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For people with very low healthcare costs, putting the maximum into Health Savings Account (HSA) eligible healthcare plans is almost a no-brainer, especially in situations where their employer contributes to their account to help offset the deductible (like mine does).
If you don’t spend that money, it’s yours to keep and rolls over year after year for when you do eventually need it, perhaps in retirement to help pay Medicare Part B or long-term care insurance premiums.
Should You Max Out Your HSA Even If You’re Not Super Healthy?
Even if you have higher healthcare costs, HSAs can still be a great deal. I reached the out-of-pocket maximum in my healthcare plan a few years ago, and yet I continue to choose the high-deductible plan solely because I want the ability to max out my HSA contribution.
People looking for any way to reduce taxable income appreciate the ability to exclude contributions from taxes up to limitations established by the IRS annually. Here are the contribution limits for family coverage (add another $1,000 to the figures below if age 55 or older):
- Calendar Year 2023: $7,750
- Calendar Year 2022: $7,300
- Calendar Year 2021: $7,200
HSAs offer Even More Tax Benefits than your 401(k)
Because HSA rules allow funds to carryover indefinitely with the triple tax-free benefit of funds going in tax-free, growing tax-free, and coming out tax-free for qualified medical expenses, I have yet to find a reason that someone wouldn’t choose to max out their HSA before funding their 401(k) or another retirement account beyond their employer’s match.
Healthcare costs are one of the biggest uncertainties both while working and when it comes to retirement planning.
A large medical expense for people without adequate emergency savings often leads to 401(k) loans or, even worse, early withdrawals, incurring additional tax and early withdrawal penalties to add to the financial woes.
Directing that savings instead to an HSA helps ensure that not only are funds available when such expenses come up, but participants actually save on taxes rather than cause additional tax burdens.
Slide Show:
WHY YOU SHOULD MAX OUT YOUR HSA
Heading Off Future Medical Expenses
The same consideration goes for healthcare costs in retirement. Having tax-free funds available to pay those costs rather than requiring a taxable 401(k) or IRA distribution can make a huge difference to retirees with limited funds.
Should you find yourself robustly healthy in your later years with little need for healthcare-specific savings, HSA funds are also accessible for distribution for any purpose without penalty once the owner reaches age 65 – a lot of people don’t realize this little nugget.
Non-qualified withdrawals are taxable, but so are withdrawals from pre-tax retirement accounts, making the HSA a fantastic alternative to saving for retirement.
Making the Most of All Your Savings Options
To summarize, when prioritizing long-term savings while enrolled in HSA-eligible healthcare plans, I would strongly suggest that the order of dollars should go as follows:
- Contribute enough to any workplace retirement plan to earn your maximum match.
- Then max out your HSA (See Contribution Limits Below).
- Finally, go back and fund other retirement savings like a Roth IRA (if you’re eligible) or your workplace plan.
Contributing to your HSA via Payroll versus Lump Sum Deposits
Remember that HSA contributions can be made via payroll deduction if your plan is through your employer, and contributions can be changed at any time. You can also make contributions via lump sum through your HSA provider, although funds deposited that way do not save you the 7.65% FICA tax as they would when depositing via payroll.
The bottom line is that when deciding between HSA healthcare plans and other plans, there’s more to consider than just current healthcare costs, and it often makes sense to max out your HSA.
An HSA can be an important part of your long-term retirement savings and have a big impact on your lifetime income tax bill. I know it’s a big part of mine, despite having relatively high healthcare costs for someone my age.
HSA Contribution Limits 2023
Each year, the IRS sets the maximum contribution amount for HSAs. For calendar year 2023, here’s the detail directly from Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2022-24 PDF):
Annual contribution limitation. For calendar year 2023, the annual limitation on deductions under § 223(b)(2)(A) for an individual with self-only coverage under a high deductible health plan is $3,850. For calendar year 2023, the annual limitation on deductions under § 223(b)(2)(B) for an individual with family coverage under a high deductible health plan is $7,750.
Catch-up Contribution: Eligible individuals who are 55 or older by the end of the tax year can increase their contribution limit up to $1,000 a year. This extra amount is the catch-up contribution allowed for HSAs.
HSA Contribution Limits 2022
Each year, the IRS sets the maximum contribution amount for HSAs. For calendar year 2022, here’s the detail directly from Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2021-21:
Annual contribution limitation. For calendar year 2022, the annual limitation on deductions under § 223(b)(2)(A) for an individual with self-only coverage under a high deductible health plan is $3,650. For calendar year 2022, the annual limitation on deductions under § 223(b)(2)(B) for an individual with family coverage under a high deductible health plan is $7,300.
Catch-up Contribution: Eligible individuals who are 55 or older by the end of the tax year can increase their contribution limit up to $1,000 a year. This extra amount is the catch-up contribution allowed for HSAs.
HSA Contribution Limits 2021
Each year, the IRS sets the maximum contribution amount for HSAs. For calendar year 2021, here’s the detail directly from Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2020-32:
Annual contribution limitation. For calendar year 2021, the annual limitation on deductions under § 223(b)(2)(A) for an individual with self-only coverage under a high deductible health plan is $3,600. For calendar year 2021, the annual limitation on deductions under § 223(b)(2)(B) for an individual with family coverage under a high deductible health plan is $7,200.
Catch-up Contribution: Eligible individuals who are 55 or older by the end of the tax year can increase their contribution limit up to $1,000 a year. This extra amount is the catch-up contribution allowed for HSAs.
HSA Contribution Limits 2020
Each year, the IRS sets the maximum contribution amount for HSAs. For calendar year 2020, here’s the detail directly from Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2019-22:
Annual contribution limitation. For calendar year 2021, the annual limitation on deductions under § 223(b)(2)(A) for an individual with self-only coverage under a high deductible health plan is $3,550. For calendar year 2020, the annual limitation on deductions under § 223(b)(2)(B) for an individual with family coverage under a high deductible health plan is $7,100.
Catch-up Contribution: Eligible individuals who are 55 or older by the end of the tax year can increase their contribution limit up to $1,000 a year. This extra amount is the catch-up contribution allowed for HSAs. (Sourced from irs.gov)
About the Author
Kelley Long
I believe that the true meaning of financial security is the ability to make decisions without having to worry about money. There are both factual and psychological aspects of this belief and my mission is to help people find that intersection in their own lives according to their personal values and goals.
I hold the CPA/PFS license and am a CFP® professional, but I don’t sell any products or manage any money. When I’m not writing, I’m working one-on-one with people through my coaching business, Financial Bliss with Kelley Long. I’m also a member of the AICPA Consumer Advocate Council and am frequently quoted in the press on financial literacy issues facing Americans.
I am a founding member of the HSA Committee for the Plan Sponsor Council of America, which helps educate employers and employees on HSA best practices while also helping to shape policy around these powerful accounts in Washington.
I love to apply my own money lessons to my writing as well as break down some of the more complicated financial planning techniques into plain English. My goal in life is for all people to feel able to make their own financial decisions with confidence, being fully aware of the pros and cons of the actions they take.
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