Half of ObamaCare Enrollees Taking Hit on Tax Returns

Early filers discovering that the subsidies they received were too high
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 25, 2015 3:24 PM CST
Half of ObamaCare Enrollees Taking Hit on Tax Returns
The HealthCare.gov website.   (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File)

People who got a subsidy from ObamaCare to help pay for their health insurance are getting a not-so-pleasant surprise on their taxes: H&R Block reports that 52% of people who got subsidies have to pay back a chunk of that money to the government. The average payback is $530, equating to a 17% drop in returns, reports the Hill. The main reason for the payback? Filers' 2014 income came in higher than expected, and thus the subsidies they received were too high.

“It’s costing taxpayers a large percentage of their refund—a refund many of them count on to pay household expenses,” say H&R Block VP Mark Ciaramitaro. The figures are based on only the first six weeks of the filing season and could change. On the upside, about 38% of ObamaCare filers found out they were getting an average credit of $366 because their subsidies were too low, reports Forbes. So far, the average penalty for those without health insurance is $172, and Forbes thinks many filers who learn of the penalty will take advantage of a new special enrollment period (from March 15 to April 30) put into place for just that reason. (More ObamaCare stories.)

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