Tax
Form 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement)
Form 1095-A, the Health Insurance Marketplace Statement, is a tax form sent to people who bought health coverage through a federal or state ACA Marketplace. It reports each month's enrollment premium, the second-lowest-cost Silver plan benchmark, and any advance premium tax credit, the figures you need to reconcile your subsidy on Form 8962.
The 1095-C is issued only by Applicable Large Employers, those with 50 or more full-time employees; the 1095-A, by contrast, is the only 1095 you must have to file your federal return.
Written & maintained by the Granite team · Last updated June 2026
Overview
Form 1095-A is one of three forms in the IRS 1095 family that document health coverage for a tax year. The 1095-A specifically covers Marketplace plans and is the only one you actively need to file taxes: its Part III premium, SLCSP, and APTC columns feed directly into Form 8962, where you reconcile the premium tax credit you received against what you actually qualified for.
It's issued by the Health Insurance Marketplace you enrolled through, either Healthcare.gov or a state exchange such as Covered California or NY State of Health, and mailed (and posted to your Marketplace account) by early February. The 1095-B reports insurer- or government-program coverage (like Medicaid or Medicare); the 1095-C is sent by large employers with 50 or more full-time employees. Both are kept for your records rather than filed.
When you’ll get your Form 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement)
- You enrolled in a health plan through Healthcare.gov or a state ACA exchange during the tax year
- You or anyone in your household received an advance premium tax credit (APTC) to lower monthly premiums
- You need to reconcile your subsidy on Form 8962 when you file your federal return
- You're claiming the premium tax credit for the first time at tax time even if you took no advance payments
- You changed Marketplace plans mid-year, which can produce more than one 1095-A
What’s on your Form 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement)
These are the fields Granite reads and extracts automatically the moment you upload one.
- Tax year
- The coverage year the statement reports, printed at the top of the form.
- Variant (A / B / C)
- Which 1095 this is. The 1095-A header reads 'Health Insurance Marketplace Statement'; B and C cover insurer/government and employer coverage.
- Recipient name
- The primary person on the policy (the 'Recipient' in Part II of the 1095-A).
- Marketplace-assigned policy number
- Part I, the Marketplace's ID for your enrolled plan, used if you call the exchange about the form.
- Annual enrollment premium
- Part III column A, the total premium charged for your plan across the months you were enrolled.
- Annual SLCSP premium
- Part III column B, the benchmark second-lowest-cost Silver plan figure used to calculate your premium tax credit on Form 8962.
- Annual advance payment (APTC)
- Part III column C, the advance premium tax credit paid directly to your insurer on your behalf during the year.
- Coverage start / end dates
- Part I lines 8 and 9, when the policy began and (if applicable) terminated during the year.
How long to keep it
At least 3 years; keep it with the return it supports (up to 7 years)
The IRS generally recommends keeping records that support a credit until the period of limitations runs out, which is usually 3 years from when you filed. Because the 1095-A is the source document behind your Form 8962 premium tax credit reconciliation, keep it as long as you keep that return, which can stretch to 7 years in some situations. Proving the SLCSP and APTC numbers later is far harder once the Marketplace statement is gone.
How Granite handles your Form 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement)
Drop your 1095-A into Granite and it reads the form, detects the A variant from the header, and pulls out the exact figures that matter, annual premium, SLCSP, and APTC, plus the tax year and Marketplace policy number. It files the form into your Tax {year} collection alongside your W-2, 1099s, and 1040, flags it if a duplicate scan shows up, and surfaces it instantly when you search '1095-a' or 'premium tax credit' at filing time.
FAQ
Form 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement): common questions
- What is a Form 1095 used for?
- A Form 1095 documents the health coverage you had during the tax year under the Affordable Care Act. The 1095-A covers ACA Marketplace plans, the 1095-B covers insurer or government-program coverage, and the 1095-C covers employer-offered coverage. Only the 1095-A is needed to file, because it feeds your premium tax credit reconciliation on Form 8962.
- What is Form 1095-A used for?
- Form 1095-A is used to reconcile the premium tax credit on your federal return. You transfer its Part III premium, SLCSP, and advance-payment figures onto Form 8962, which compares the subsidy paid in advance with what you actually qualified for. Without it you can't accurately file if you had Marketplace coverage.
- What is the difference between 1095-A, 1095-B, and 1095-C?
- Form 1095-A covers ACA Marketplace plans and is the only one you file with. The 1095-B reports coverage from an insurer or government program like Medicare or Medicaid. The 1095-C is sent by large employers (50 or more full-time employees) documenting the coverage they offered. The 1095-B and 1095-C are for your records only.
- Do I need my 1095-A to file taxes?
- Yes, if you had Marketplace coverage. You need the 1095-A to complete Form 8962 and reconcile your premium tax credit. Filing without it can delay your refund or get your return rejected for a missing Form 8962. If you didn't receive one, download it from your Healthcare.gov or state exchange account.
- How long should I keep Form 1095-A?
- Keep your 1095-A at least 3 years, the IRS's general period of limitations, and ideally as long as you keep the supporting tax return, which can run to 7 years. It's the source of the SLCSP and APTC numbers on your Form 8962, so you want it available if the IRS reviews your premium tax credit later.
- Where do I get my 1095-A if I didn't receive one?
- Log in to the Marketplace you enrolled through, Healthcare.gov or your state exchange, and find the form under your tax forms or messages. Marketplaces post 1095-A statements by early February and mail paper copies. If it's missing or wrong, contact the Marketplace, not the IRS, to request a corrected form.
Sources
This page is checked against primary and authoritative sources:
More tax documents
- Charitable Donation Receipt
- CP59 Notice
- Form 1040
- Form 1098 (Mortgage Interest Statement)
- Form 1098-E (Student Loan Interest Statement)
- Form 1098-T (Tuition Statement)
- Form 1099-A
- Form 1099-B
- Form 1099-C
- Form 1099-DIV
- Form 1099-G
- Form 1099-INT
- Form 1099-K
- Form 1099-MISC
- Form 1099-NEC
- Form 1099-Q
- Form 1099-R
- Form 1099-S
- Form 1099-SA
- Form 4868 (Tax Extension)
- Form 5498 (IRA Contribution Information)
- Form 5498-SA
- Form W-2
- Form W-2G (Certain Gambling Winnings)
- Form W-4 (Employee's Withholding Certificate)
- IRS Notice or Letter
- Property Tax Bill (Property Tax Statement)
- Schedule K-1
- State Income Tax Return
Keep your Form 1095-A (Health Insurance Marketplace Statement) in one place.
Drop it in once. Granite reads it, files it, and makes it findable forever — by you today, and by the people who'll need it later.