What the heck are 1095-B and 1095-C forms? Do we need to file them?

So I just got these weird 1095-B and 1095-C forms in the mail for me and my husband and honestly I have no clue what they even are lol. Does my husband need to file them with our taxes? Do we owe money for these things? We both work full time but his company is WAY bigger than mine (like thousands of employees) and mine is just a local business with maybe 30 people. I'm doing our taxes this weekend and these random forms just showed up yesterday and I'm confused!!! Can someone explain these 1095 forms to me super simply? Like explain it to me like I'm a total dummy about tax stuff please!

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18 comments

Isabella Ferreira

•8M

Don't worry - you don't need to file these forms with your tax return! The 1095-B and 1095-C forms are just proof of health insurance coverage. The 1095-C is sent by large employers (50+ employees) to show they offered health insurance to employees. That's why your husband got one from his big company, but you didn't get one from your smaller employer. The 1095-B is typically sent by health insurance companies or government programs to show you had coverage. These forms are basically just documentation that you had qualifying health coverage during the year. You should keep them with your tax records, but you don't submit them with your return. They also don't mean you owe any money - they're just informational.

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Isabella Ferreira

•8M

That's right! Just keep them with your tax records - you don't submit them or do anything special with them on your tax return. They're basically just proof that you had health insurance coverage during the year. No money is owed because of these forms - they're purely informational. They exist so the IRS can verify you had qualifying health coverage, which was more important when there was a penalty for not having insurance (that federal penalty no longer exists, though some states still have their own requirements).

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Ravi Sharma

•8M

I had the same confusion last year with these forms! I actually used a tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me understand all these weird tax forms. You can upload your documents and it explains everything in super simple terms. After trying TurboTax and getting frustrated with all the weird tax language, I uploaded my 1095-B and 1095-C forms to taxr.ai and it instantly explained that they're just health insurance verification forms and that I didn't need to file them. It saved me from a major panic attack thinking I missed something important!

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Ravi Sharma

•8M

It really does break everything down into simple English! It's like having a tax expert explain each line to you but without the confusing jargon. It showed me exactly what my 1095 forms meant and which ones I needed to keep vs. file. As for security, I totally understand the concern. They use bank-level encryption for all uploads and don't store your documents after analysis. I was skeptical at first too, but they explain their security measures on the site, and I felt comfortable after reading through that section.

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AstroAce

•8M

If you're still confused about your tax forms and want to talk to an actual IRS agent (which I always recommend for peace of mind), try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). The IRS wait times are INSANE this year - I was on hold for 3 hours before I gave up. With Claimyr, I got a callback from the IRS in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. I asked them directly about my 1095-B and 1095-C forms and got confirmation I didn't need to file them. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Seriously saved my sanity during tax season!

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AstroAce

•8M

It doesn't let you skip the queue exactly. What it does is call the IRS and navigate the phone tree for you, then wait on hold so you don't have to. When an agent finally picks up, it calls your phone and connects you directly to them. You bypass the hold time while their system waits for you. I was skeptical too! But their technology basically automates the hold process. They use a system that waits on hold instead of you having to do it personally. It's completely legitimate - they just found a way to make the horrible IRS wait times more bearable by letting you go about your day while they wait.

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Diego Rojas

•8M

I need to eat my words. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr because I was desperate to ask about some health insurance tax credits related to those 1095 forms. Figured I had nothing to lose since I was getting nowhere with the IRS directly. It actually worked! Got a call back in about 25 minutes and spoke to an IRS agent who answered all my questions. Saved me from sitting on hold for literally hours. Sometimes I'm too quick to judge, but this service actually delivered. Just wanted to update in case anyone else is struggling to get through to the IRS.

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Anastasia Sokolov

•8M

Just to add a bit more detail since I work in HR - the 1095-C form has three parts: 1. Your employer and personal info 2. Info about the coverage your employer offered 3. Covered individuals (if your employer is self-insured) Your husband probably got this from his large employer. The 1095-B is similar but comes from insurance companies or government programs. As others mentioned, you don't file these forms with your taxes, but keep them for your records in case the IRS has questions about your health coverage.

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Anastasia Sokolov

•8M

Great question! The 1095-B and 1095-C forms themselves don't directly impact the Premium Tax Credit. However, if your sister receives insurance through the marketplace, she should receive Form 1095-A, which IS needed to claim the Premium Tax Credit. The 1095-A is different from the B and C versions and contains essential information for calculating the Premium Tax Credit on Form 8962. So while the B and C forms are just for your records, the 1095-A is actually needed for filing if you got marketplace insurance and want to claim the credit.

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