Medicare Blog

can i contribute to hsa when i am on medicare

by Gerhard Veum Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Yes. If you are eligible for Medicare but do not actually enroll, you can continue to contribute to your HSA. Once you enroll in any part of Medicare, you will no longer be eligible to contribute to your HSA. Even enrolling in Part A alone will disqualify you from depositing to your HSA.

How much Am I eligible to contribute to a HSA?

These include:

  • Another health plan that isn’t HSA-qualified, including a spouse’s health plan or a supplemental health plan.
  • Being enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare. ...
  • Being covered by a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), either yours or your spouse’s.

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How much should I put in my HSA?

  • If you haven't yet decided how much money to assign to your flexible spending account or health savings account next year, I'm here to help.
  • Both of these accounts allow you to save for medical expenses. ...
  • If you can max out your HSA, it's a good idea — the money goes in pre-tax and can be invested, allowing it to grow with time.

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Can you contribute too much to your HSA?

Other than the few qualifications you need to meet for eligibility, the majority of the rules for HSAs are around withdrawals and investments. Let’s take a look. Yes, you can contribute too much to your HSA. If you go over the limits listed above, expect to pay a 6% tax on the excess contribution. 6

Can I enroll in Medicare if I have a HSA?

Can I enroll in Medicare if I have a health savings account? A. Once you sign up for Medicare, you’re no longer eligible to contribute to a health savings account (HSA), so in some cases, it pays to hold off on enrolling. Health savings accounts offer a great opportunity to sock away funds on a tax-free basis to pay for healthcare costs ...

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Can you make an HSA contribution if you are on Medicare?

Medicare doesn't offer an HSA qualifying option. You can't make contributions to your HSA for any months after you enroll in any part of Medicare, even if you're also covered on an HSA qualifying plan.

Can I contribute to my HSA after age 65?

Can I contribute to my HSA if I am age 65 and covered under an HDHP? Yes, you can contribute to your HSA as long as you are an eligible individual and have not enrolled in Medicare Part A, B, or D. Once you enroll in Medicare you may no longer contribute to your HSA.

Can I contribute to an HSA while on Social Security?

HSAs offer many advantages, but they don't mix with certain types of federal programs and benefits. For example, if you are enrolled in Medicare Parts A or B, or if you file for Social Security benefits after age 65, you can't make contributions to an HSA.

At what age can you no longer contribute to HSA?

age 65At age 65, most Americans lose HSA eligibility because they begin Medicare. Final Year's Contribution is Pro-Rata.

When should you stop contributing to HSA?

Under IRS rules, that leaves you liable to pay six months' of tax penalties on your HSA. To avoid the penalties, you need to stop contributing to your account six months before you apply for Social Security retirement benefits.

Can a retired person contribute to an HSA?

Yes. Because you are the individual account owner and not on Medicare, you can still contribute to your HSA. In fact, you can contribute up to the annual IRS limit for family coverage, plus any catch-up contribution if eligible.

Can my spouse contribute to her HSA if I am on Medicare?

Yes, being eligible to contribute to the HSA is determined by the status of the HSA account holder not the dependents of the account holder. Your spouse being on Medicare does not disqualify you from continuing contributions to the HSA up to the family limit, even if they are also covered by the HDHP.

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What happens to my HSA once I enroll in medicare?

When you enroll in Medicare, you can continue to withdraw money from your HSA. The money is yours forever. Your HSA dollars can cover qualified medical expenses — 100% tax-free — if your insurance doesn’t reimburse you.

Are there penalties for having both an HSA and Medicare?

The IRS won’t penalize you if you still have money in your HSA when you enroll in Medicare. You can use your HSA dollars to pay for qualified medical expenses if you want to save money on taxes. Unlike a flexible spending account (FSA), all the unused funds in your HSA will continue to roll over every year.

What costs are not covered by Medicare?

Before you apply for Medicare, you should review your major out-of-pocket costs. This will help you determine the best time to apply for coverage.

What happens when I buy an eligible expense vs. an ineligible expense with HSA funds?

When you turn 65, you will have more flexibility over how you use the funds in your HSA. You can pay for all qualified expenses, free of taxes. You’ll have to pay income tax on money you withdraw to pay for nonqualified expenses. If you’re under 65, you may also owe a 20% tax penalty.

Are my withdrawals for HSA tax-free?

One of the benefits of an HSA is that your withdrawals can be tax-free if used for qualified medical expenses. All nonqualified expenses will be subject to federal and state income taxes.

The bottom line

Enrolling in Medicare can affect your ability to make contributions to a health savings account (HSA). Before you sign up for Medicare, make sure you understand HSA rules to avoid unexpected taxes and penalties. Although Medicare beneficiaries cannot contribute to an HSA, they can still withdraw money from the account.

What is the tax rate for Medicare after a HSA?

Excess contributions will be taxed an additional 6 percent when you withdraw them. You’ll pay back taxes plus an additional 10 percent tax if you enroll in Medicare during your HSA testing period.

What is an HSA account?

A health savings account (HSA) is an account you can use to pay for your medical expenses with pretax money. You can put money in an HSA if you meet certain requirements. You must be eligible for a high-deductible health plan and you can’t have any other health plan. Because Medicare is considered another health plan, ...

How long do you have to be on Medicare before you turn 65?

When you enroll in Medicare after you turn age 65, the IRS will consider you to have had access to Medicare for 6 months prior to your enrollment date. In general, it’s a good idea to stop HSA contributions if you’re planning to enroll in Medicare anytime soon. That way, you can avoid any tax penalties and save money.

What is Medicare Part B?

Medicare Part B (medical insurance) has standard costs, including a monthly premium and an annual deductible. Additionally, you’ll pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved cost for most covered services. You can use the funds in your HSA toward any of these costs.

Does MSA money count toward deductible?

So while you can spend your MSA funds on a service Medicare doesn’t cover, it won’t count toward your deductible.

Is MSA the same as HSA?

This plan is similar to an HSA, but there are a few key differences. Just like a standard HSA, you’ll need to be enrolled in a high-deductible plan. With an MSA, this means you’ll need to select a high-deductible Medicare Advantage plan. Once you’ve selected a plan, things will look a little different than your HSA.

Can a 65 year old retire without Medicare?

As another example, let’s say a retired person chooses not to enroll in Medicare when they turn 65 years old. They don’t have another health plan and pay all health costs out of pocket. In this case, they’ll pay a late enrollment penalty if they do decide to enroll in Medicare later.

What is an HSA compatible plan?

Some are enrolled in group health insurance plans which are HSA-compatible. This means that the insurance plan has a high deductible and is a qualified plan for which employees can open health savings accounts to save money toward future medical expenses. These contributions have many benefits for the employee, including tax savings benefits.

What is an HSA account?

HSA stands for Health Savings Account. This is a tax-favored account that eligible individuals can open to save money for medical expenses. To be eligible, that individual must be enrolled in a qualified high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and must NOT be enrolled in any other insurance, including Medicare.

How long does it take to get Medicare after 65?

Applying for Medicare After Turning 65. If you apply for Medicare Part A after you turn 65, your Part A will become retroactive for up to 6 months. Therefore, if you plan on applying for Part A after you turn 65, you will want to stop contributing into your HSA up to 6 months prior to enrolling in Medicare. If you don’t, you could end up facing ...

How much can you spend on Medicare Part A in 2021?

Most Medicare beneficiaries who are still working at age 65 choose to enroll in Medicare Part A. That’s because Part A can limit your hospital spending to $1,484 (in 2021) if you ever have a hospital stay.

How much is a deductible for group health insurance?

Let’s say your group health insurance has a $5000 deductible. This is a pretty considerable financial exposure, especially for someone who will retire in a few years. If this person has a hospital stay of even just 1 or 2 days, the likelihood that he would spend that $5K toward his deductible is pretty high.

What if you didn't realize this and have already signed up for Part A and Social Security income benefits?

What if you didn’t realize this and have already signed up for Part A and Social Security income benefits? You would need to stop contributing to the health savings account immediately. However, you can use the funds that are already in your health savings account for qualified medical expenses until you exhaust the account.

Is Medicare a primary or secondary?

If your employer is a small employer, then Medicare is primary. You need to enroll in Medicare A and B and stop contributing in the HSA. If your employer is a large employer and contributing a fair amount of money each year into your HSA for you, then delaying Medicare might be wise.

What is a health savings account?

A Health Savings Account is a savings account in which money can be set aside for certain medical expenses. As you get close to retiring, it’s essential to understand how Health Savings Accounts work with Medicare.

What is HSA 2021?

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What is the excise tax on Medicare?

If you continue to contribute, or your Medicare coverage becomes retroactive, you may have to pay a 6% excise tax on those excess contributions. If you happen to have excess contributions, you can withdraw some or all to avoid paying the excise tax.

Can you withdraw money from a health savings account?

Once the money goes into the Health Savings Account account, you can withdraw it for any medical expense, tax-free. Additionally, you can earn interest, your balance carries over each year, and this can become an investment for a retirement fund. Unfortunately, some restrictions come along with having a Health Savings Account with Medicare.

Is HSA taxed?

Funds contributed to an HSA are not taxed when put into the HSA or when taken out, as long as they are used to pay for qualified medical expenses. Your employer may oversee your HSA, or you may have an individual HSA that is overseen by a bank, credit union, or insurance company.

Can you use HSA for qualified medical expenses?

If you use the account for qualified medical expenses, its funds will continue to be tax-free. Whether you should delay enrollment in Medicare so you can continue contributing to your HSA depends on your circumstances.

Does HDHP have a deductible?

HDHPs have large deductibles that members must meet before receiving coverage. This means HDHP members pay in full for most health care services until they reach their deductible for the year. Afterwards, the HDHP covers all the member’s costs for the remainder of the year.

What is HSA insurance?

A. A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a type of health insurance offered by an increasing number of employers. It combines a high-deductible health plan with a tax-free health savings account to which the employee and the employer can contribute.

How long does Medicare last?

If you’re able to return to work, eventually your disability payments will stop—but your Medicare entitlement continues for up to 93 months from the time you first applied for disability. For most people, this is an advantage.

Can I contribute to my HSA if I have 20 employees?

As long as your employer has 20 or more employees, you have the right to postpone applying for Social Security and Medicare — and therefore can continue to contribute to your HSA — until you stop working.

Can I contribute to an HSA if I have Medicare?

IRS rules say that you can’t contribute to an HSA if you’re enrolled in Medicare. You can draw on funds already in the account but you can't add to them. So it’s important to know how you can get around this rule if you have an HSA at work and want to continue working beyond age 65.

Can I continue to contribute to my HSA if I have Social Security?

But if you have applied for, or are receiving, Social Security benefits —which automatically entitles you to Part A—you cannot continue to contribute to your HSA.

Can I withdraw my Medicare if I have not applied for Social Security?

If you’re entitled to Medicare because you signed up for Part A at age 65 or later (perhaps not realizing that it can affect the use of your HSA) but have not yet applied for Social Security retirement benefits, you can withdraw your application for Part A.

Can I take Medicare if I have health insurance?

For most people, this is an advantage. But if your employer offers health insurance in the form of a health savings account, you’re ineligible to take it because you have Medicare.

Can a non-spouse inherit an HSA?

One caution: You should try to spend down the balance by the end of your life, or a surviving spouse’s. Non-spouse beneficiaries do not inherit the HSA’s favorable tax treatment; rather, the HSA’s assets get treated as taxable income.

Do you pay taxes on HSA distributions?

Because you won’t pay income tax on any HSA distributions that are used for qualified medical expenses, it makes the most financial sense to continue to use this money for health care needs, says Fronstin.

How long do you have to stop HSA before enrolling in Medicare?

There is a six - month lookback period (but not before the month of reaching age 65) when enrolling in Medicare after age 65, so a best practice is for workers to stop contributing to their HSA six months before enrolling in Medicare to avoid penalties. See the examples below for more on this.

When did HSA start?

Image by Roy Scott/IKON Images. Before the tax - savings wonder that is the health savings account (HSA) was introduced in 2003, it was a generally accepted best practice for any worker who wasn't already collecting Social Security at the age of 65 to go ahead and sign up for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance), regardless of other coverage.

What happens if you miss the deadline for Medicare?

In other words, getting the Medicare Special Enrollment Period wrong risks a gap in coverage plus a lifetime of penalties.

Can HSA funds be used for medical expenses?

See the examples below for more on this. Funds already in the HSA can still be used for qualified medical expenses upon enrollment in Medicare, including to reimburse taxpayers for Medicare premiums (but not premiums for Medicare supplemental insurance) as well as to pay for long - term - care costs and insurance.

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