A type of savings account that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. By using untaxed dollars in an HSA to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and some other expenses, you may be able to lower your out-of-pocket health care costs.
Within limits, contributions to an HSA made by, or on behalf of, an eligible individual are deductible by the individual in determining adjusted gross income (AGI). Contributions to an HSA are excludable from income and employment taxes if made by the employer. Earnings on amounts in HSAs are not taxable.
Drawbacks of HSAs include tax penalties for nonmedical expenses before age 65, and contributions made to the HSA within six months of applying for Social Security benefits may be subject to penalties. HSAs have fewer limitations and more tax advantages than flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
The money you contribute to your HSA is non-taxable, just like it is if you contribute to a traditional 401k, IRA or other interest-bearing account. When you contribute money to an HSA, it decreases your adjusted gross income (AGI) which determines your taxable income.
HSA Tax Advantages
Your contributions may be 100 percent tax-deductible, meaning contributions can be deducted from your gross income. All interest earned in your HSA is 100 percent tax-deferred, meaning the funds grow without being subject to taxes unless they are used for non-eligible medical expenses.
The Last Month Rule
There is a testing period of twelve months. This means you must stay eligible through the end of the next year, or else you will face taxes and penalties.
HSAs might not make sense if you have some type of chronic medical condition. In that case, you're probably better served by traditional health plans. HSAs might also not be a good idea if you know you will be needing expensive medical care in the near future.
If you don't have an HDHP, have a family, and require frequent diagnostic medical care, a copay plan may be a better option. Neither an HSA or copay plan is better than the other; you just need to decide which plan meets all of your needs and will benefit you the most.
One of the biggest advantages of an HSA is that it offers a triple tax advantage, which means: Contributions to an HSA are federally tax-deductible, reducing your taxable income. Depending on where you live, you may also get a break on state income taxes. Assets in an HSA can potentially grow federal tax-free.
If you've mistakenly used HSA funds for nonqualified expenses, you must repay the distribution amount back into your HSA by the tax filing deadline for the year in which the distribution occurred. By reimbursing your HSA, you can avoid the income tax and the 20% penalty on nonqualified distributions.
Form 8889 is submitted with your tax return via Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to report a distribution from the account, even if it's not taxable. If you took a taxable distribution from your HSA, this is where you report that. You also report contributions and any deductions related to your HSA on this form.
Gym memberships. While some companies and private insurers may offer discounts on gym memberships, you generally can't use your FSA or HSA account to pay for gym or health club memberships. An exception to that rule would be if your doctor deems fitness medically necessary for your recovery or treatment.
If you're able to make the maximum contribution each year, then it's suggested that you do so. Some years you may need to use more of your HSA contributions than other years. Just remember, there's no yearly minimum you have to spend from your HSA and your entire HSA automatically rolls over each year.
Can I cash out my HSA when I leave my job? Yes, you can cash out your HSA at any time. However, any funds withdrawn for costs other than qualified medical expenses will result in the IRS imposing a 20% tax penalty.
If you're unsure of where to start, try working with a financial advisor. What Is the Average HSA Balance By Age? The average HSA balance for a family is about $7,500 and for individuals it is about $4,300. This average jumps up to $12,000 for families who invest in HSAs.
The main downside of an HSA is that you must have a high-deductible health insurance plan to get one. A health insurance deductible is the amount of money you must pay out of pocket each year before your insurance plan benefits begin.
An HSA covers a wide range of routine medical costs, including: Qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses you incur before you've met your HDHP deductible. Medical, dental or vision coinsurance and copayments.
Use HSA funds to pay for emergency medical costs.
A better option is to pay with other funds and keep track of expenses. Medical claims never expire, so money can be withdrawn tax-free in retirement in order to reimburse medical expenses that were paid out-of-pocket years before.
An account beneficiary may defer to later taxable years distributions from HSAs to pay or reimburse qualified medical expenses incurred in the current year as long as the expenses were incurred after the HSA was established.
Once you turn 65, you can use the money in your HSA for anything you want. If you don't use it for qualified medical expenses, it counts as income when you file your taxes. Six months before you retire or get Medicare benefits, you must stop contributing to your HSA.
Unfortunately the answer to this question is usually no. This is because according to the IRS, fitness trackers are used to promote what the IRS terms “general health”. Expenses under this general health definition are not considered HSA eligible expenses.
Yes, you can use a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) for dental expenses.
A health savings account is a tax-advantaged way to save money. HSA contributions reduce taxable income, investment growth in the account is tax-free, and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. Money left over at the end of the year in an HSA is not forfeited and can be rolled over from year to year.
Will my HSA account remain open if I have a $0 balance? The account will remain open if you have a $0 balance.