On April 7, 2011 California enacted Assembly Bill 36 which allows employees and the self employed to deduct the cost of health insurance premium for dependents under the age of 27. This conforms California state tax law with the Federal guidelines passed into law with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that extend eligibility for group health insurance to adult children, regardless of student status, through age 26.
Thank goodness that California legislators fixed the discrepancy between Federal and State law regarding the deductibility of dependent health insurance premium. Allowing the deduction means that California forgoes the tax revenue on adult children’s health insurance premium. At the same time allowing the deduction removes a major head ache for employers who have been trying to comply with conflicting State and Federal guidelines.
