individual health insurance;
tax incentive
DPA |
Committee on Banking and Insurance |
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Committee on Ways and Means |
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Caucus and COW |
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As Passed the House |
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HB 2476 authorizes Arizona residents to subtract the premium costs paid by the taxpayer for health insurance coverage during the taxable year for purposes of computing Arizona adjusted gross income.
Currently, self-employed individuals are allowed to take a federal tax deduction on their premium costs for health insurance. Self-employed individuals are allowed as a deduction an amount equal to the applicable percentage of the amount paid during the taxable year for the health insurance costs of the taxpayer, his spouse and dependents. Section 162(l)(1)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code establishes the applicable percentage. For taxable years 2000 and 2001, the applicable percentage is fifty per cent. The applicable percentage rate increases for years 2002-2006 and will be raised to 100 per cent of the taxpayer’s health insurance costs beginning in year 2007. Due to the fact that Arizona uses Federal Adjusted Gross Income as the starting point for state income tax purposes, the federal deduction flows through as a current state deduction. However, this deduction only applies to self-employed individuals.