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How Did Your ACA Reporting Go? 

Lessons Learned & What to Do Now 

If you’re an HR or benefits professional, ACA reporting season is probably still fresh in your mind — the scramble to verify data, finalize forms, and meet IRS deadlines. For many, it’s a process filled with stress, tight turnarounds, and the nagging fear of costly penalties for even small mistakes. 

But here’s the upside: each reporting cycle offers valuable insight into what’s working, what’s not, and what can be improved before the next round. 

This post will break down the most common ACA reporting struggles we saw this year, explain what they mean for your compliance process, and help you pivot now — before next year sneaks up on you. Plus, we’ve included a free download to help you course-correct in real time: the ACA Compliance Checklist: Mid-Year Review Edition. 

Common ACA Reporting Struggles (and What They Reveal) 

Even seasoned teams run into issues during reporting season. Here are some of the top trouble spots from Q1 — and what they tell us: 

1. Incomplete or inaccurate employee data 

Outdated personal info, misclassified roles, and mismatched SSNs can derail filings and trigger corrections. 

2. Unclear tracking of hours and eligibility 

Many errors stem from inconsistent tracking of part-time, seasonal, PRN, or variable-hour employees — especially in industries with fluctuating schedules. 

3. Classification confusion 

Failing to clearly define and apply eligibility rules leads to missed 1095-Cs for employees who qualify as full-time under ACA rules. 

4. Vendor delays or communication gaps 

If you rely on a third-party ACA vendor, a lack of visibility or collaboration can cause last-minute surprises. 

5. Late or incorrect filings 

When data issues aren’t caught until January or February, there’s little time to correct before deadlines — and the risk of IRS penalties rises fast. 

What These Challenges Tell Us 

These issues often aren’t about the reporting itself — they’re about how well (or poorly) data was managed throughout the year. 

If you’re only thinking about ACA in Q1, you’re already playing catch-up. 

Mid-year is your chance to shift from reactive to proactive. With just a few adjustments now, you can reduce stress, strengthen compliance, and avoid costly mistakes next time. 

Mid-Year ACA Compliance: What to Do Now 

Here’s how to course-correct while there’s still time to make an impact this year: 

Conduct a Post-Mortem on Q1 

  • What caused the biggest delays or corrections?
  • Were any full-time employees missed? 
  • How accurate were the forms — the first time?

Review Employee Classification 

  • Are all full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees correctly labeled?
  • Are you applying the right measurement method for variable-hour staff?  

Validate Your Tracking Systems 

  • Are hours of service being recorded accurately across all departments or locations? 
  • Do you have a system that alerts you when someone crosses the full-time threshold? 

Meet with Your Vendor 

  • Ask them: What issues did they see this year? What trends are they watching for 2026? 
  • Use this opportunity to align on expectations and performance. 

Prepare for the 2026 Affordability Percentage 

  • Early indicators suggest a lower affordability threshold in 2026. 
  • Run projections now to determine how it may impact plan offerings or employee contributions. 

Don’t Forget State Requirements 

If you operate in California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, D.C., or Vermont, ACA-style reporting may be required at the state level — with separate deadlines and formats. Mid-year is the time to align on those too. 

Download the Mid-Year ACA Compliance Checklist 

We’ve created a simple, actionable tool to help you assess and improve your compliance status today — no waiting until Q1. 

Download the ACA Compliance Checklist: Mid-Year Review:

Get the Checklist


This free resource walks you through key checkpoints across: 

  • General compliance
  • Employee classification
  • Tracking & Reporting systems
  • Vendor oversight
  • State-specific concerns

It also includes bonus questions to ask your ACA vendor to reduce reporting risk. 

Why This Mid-Year Moment Matters 

ACA reporting isn’t just about what happens in February or March. It’s about what you do all year long to track eligibility, monitor coverage, and maintain documentation. 

Taking time now to review and realign will save your team hours of rework later — and could help you avoid thousands of dollars in IRS penalties. 

Need help figuring out where you stand or how to improve your compliance workflow? Our team of ACA experts is here to help. From year-round tracking to filing support, Selerix is the partner HR teams trust to get ACA right. 

Let’s make next year’s reporting season smoother — starting today. 

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