The Option To Invest Your HSA Funds (2024)

FAQs

The Option To Invest Your HSA Funds? ›

HSAs are triple tax advantaged, making them an effective savings and investment account: Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are income tax-free. All contributions to an HSA are income tax-free. And, any interest earnings and investment growth from deposits are income tax-free.

HSAs are triple tax advantaged, making them an effective savings and investment account: Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are income tax-free. All contributions to an HSA are income tax-free. And, any interest earnings and investment growth from deposits are income tax-free.

Contribute enough to cover your expected medical expenses—and then some. Aim to build the account to completely cover one or more years of maximum out-of-pocket costs. Only draw on the account for large or unusual medical expenses, not the routine ones.

Investments cover future healthcare costs and build your retirement savings. You may begin investing once you have a minimum of $1,000 in your HSA cash account. HSA funds above that amount can be transferred to your investment account. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are often thought of just for healthcare savings.

The specific date to stop your HSA contributions will depend on when you apply for Medicare. Once you apply for Medicare, you can no longer receive new HSA deposits from your employer. However, you can use your existing HSA funds to pay for Medicare costs even after you enroll.

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.

The triple-tax-free aspect of an HSA makes it better for tax management than a 401(k). However, since HSA withdrawals can only be used for healthcare costs, the 401(k) is a more flexible retirement savings tool. The fact that an HSA has no RMD gives it more flexibility than a 401(k).

Massage Therapy is eligible for reimbursem*nt with a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) with flexible spending accounts (FSA), health savings accounts (HSA) and health reimbursem*nt arrangements (HRA).

Can I use my HSA for a gym membership? Typically no. Unless you have a letter from your doctor stating that the membership is necessary to treat an injury or underlying health condition, such as obesity, a gym membership isn't a qualifying medical expense.

How to build wealth with an HSA? ›

You can put your HSA money into more than just a low-return savings account. You can invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and ETFs, for example. Putting your money into investments with the potential for higher returns can offer you a great long-term savings and retirement strategy.

You can treat an HSA as a long-term investment account, an account for paying medical expenses, or both. If you have access to an HSA, you can invest in it to significantly increase your potential wealth. That's because contributions, earnings, and even withdrawals can be tax-exempt if certain requirements are met.

It is never ideal to go into debt to cover your deductible and other out-of-pocket costs. If you have medical bills right now that you can't cover from your checking account (or by tapping a portion of your emergency savings), it is wise to use your HSA today to pay your outstanding medical bills.

Once you turn 65, you can withdraw your funds for any reason and avoid the 20% penalty that typically applies for nonmedical distributions. You'll only be on the hook for income taxes. That makes an HSA a good supplementary retirement account if you tend to have low medical expenses.

Your HSA contributions don't expire. The money stays in the HSA until you use it. expenses for your spouse and dependents, even if your high deductible health plan doesn't cover them. ∎ HSA doesn't go away if job changes.

Max out your contributions if you can

If you're able, consider contributing the maximum allowed by the IRS. The more you can contribute, the more you can benefit from the HSA's potential triple tax advantages¹. Keep in mind: you don't lose any unspent funds at the end of the year.

If you are not enrolled in Medicare and are otherwise HSA eligible, you can continue to contribute to an HSA after age 65. You are also allowed to contribute the $1,000 catch-up. If you signed up for Medicare Part A and now want to decline it, you can do so by contacting the Social Security Administration.

4. Pay for other expenses Once you hit 65, you can use your HSA to pay for any nonqualified medical expenses (including buying a boat, for example), but you don't get to take full advantage of the tax savings as you will be required to pay state and federal taxes on those distributions.

tax-free earnings Any investment earnings in your HSA account grow tax-free, including dividends, interest and capital growth. tax-free distributions An HSA enables you to make tax-free payments for qualified medical expenses, including some that are not typically covered by insurance or Medicare.

Generally, the IRS penalty equals 6 percent of your excess contributions. For example, if you have a $100 excess contribution, your fine would be $6.00. If you contributed $1,000 over, it would be $60. This penalty is called an “excise tax,” and applies to each tax year the excess contribution remains in your account.

Is HSA better than Roth IRA? ›

HSAs and Roth IRAs are both tax-advantaged accounts. The IRS sets a limit on how much you can contribute to both each year. As we said above, HSA may be a better option to max out first since it offers potentially more savings power.

HSA Tax Advantages

Health Savings Accounts offer a triple-tax advantage* – deposits are tax-deductible, growth is tax-deferred, and spending is tax-free. All contributions to your HSA are tax-deducible, or if made through payroll deductions, are pre-tax which lowers your overall taxable income.

A: You can contribute to an HSA in monthly increments, in a lump sum, or at any time during the year. Your total contributions cannot exceed the maximum amount allowed during the calendar year.

According to the IRS, you cannot use your HSA to pay for vitamins or supplements that are taken for general health. However, you can use your HSA to pay for vitamins or supplements that have been recommended by a health professional to treat or prevent a specific condition.

Botox injections are not eligible for reimbursem*nt with a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA) health reimbursem*nt arrangement (HRA), dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA) or a limited-purpose flexible spending account (LPFSA).

Your HSA funds can cover medical expenses big and small, from ongoing costs, like chiropractic treatments, to unexpected ones, like crutches after an accident.

Toiletries are not eligible for reimbursem*nt with a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), health reimbursem*nt arrangement (HRA), limited-purpose flexible spending account (LPFSA) or a dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA). What are toiletries?

An Apple Watch does potentially include access to a lot of health and medical tracking information right? 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”.

If you use your HSA for an expense other than eligible medical expenses you can subject yourself to significant IRS penalties. Inappropriate use of your HSA funds may also leave you without money to pay for your eligible medical expenses in the future.

Online Transfer – On HSA Bank's Member Website, you can transfer funds from your HSA to an external bank account, such as a personal checking or savings account. There is a daily transfer limit of $2,500 to safeguard against fraudulent activity.

Do I lose my HSA when I retire? ›

If you're 65 or older, retired and on Medicare, you're no longer eligible to contribute to the HSA, but can continue to use the funds for qualified medical expenses. If you're 65 or older, you're not limited to using an HSA just for health care expenses.

These fees can really add up, but they can also often be avoided: Sign up for online statements. Use your debit card instead of ordering checks, or transfer money online to your checking account and use it to pay your provider. Keep track of your HSA balance and don't overdraw your account.

First off, most experts would recommend maxing out HSA contributions before maxing out 401(k) contributions because of the tax advantages that come with the HSA. There's no minimum age for HSA fund distributions, so when you need it to spend money on health care, it's got your back.

If you're in a position to max out your retirement contributions, it makes sense to save in both plans. But if you only max your HSA each year, it would likely be inadequate to fund your retirement fully. So, you'd want to supplement it with a 401(k), which has significantly higher contribution limits.