H&W: IRS FAQs Regarding Same Sex Marriage and Health Coverage

The IRS recently published updated FAQs on health coverage for individuals of the same sex who are married under state law. The complete list of FAQs can be found here.

Questions 10 through 14 and question 22 deal directly with issues involving employer provided health coverage and employer sponsored cafeteria plans. Those questions are shown below.

Q10. If an employer provided health coverage for an employee’s same-sex spouse and included the value of that coverage in the employee’s gross income, can the employee file an amended Form 1040 reflecting the employee’s status as a married individual to recover federal income tax paid on the value of the health coverage of the employee’s spouse?

A10. Yes, for all years for which the period of limitations for filing a claim for refund is open. Generally, a taxpayer may file a claim for refund for three years from the date the return was filed or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. If an employer provided health coverage for an employee’s same-sex spouse, the employee may claim a refund of income taxes paid on the value of coverage that would have been excluded from income had the employee’s spouse been recognized as the employee’s legal spouse for tax purposes. This claim for a refund generally would be made through the filing of an amended Form 1040. For information on filing an amended return, go to Tax Topic 308, Amended Returns, at https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc308.html. For a discussion regarding refunds of Social Security and Medicare taxes, see Q&A #12 and Q&A #13.

Example. Employer sponsors a group health plan covering eligible employees and their dependents and spouses (including same-sex spouses). Fifty percent of the cost of health coverage elected by employees is paid by Employer. Employee A was married to same-sex Spouse B at all times during 2012. Employee A elected coverage for Spouse B through Employer’s group health plan beginning Jan. 1, 2012. The value of the employer-funded portion of Spouse B’s health coverage was $250 per month.

The amount in Box 1, “Wages, tips, other compensation,” of the 2012 Form W-2 provided by Employer to Employee A included $3,000 ($250 per month x 12 months) of income reflecting the value of employer-funded health coverage provided to Spouse B.  Employee A filed Form 1040 for the 2012 taxable year reflecting the Box 1 amount reported on Form W-2.

Employee A may file an amended Form 1040 for the 2012 taxable year excluding the value of Spouse B’s employer-funded health coverage ($3,000) from gross income.

Q11. If an employer sponsored a cafeteria plan that allowed employees to pay premiums for health coverage on a pre-tax basis, can a participating employee file an amended return to recover income taxes paid on premiums that the employee paid on an after-tax basis for the health coverage of the employee’s same-sex spouse?

A11. Yes, for all years for which the period of limitations for filing a claim for refund is open. Generally, a taxpayer may file a claim for refund for three years from the date the return was filed or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. If an employer sponsored a cafeteria plan under which an employee elected to pay for health coverage for the employee on a pre-tax basis, and if the employee purchased coverage on an after-tax basis for the employee’s same-sex spouse under the employer’s health plan, the employee may claim a refund of income taxes paid on the premiums for the coverage of the employee’s spouse. This claim for a refund generally would be made through the filing of an amended Form 1040. For information on filing an amended return, go to Tax Topic 308, Amended Returns, at https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc308.html. For a discussion regarding refunds of Social Security and Medicare taxes, see Q&A #12 and Q&A #13.

Example. Employer sponsors a group health plan as part of a cafeteria plan with a calendar year plan year. The full cost of spousal and dependent coverage is paid by the employees. In the open enrollment period for the 2012 plan year, Employee C elected to purchase self-only health coverage through salary reduction under Employer’s cafeteria plan. On March 1, 2012, Employee C was married to same-sex spouse D. Employee C purchased health coverage for Spouse D through Employer’s group health plan beginning March 1, 2012. The premium paid by Employee C for Spouse D’s health coverage was $500 per month.

The amount in Box 1, “Wages, tips, other compensation,” of the 2012 Form W-2 provided by Employer to Employee C included the $5,000 ($500 per month x 10 months) of premiums paid by Employee C for Spouse D’s health coverage. Employee C filed Form 1040 for the 2012 taxable year reflecting the Box 1 amount reported on Form W-2.

Employee C’s salary reduction election is treated as including the value of the same-sex spousal coverage purchased for Spouse D. Employee C may file an amended Form 1040 for the 2012 taxable year excluding the premiums paid for Spouse D’s health coverage ($5,000) from gross income.

Q12. In the situations described in Q&A #10 and Q&A #11, may the employer claim a refund for the Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes paid on the benefits?

A12. Yes. If the period of limitations for filing a claim for refund is open, the employer may claim a refund of, or make an adjustment for, any overpayment of Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes. The requirements for filing a claim for refund or for making an adjustment for an overpayment of the employer and employee portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes can be found in the Instructions for Form 941-X, Adjusted Employer’s QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return or Claim for Refund. Notice 2013-61 provides special administrative procedures for employers to file claims for refunds or make adjustments for overpayments of Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes paid on same-sex spouse benefits.

Q13. In the situations described in Q&A #10 and Q&A #11, may the employer claim a refund or make an adjustment of income tax withholding that was withheld from the employee with respect to the benefits in prior years?

A13. No. Claims for refund of overwithheld income tax for prior years cannot be made by employers. The employee may file for any refund of income tax due for prior years on Form 1040X, provided the period of limitations for claiming a refund has not expired. See Q&A #10 and Q&A #11.

Employers may make adjustments for income tax withholding that was overwithheld from an employee in the current year provided the employer has repaid or reimbursed the employee for the overwithheld income tax before the end of the calendar year.

Q14. If an employer cannot locate a former employee with a same-sex spouse who received the benefits described in Q&A #10 and Q&A #11, may the employer still claim a refund of the employer portion of the Social Security and Medicare taxes on the benefits?

A14. Yes, if the employer makes reasonable attempts to locate an employee who received the benefits described in Q&A #10 and Q&A #11 that were treated as wages but the employer is unable to locate the employee, the employer can claim a refund of the employer portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes, but not the employee portion. Also, if an employee is notified and given the opportunity to participate in the claim for refund of Social Security and Medicare taxes but declines in writing, the employer can claim a refund of the employer portion of the taxes, but not the employee portion. Employers can use the special administrative procedure set forth in Notice 2013-61 to file these claims.

Q22. Is an employer that repays or reimburses an employee on or before Dec. 31, 2013, for an overpayment of Social Security and Medicare taxes and income tax withholding with respect to same-sex spouse benefits provided in 2013 required to obtain a written statement from the employee confirming the employee did not make a claim for refund of the overcollected taxes (or the claim was rejected) and will not make any future claim for refund or credit of the overcollected taxes?

A22. No. An employer using the first special administrative procedure under Notice 2013-61 (i.e., employer repays or reimburses an employee for 2013 overpayments of taxes on or before Dec. 31, 2013, and corrects the overpayment on the fourth quarter 2013 Form 941) does not need to obtain the written statement from its employee with respect to the 2013 overpayments. However, an employer using the second special administrative procedure under Notice 2013-61 (i.e., employer does not repay or reimburse an employee for an overpayment of taxes on or before Dec. 31, 2013, and corrects the overpayment on a Form 941-X) is required to obtain such written statement from each affected employee.