member. The agent even emailed me official documentation explaining the requirement that I could share. Worth every penny just for the time and stress it saved me.

Have you considered calling the Health Insurance Marketplace directly? You might be able to get a copy of the 1095-A that way, even though you're not the policyholder. I had a similar issue last year and was able to get the information I needed by providing my personal info and explaining I was covered as a dependent. Their number is 1-800-318-2596 and they're usually pretty helpful. You might need to provide your dad's info too, but it's worth a shot if he's still refusing to help.

I was in this same situation and ended up filing Form 4868 for an extension while I sorted it out. This at least buys you until October to figure things out and avoids the late filing penalty! You'll still need to pay the estimated tax you owe by the original deadline to avoid interest charges, but it takes some pressure off the filing part.

I went through this exact situation two years ago with my stepmother! Here's what I learned that might help you: First, yes, you absolutely need the 1095-A information even if you didn't pay premiums. The IRS requires it to verify your health coverage compliance under the ACA. Second, your dad's CPA is likely worried about premium tax credit reconciliation. If your dad received advance premium tax credits, having multiple people claim portions could trigger an audit or require him to pay back credits. However, you can file Form 8962 indicating you had coverage but aren't claiming any premium tax credits yourself. Here's what worked for me: I printed out IRS Publication 974 (Premium Tax Credit) and highlighted the sections explaining dependent coverage requirements. I also got a letter from a tax preparer explaining that I only needed the coverage months and plan information, not the premium tax credit details. If your dad still won't budge, try calling Healthcare.gov at 1-800-318-2596. As a covered dependent, you may be able to get your coverage information directly from them. You'll need your SSN and basic info. Worst case, file Form 4868 for an extension and pay your estimated $750 owed by April 15th to avoid interest charges. This gives you until October to resolve the 1095-A issue while avoiding penalties. Don't file by mail without the form - you'll just get a letter requesting it anyway, which delays everything further.