Successfully Navigating the Tax Filing Moment

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EnrollAmerica.org | GetCoveredAmerica.org 01-26-2015
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Successfully Navigating the Tax
Filing Moment
January 26, 2015

Agenda
I. Welcome
Zachary Baron (moderator), Senior Policy
Analyst in the Best Practices Institute, Enroll
America
II. ACA Tax Issues
& How TurboTax
Can Help
Lisa Greene-Lewis, CPA, TurboTax Blog
Editor
III. Practical
Advice for Tax
Preparation
Partnerships
Cheryl O’Donnell, Arizona State Director,
Enroll America
IV. A Successful
Model in Texas
Elizabeth Colvin, Director of Insure Central
Texas, Foundation Communities
V. Q&A
Submit your questions at any time
using the chat box.

Why is the Tax Filing Moment
Unique?
•  New opportunities to raise awareness
about coverage (and challenges)
•  Powerful window to highlight financial
help
•  Helps capitalize on the real impact of
the fine to motivate consumers to take
action

Mentioning the Fine Amount
•  Our research shows consumers
underestimate the fine
•  More than 85% didn’t know it
could exceed $300
•  BUT explicitly mentioning the
amount changes the story

Intuit Confidential and Proprietary
ACA Tax Issues and How TurboTax Can Help
Lisa Greene-Lewis CPA and Tax Expert for TurboTax®
January 26, 2015

EnrollAmerica.org | GetCoveredAmerica.org 01-26-2015Intuit Confidential and Proprietary
• Information about how the ACA will affect taxes
• Options for finding financial assistance
to purchase health insurance
TurboTax and Enroll America
Partnership

•  New Reporting Requirement on Taxes
•  1095-A Form
•  Advance Premium Tax Credit
•  Penalties
•  Exemptions
What’s New About Filing Taxes This Year?

How TurboTax Helps You Easily Report Your Health Insurance on Your Taxes

• For the almost 9 out of 10 Americans who were already
insured in 2014, reporting health care will be as simple
as checking a box.
Insured

•  Customers are not charged to file forms related to ACA
•  Reporting Marketplace insurance and premium tax credits
is simple
Marketplace Insurance

•  More than half of the estimated 40 million Americans who
are uninsured may be exempt from the penalty
•  30 plus exemptions
People Who Are Exempt

•  The penalty in 2014 is $95 per adult and $47.50 per child or
about 1% of household income.
•  TurboTax connects people to health insurance resources to
help reduce penalties.
Uninsured Americans

Thank You

III. PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR TAX
PREPARATION PARTNERSHIPS
Cheryl O’Donnell, Arizona State Director, Enroll America

Get Covered America Campaign
Get Covered America campaign conducts
grassroots organizing and consumer outreach
and education across Arizona

Added Value of Tax Preparation
Partnerships
•  Amplify the message that financial help is available
•  Ensure enrollees receive the appropriate amount of
financial help
•  Explain the consequences of the fine and how to avoid
it

Working with VITA Programs
•  Engage consumers at
VITA sites
•  Leverage “virtual/
valet” services
•  Invite VITA to your
enrollment events

Working with Commercial Tax
Preparation Organizations
•  Engage consumers
onsite
•  Assist w/ Medicaid or
gap population
•  Provide SHOP outreach
and employee education

Additional Tax-Related
Resources
•  Other Free Tax Preparation
•  AARP Tax Aide Program
•  Dealing with Tax Disputes
•  IRS Taxpayer Advocate Office
•  Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics

Cheryl O’Donnell
Arizona State Director
Enroll America
codonnell@enrollamerica.org

IV. A SUCCESSFUL MODEL IN
TEXAS
Elizabeth Colvin, Director of Insure Central Texas,
Foundation Communities

ACA Year One
16,000 enrollment assists
5,900 individuals enrolled in QHPs
94% qualified for PTC
Insure Central Texas assisted 1 out of 11 Travis County
(Austin) residents who enrolled in Marketplace plans.

Retail, Volunteer-Based Model
5 Enrollment + Tax Centers (open 7 days/week)
500 Volunteer Tax Preparers
100  Volunteer Certified Application Counselors

ACA Enrollment,
Free Tax Preparation
(VITA) & Financial
Coaching

Common Goal:
Improve Financial
Stability

ACA Enrollment & Tax Preparation
Program Intersections

ü  Overlapping
cons/tuencies

ü  Overlapping
calendar

ü  Similar
infrastructure
needs

ü  Access
to
tax/ACA
exper/se

ü  Just-‐in-‐/me
educa/on
+
assistance

Combined Outreach & Education

ü  Flyer
distribu/on

ü  Press
advisories
on
impact
of
ACA
on
2014
tax
returns

ü  Community
Coffees

What
you
need
to
know
about
TAXES
and
the
Affordable
Care
Act

For
Community
Leaders,
Nonprofits,
and
Service
Providers

Founda/on
Communi/es
offers
free
tax
prepara/on
and
health

insurance
enrollment
7
days
a
week
to
serve
the
community.

Join
us
for
coffee
and
learn
what
is
new
with
taxes
and
the
Affordable
Care
Act,

how
the
penalty
works,
and
how
you
can
connect
your
clients
to

Founda/on
Communi/es’
free
services.

Where:

Highland
Mall
(6001
Airport
Blvd)

When:

January
20
from
8:45am
to
9:45am

Tax Training for Enrollment Assisters

ü  Applicant’s
Filing
Status

•  Married
Filing
Separate
and
excep/ons

ü  Applicant’s
Tax
Household

•  Who
can
be
claimed
as
a
dependent

ü  Household
Income

•  Understanding
Schedule
C

ü  Tax
Planning
for
2015

•  Household
size

•  Income/Expenses

Partnerships

ü  CPAs
/
Tax
Preparers

ü  Community
Clinics

ü  Health-‐oriented
nonproﬁts

ü  Health
access
programs

ü  Hospitals

Uninsured single mother: 21 years old and $20,000/yr
Paid $95 penalty on 2014 tax return.
Referral from
Tax Preparer
Purchased insurance for 2015 @ $24/mo = $288/yr
Has comprehensive health insurance + avoids $325 penalty

Elizabeth
Colvin

Director,
Insure
Central
Texas

A
program
of
Founda/on
Communi/es

Elizabeth.Colvin@foundcom.org

512.554.4409

Answers to Tax Questions
•  1095-A issues?
•  Exemption issues?
•  Tax filing issues?
Marketplace Call Center
Tax prep organizations,
Marketplace Call Center,
or in-person assisters
Tax prep organizations

V. QUESTIONS?

Successfully Navigating the Tax Filing Moment

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