The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Taxation

Is Affordable Care Act based on taxable income?

The Marketplace uses an income number called modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) to determine eligibility for savings. It’s not a line on your tax return. See what’s included in MAGI and how to estimate it. Your total (or “gross”) income for the tax year, minus certain adjustments you’re allowed to take.

The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Taxation

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was signed into law in 2010 by President Barack Obama as a sweeping overhaul of the United States healthcare system. As part of this overhaul, Congress implemented several new taxes that have had an effect on both individuals and businesses.

For individuals, the Affordable Care Act has resulted in an increase in taxes, with higher earners being subject to higher taxes. These taxes include the individual mandate, which requires all those subject to the Act to purchase qualifying health insurance or pay a penalty. Those who do not meet the income requirements for this mandate are exempt, but for those who do, the penalty for not having coverage has increased year-over-year since the law was introduced. Furthermore, there is an increase in the marginal tax rate for those earning more than $400,000 per year, as well as other taxes such as an additional 0.9% Medicare tax and a 3.8% surtax on investment income for high earners.

For businesses, the Affordable Care Act has implemented the employer mandate, which requires businesses with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees to provide health insurance coverage. Those businesses who do not meet this requirement perform are subject to an annual fine of $2,000 per employee, after the first 30 employees. This mandate has meant that businesses who meet the criteria must budget for additional expenses, affecting their bottom line and causing indirect taxes to be passed on to their customers in the form of higher prices.

The Affordable Care Act has also impacted taxes in other ways, including offering tax credits to certain individuals and businesses to help them purchase health insurance if they meet certain criteria, as well as increasing penalties for those who choose not to comply with the Act.

While the Affordable Care Act has come with its own set of drawbacks, it has also made healthcare more accessible to millions of Americans who previously would have been unable to afford it. The taxes associated with the Act were a necessary step in order to make this change, and in many cases, they have not been as burdensome as originally expected.