# Can I qualify for a hardship exemption on taxes if I was unemployed and didn't qualify for the ACA

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-qualify-for-a-hardship-exemption-on-taxes-if-i-was-unemployed-and-didnt-qualify-for-the-aca/830902>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 10, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-qualify-for-a-hardship-exemption-on-taxes-if-i-was-unemployed-and-didnt-qualify-for-the-aca/830902 "2019-03-10T18:07:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-qualify-for-a-hardship-exemption-on-taxes-if-i-was-unemployed-and-didnt-qualify-for-the-aca/830902/1 "2019-03-10T18:07:39Z")

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In 2018 I was unemployed for several months and didn’t have health coverage. I went to an ACA navigator who told me that I earned too much per month to quality for medicaid, but too little over the year to quality for an ACA subsidy. So my only choice was $400 for a plan with a 6k deductible since I was declined for either medicaid or an ACA subsidy. So I declined coverage.

I know next year the mandate is not applied, but it still applies to 2018. Does anyone know if I qualify for an exemption due to this or will I have to pay the penalty?

I’m thinking no I don’t qualify. I tried going onto the ACA website and answering questions, and it said I didn’t. I’m going to call the IRS sometime this week.

But this seems like a pretty shitty loophole to put into the ACA. Deprive someone who is unemployed of any assistance, then charge them a fine for not having insurance.

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-qualify-for-a-hardship-exemption-on-taxes-if-i-was-unemployed-and-didnt-qualify-for-the-aca/830902/2 "2019-03-10T21:12:07Z")

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Neat, while doing my taxes it seemed to say that if insurance premiums are more than 8.05% of gross household income per month you don’t have to pay the fine. When I was unemployed they were about 25% of household income.