
Since Medicare is individual, and the HSA contributions are from your wife, your enrollment into Medicare will not impact her contributing to the HSA. You will not see any tax penalties. You are correct, once she is enrolled in Medicare then she will need to stop contributing to the HSA.
What is the penalty for having a HSA and Medicare?
Understanding the HSA Withdrawal Penalty and Other Useful Information
- HSA Basics. In some ways, an HSA is similar to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). ...
- Non-qualified expenses and the HSA withdrawal penalty. One significant perk of an HSA is that once you reach age 65, you can withdraw funds for any expense without penalty.
- Mistake Forgiveness. The IRS does allow some leeway for honest mistakes. ...
- HSA Facts You Should Know. ...
Can I Leave my HSA to my spouse or beneficiary?
Your spouse can make your HSA their own, and then even pass on the HSA to other beneficiaries in the future. If you are married and your estate is taxable, talk to your attorney about using a revocable trust as the HSA beneficiary.
Can I contribute to a HSA if my spouse has a FSA?
Advise employees that if their spouse (or parent for dependent children) is covered under an FSA which could reimburse their medical expenses, they are not eligible to make or receive contributions to an HSA.
Can I contribute to a hsa while on 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. Here’s what you can do, according to different situations:

Can you have an HSA and Medicare at the same time?
Can I have a health savings account and Medicare? Yes, but you can't contribute to a health savings account (HSA) after you enroll in Medicare. You can use money you've already accumulated tax-free in the account for eligible medical expenses at any time.
Does my spouse have to be on my health insurance to use my HSA?
If you're covered by your partner's family non-HDHP, then you unfortunately cannot open an HSA, and neither can your partner. If you're not covered by your spouse's family plan, however, and you have a HDHP, then you can go ahead and open an HSA.
What happens to my HSA account when I go on Medicare?
Although you can't make any more contributions to your HSA once you're enrolled in Medicare, your HSA will continue to provide tax-free funds to cover medical costs until you use up all the money in your account. You also have the option to use your HSA funds as a regular retirement account after you turn 65.
Can married couple have 2 HSA accounts?
The IRS mandates that Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are for individuals only. Therefore, joint HSAs between spouses cannot legally exist. If both spouses are eligible for HSAs, they must each set up individual accounts.
Can both spouses have family HSA?
Spouse 1 is eligible to contribute up to the individual federal limit. Spouse 2 is not eligible to contribute to an HSA. Both spouses are eligible to have their own HSA and contribute to the federal limit. Neither spouse is eligible to contribute if Spouse 1 is covered under Spouse 2's non-HDHP Plan.
What happens to my HSA account when I turn 65?
At age 65, you can take penalty-free distributions from the HSA for any reason. However, in order to be both tax-free and penalty-free the distribution must be for a qualified medical expense. Withdrawals made for other purposes will be subject to ordinary income taxes.
Does my spouse's FSA cover me?
That means that your spouse's general Health FSA covers you. . . Even if you don't want to be covered. . . Even if you never submit a claim for an expense that you incur. . . Even if your spouse waives his or her employer's medical coverage.
Can my spouse contribute to my HSA?
Your spouse, if HSA-eligible, could open an account, and your spouse or you - or anyone else for that matter - could contribute to that account. Your spouse, as the account owner, could deduct those contributions to reduce his or her federal and state (except in California and New Jersey) taxable income.
Can a health savings account affect a family?
Although Health Savings Accounts are personal financial accounts, they do affect the family. And the family can affect the account. Let's examine how a spouse can boost the benefits that you derive from your Health Savings Account . . . or derail your best-laid financial plans. Spousal Disqualification.
Is my spouse's HSA tax free?
Distributions for your spouse's qualified expenses are always tax-free. Your spouse doesn't have to be HSA-eligible; he or she can be enrolled in Medicare or other disqualifying coverage. Your spouse doesn't have to be covered on your medical plan. your spouse doesn't need to share a bedroom with you.
Can you contribute to family maximum if spouse is disqualified?
So, you can contribute to the family maximum, even if your spouse is disqualified. Spouse and Catch-Up Contributions. If you're enrolled on your employer-sponsored coverage, you probably contribute through pre-tax payroll deductions to maximize your tax benefits. That's the right strategy nearly universally.
What is HSA 2021?
Medicare and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) Home / FAQs / General Medicare / Medicare and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) Updated on June 9, 2021. There are guidelines and rules you must follow when it comes to Medicare and Health Savings Accounts. A Health Savings Account is a savings account in which money can be set aside for certain medical ...
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 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.
How long does a spouse have to be on Cobra?
If a company has more than 20 employees, it is required to offer COBRA benefits. COBRA allows coverage for 18 months, sometimes longer, so if the working spouse can wait to retire until 18 months before the younger spouses 65th birthday, this would work out nicely.
How long do you have to work to qualify for Medicare?
First, it is important to know how eligibility for Medicare works. Most Medicare beneficiaries have worked and paid Medicare payroll taxes for at least 10 years to qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A as well as Part B coverage. If you have not worked for 10 years but your spouse has, you are allowed to claim benefits on their record. Medicare benefits cannot start earlier than when you turn 65, unless you are disabled, have ALS, or have end-stage renal disease. Medicare will only cover you, not your spouse or children if they are not eligible on their own.
Can a non-working spouse get Social Security?
If the non-working spouse is older than the working spouse, the non-working spouse can qualify on on the working spouses work record if they are at least 62, since that is when qualification for Social Security begins. In this case, if the working spouse is still working, the non-working spouse should stay on the work health insurance ...
Can a spouse get health insurance after 65?
The other option would be for the younger spouse to find a job that offers health insurance until they turn 65. While this is a long-shot, some companies will provide coverage for the younger spouse even after the working spouse retires.
Can a non-working spouse claim Medicare?
If the working spouse is no longer employed, the non-working spouse should go ahead and apply for coverage fully from Medicare. If the working spouse is younger than 62, the non-working spouse will not be able to claim on the record.
Does Medicare cover spouse?
Medicare will only cover you, not your spouse or children if they are not eligible on their own. This is where problems begin, especially when a working spouse is older than a non-working spouse. Say the working spouse turns 65, retires, and claims Medicare. The other spouse is only 61.
Can a spouse with a low income get medicaid?
Medicaid is a joint Federal and State program designed to help people with low incomes cover healthcare costs. If, by retiring, your income falls under a certain level, the younger spouse may be eligible for Medicaid coverage. Be aware, as a family, you have to have a very low income and very little assets, so many people will not qualify.
