Is the Individual Mandate Really Mandatory?

Abstract:     
This article examines the tax collection process to see how the IRS might enforce the individual mandate under the healthcare reform law. It concludes that resistant taxpayers can generally be forced to pay the tax penalty only if they are entitled to receive refundable tax credits that exceed their net federal tax liability.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 10

Keywords: tax, tax administration, tax collection, tax enforcement, tax assessment, assessable penalties, 5000A, individual mandate penalty, individual mandate, penalty, Affordable Care Act, ACA, liens, levies, withholding, offset, setoff, Obamacare, adverse selection

JEL Classification: H51, I18, K3

Accepted Paper Series