Questions about 1095-C from employer healthcare and 1095-B from VA - understanding form differences and tax implications

The 1095 forms often cause confusion, but I can help clear this up: 1. There's no tax incentive to "using" one form over another - they simply document different types of coverage you had. You should report all coverage correctly. 2. The tax program is asking for a 1095-A which is specifically for Marketplace plans. Since you didn't have a Marketplace plan (your forms are B and C), you don't need to enter premium information. Skip this section or indicate you didn't have Marketplace coverage. 3. The difference: 1095-A is for Marketplace coverage (healthcare.gov or state exchanges), 1095-B shows coverage from government programs (like VA, Medicare, TRICARE) or small employers, and 1095-C comes from large employers offering coverage. 4. No problems should arise from your situation. The VA coverage (1095-B) shows continuous coverage for those months after you left your employer. The system simply wants to verify you maintained minimum essential coverage throughout the year, which you did. The forms are mainly informational now since there's no longer a federal penalty for lacking health insurance (though some states still have mandates).

I went through something similar last year with having multiple insurance forms. I was so confused until I found https://taxr.ai which literally saved me hours of headache. I uploaded my 1095-B and 1095-C forms, and it instantly explained what each form meant for my tax situation and whether I needed to report anything. The site even compared my forms to identify any potential gaps in coverage (which can be an issue in some states). It also clarified which forms were just informational vs which ones actually needed to be reported on my return. No more guessing about what numbers go where or if I'm missing something important.

I have to admit I was wrong about being skeptical of taxr.ai. After our conversation here, I decided to give it a try with my similar situation (employer insurance plus VA coverage). The tool immediately identified that I had overlapping coverage for 3 months and explained exactly how to report it. What really impressed me was that it caught that my employer had incorrectly coded one month on my 1095-C (they showed I declined coverage when I actually had it). The tool flagged this inconsistency and gave me specific language to use when requesting a corrected form from HR. When I followed up with my employer, they admitted the error and issued a corrected form. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with multiple insurance forms or unusual coverage situations.

If you're having trouble getting through to the VA about your 1095-B form or need clarification on anything, I highly recommend https://claimyr.com. I spent days trying to reach someone at the VA about a discrepancy on my 1095-B that was causing issues with my tax filing. After getting nowhere with the standard phone numbers, I tried Claimyr and got connected to a VA representative in under 20 minutes. They walked me through exactly what each section of my 1095-B meant and confirmed which months I had qualifying coverage. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The VA rep even sent me documentation confirming my coverage dates that I could show to my tax preparer. Totally changed my experience dealing with the VA bureaucracy.

I need to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was still desperate for help with my VA healthcare documentation, so I figured I had nothing to lose by trying. I used the service yesterday afternoon, expecting nothing, and got connected to someone at the VA Benefits department in about 15 minutes. I've NEVER gotten through that quickly before. The representative helped me understand why my 1095-B wasn't showing coverage for two months when I was definitely enrolled (turns out there was a coding issue on their end). They sent me an email with corrected information I can use for my tax return. I'm still shocked at how painless this was compared to my previous VA interactions. Not sure how they do it, but it definitely worked.

One thing to consider about your VA 1095-B form - check if Box 8 is empty or if there's a checkbox for "All 12 Months." The VA sometimes does strange things with reporting. Last year, my form had some months not checked even though I had coverage. When I called, they explained that the form only shows months where I actually USED the coverage, not months where I was merely enrolled. This is completely different from how employer forms work, and it caused me to think I had a gap in coverage when I actually didn't. The VA representative had to send me a separate letter confirming my continuous enrollment to satisfy my tax preparer.

Has anyone dealt with having a spouse with their own 1095-C while you have VA coverage? My wife and I are filing jointly, but I'm not sure how to handle her employer coverage alongside my VA benefits. Do we need to report both on our joint return?

I had a very similar situation last year with both employer and VA coverage! One thing that really helped me was understanding that the 1095 forms are primarily for reporting purposes now - they're meant to show the IRS that you had qualifying health coverage throughout the year. Since you had continuous coverage (employer through May, then VA from June-December), you're in good shape. The key is making sure your tax software understands you had coverage all 12 months, just from different sources. A tip that saved me time: when your tax software asks about gaps in coverage, make sure to indicate "No" since your VA coverage filled any potential gap after leaving your employer. The software sometimes gets confused when it sees different types of forms covering different periods, but as long as you had qualifying coverage each month (which you did), you're compliant. Also, keep both forms with your tax records even if the software doesn't require you to input all the details - it's good documentation in case of any future questions.