The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit helps small businesses and small tax-
exempt organizations afford the cost of covering their employees.

Have You Received a Postcard from the IRS?
Millions of small employers will receive postcards from the IRS beginning the week of April 19, 2010 that alert them to the new Small Business Health Care Tax Credit and encourage them to check their eligibility. Even if you don’t receive a postcard, your business still may be eligible. Read more about this effort.

Eligibility Rules
Providing health care coverage. A qualifying employer must cover at least 50 percent of the cost of health care coverage for some of its workers based on the single rate.

Firm size. A qualifying employer must have less than the equivalent of 25 full-time workers (for example, an employer with fewer than 50 half-time workers may be eligible).
Average annual wage. A qualifying employer must pay average annual wages below $50,000.
Both taxable (for profit) and tax-exempt firms qualify.

Amount of Credit
Maximum Amount. The credit is worth up to 35 percent of a small business’ premium costs in 2010. On Jan. 1, 2014, this rate increases to 50 percent (35 percent for tax-exempt employers).
Phase-out. The credit phases out gradually for firms with average wages between $25,000 and $50,000 and for firms with the equivalent of between 10 and 25 full-time workers.

Three Simple Steps for Employers to Qualify
To determine if your small business or tax exempt organization qualifies for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, follow the three simple steps on the IRS fact sheet.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/3_simple_steps.pdf

For More Information
New guidance makes it easier for small businesses to determine whether they’re eligible for the new health care tax credit under the Affordable Care Act and how large a credit they’ll receive.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/small_business_health_care_tax_credit_scenarios.pdf