What is a health savings account?

A health savings account is a type of savings account that allows you to stockpile pre-tax dollars for qualified medical expenses. You can use an HSA to save money on healthcare costs and as an investment vehicle.

Some employers offer HSAs with employer-sponsored health insurance plans. Otherwise, you can shop around at banks and other financial institutions for an account to fit your needs.

How does a health savings account work?

With an HSA, employers take deposits out of your paycheck before deducting payroll taxes. If you’re not part of an employer-sponsored account, you can work with your employer’s benefits administrator to set up deposits.

Your employer may also contribute to the account if it’s a sponsored account. Family members and other individuals can contribute to your HSA, too. You can also contribute after-tax funds to your HSA and deduct it from your gross income on your annual tax return.

You also won’t pay income tax on withdrawals from the account as long as you use the funds to pay for eligible medical expenses. You can use funds to cover healthcare costs until you reach your healthcare plan’s deductible. Eligible expenses include copays and coinsurance, payments that you make until you reach your out-of-pocket limit. Other eligible expenses include medical procedures, prescription medication, dental care, vision care, medical equipment, and more. In some cases, you can also use HSA funds on medical expenses for a spouse or dependents.

HSA funds can also grow through investment. You can use your HSA balance to purchase stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investment types.

Money kept in an HSA never expires. If you have funds left over at the end of the year, they’ll roll over to the next year for use. Funds are also available whether you change employers, switch health insurance coverage, or retire. You can contribute to an HSA as long as you’re enrolled in a qualified high-deductible health plan and not under Medicare coverage.

If you take money from your HSA before age 65 and use it for non-qualifying expenses, you’ll have to pay federal income tax on the withdrawn amount, plus a 20% tax penalty. Once you reach age 65, you can withdraw HSA funds for any reason without penalty, but you’ll have to pay income tax on any amount you don’t use for qualifying expenses.

Who’s eligible for an HSA?

The IRS set the following eligibility guidelines for health savings accounts:

• You’re on a qualifying high-deductible health plan.

• You have no other health coverage.

• You aren’t enrolled in Medicare.

• You aren’t claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return.

If you open an HSA and later switch to a non-eligible healthcare plan or enroll in Medicare, you can still keep your HSA, but you can’t contribute additional funds to it.

How can you get a health savings account?

If your employer offers company-sponsored HSA, you can work with your employer or benefits manager to set up an HSA account and direct deposits. HSAs are also available through banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions. Check whether your health insurance provider partners with financial institutions to offer HSAs to members.

Opening an HSA account is similar to opening a bank account. The bank or financial institution will ask you to provide personal information to verify your identity and employment, such as your:

• Full name

• Physical address

• Phone number

• Email address

• Driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID

• Social Security number

• Employer information

When researching HSA accounts, consider factors such as fees to open or maintain the account each month, minimum deposit requirements, online banking, debit card access, and other account features.

What are HSA contribution limits?

The IRS limits how much you can contribute to a health savings account each year. Limits vary based on whether you have self-only or family coverage under an HDHP. Here are the HSA annual contribution limits for 2022 and 2023:

If you’re 55 and older, you can contribute an additional $1,000 annually to an HSA. 

Be careful not to exceed contribution limits in a year. Doing so has complex tax implications. Excess contributions aren’t tax-exempt, and you’ll likely have to pay a 6% excise tax on the excess contributions. You can sometimes withdraw all or a portion of the excess contributions and avoid the excise tax on the withdrawn amount.

Learn More: Medicare Premiums and Tax Deductions

What medical expenses can you pay with HSA money?

You can only use HSA funds tax-free for IRS-approved medical expenses. The IRS defines medical expenses as “the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and for the purpose of affecting any part or function of the body.”

Common types of expenses approved for HSA funds include:

• Medical exams and procedures

• Medical equipment

• Dental and vision care

• Copays and coinsurance costs

• Medical-related transportation and lodging expenses

The list of approved expenses also includes some less obvious medical costs, like capital expenses for special equipment installation, a guide dog or service animal, lead-based paint removal, and medical conferences.

The IRS also specifies the types of expenses that can’t be covered with HSA funds. The list includes costs that aren’t medically necessary or are cosmetic in nature, such as health or fitness club dues, babysitting costs, teeth whitening, and funeral expenses.