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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Taxpayers Duck Obamacare Tax, Snubbing IRS

Taxpayers are already telling their accountants they plan to stiff the IRS on the Obamacare tax, saying they figure the chances the agency comes after them for a few hundred bucks are pretty slim, and it makes sense to take the risk.

Still other taxpayers are recoiling when they find out they owe far more than the $95 minimum penalty for not having insurance in 2014, said Christopher Wittich, an accountant in Minnesota.

“And that’s a big problem for them,” he said. “They don’t have 200 bucks.”

Taxpayers are facing the first round of penalties under Obamacare’s “individual mandate,” which requires most Americans to prove they have health insurance coverage or else pay the tax that the Supreme Court ruled made the law constitutional.

But Indiana accountant Scott Frick said one of his clients, told he would have to fork over $850 for going without insurance last year, thought about the IRS and decided not to pay, just to “see what happens.”

The episodes raise questions for the revenue agency, which is trying to figure out just how far it’s prepared to go to collect the Obamacare tax — and if future administrations will enforce it at all.

Under the 2010 law the IRS cannot pursue criminal penalties or put liens on the property of people who ignore the Affordable Care Act’s mandate.

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4 comments:

Stu Stinchfield said...

They may not be able to penalize people who don't pay but they add interest on the money and that BS just keeps adding up.I have had some problems with the IRS and I can tell you I would rather owe the mafia.It would be better to pay those bastards for now and hope a new president will shi# can the whole damn thing after the 2016 election.Why ask for trouble for a couple hundred bucks.

Anonymous said...

$200? Try $300 to $700 for average middle class.

Anonymous said...

$375 this year is a bargain. $500 a month with $3,000 Out of pocket first is a bankruptcy waiting to happen. I'll pay the $375 and take the Medicaid after that. If that won't pay it, a dollar a month will...

Anonymous said...

Just to show you how "great" Obamacare is. I pay almost $600.00 a month for just me to have some type of health insurance; but on top of that I paid over $5000.00 in out of pocket expenses after meeting my $2000,00 deductible. (not counting the out of network deductible,which I never met that) Those with good health insurance from their employers should NEVER complain and it gripes me to hear when they complain they have to pay $20.00 co pay to see their doctor or dentist. It would be to my benefit to not have insurance and pay the penalty on my taxes and let the government (Medicaid) pay my medical bills. But I was brought up to take care of myself and to not depend on the government.