The Internal Revenue Service extended the deadline for 2015 Affordable Care Act information reporting, giving employers subject to the requirements some highly-sought after relief.

In Notice 2016-4, issued by the IRS on Dec. 28, the agency extended the deadlines for both furnishing to individuals reporting forms and filing them with the IRS. 

 
Starting in 2016, applicable large employers must report whether an individual is covered by minimum essential coverage and that an offer of minimum essential coverage that provides minimum value was made to each full-time employee.

For furnishing employees with the 2015 Form 1095-B and Form 1095-C (Employer Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage), the IRS has extended the deadline from Feb. 1, 2016, to March 31, 2016.

For filing with the IRS the 2015 Form 1094-B (Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns), Form 1095-B, Form 1094-C (Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns) and Form 1095-C, the agency has extended the deadline from Feb. 29, 2016, to May 31, 2016 if not filing electronically, and from March 31, 2016, to June 30, 2016 if filing electronically.

Any employer filing 250 or more forms must do so electronically.

Despite the extensions, the IRS encourages employers and other coverage providers to provide the appropriate forms to employees and file information as soon as they are ready.