Can you contribute to HSA in year you start Medicare?
Asked by: Dr. Isabella Runte I | Last update: October 8, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (37 votes)
Can I contribute to HSA in the year I turn 65?
At age 65, most Americans lose HSA eligibility because they begin Medicare. Final Year's Contribution is Pro-Rata. You can make an HSA contribution after you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare, if you have not maximized your contribution for your last year of HSA eligibility.
Why do I have to stop HSA contributions 6 months before Medicare?
To avoid a tax penalty, you should stop contributing to your HSA at least 6 months before you apply for Medicare. You can withdraw money from your HSA after you enroll in Medicare to help pay for medical expenses (like deductibles, premiums, coinsurance or copayments).
What disqualifies you from contributing to an HSA?
If you can receive benefits before that deductible is met, you aren't an eligible individual. Other employee health plans. An employee covered by an HDHP and a health FSA or an HRA that pays or reimburses qualified medical expenses can't generally make contributions to an HSA. FSAs and HRAs are discussed later.
What is the penalty for contributing to an HSA while on Medicare?
If you or any other authorized party, like an employer, make excess contributions to your HSA once you have Medicare, you can be charged a 6% Internal Revenue Service tax penalty on those funds and any interest they accrue until the funds are removed from your account.
New HSA Rules in 2025 You Need to Know
Can I contribute to an HSA the year I start Medicare?
Due to IRS rules, once you enroll in Medicare you are no longer allowed to contribute to an HSA. BenefitWallet® created the following information to determine when you should cease contributing to your HSA and how you should manage and use the account going forward.
What is the 6 month rule for Medicare?
You can sign up for Part A any time after you turn 65. Your Part A coverage starts 6 months back from when you sign up or when you apply for benefits from Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board). Coverage can't start earlier than the month you turned 65.
What is the 12 month rule for HSA?
It means you must remain eligible for the HSA until December 31 of the following year. The only exceptions are death or disability. If you violate the testing period requirement, your ineligible contributions become taxable income.
When should you not contribute to HSA?
If you work beyond age 65 and defer Medicare, however, you will need to stop contributing to your HSA six months prior to receiving Social Security. Once you begin drawing Social Security after your full retirement age, you are required to have Medicare coverage and can no longer contribute to an HSA.
What is the downside of an HSA?
Drawbacks of HSAs include tax penalties for nonmedical expenses before age 65, and contributions made to the HSA within six months of applying for Social Security benefits may be subject to penalties. HSAs have fewer limitations and more tax advantages than flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
Can I use my HSA to pay for Medicare Part B premiums?
The good news: You can keep using your HSA funds
You can even use your HSA to pay for some Medicare expenses including your Medicare Part B, Part D and Medicare Advantage plan premiums, deductibles, copays and coinsurance.
What is the HSA account loophole?
The ultimate loophole available to almost everyone under the age of 65 in our tax code is the Health Savings Account (HSA). It is the only account you can contribute to and deduct the contribution and then withdraw the money tax free. Think about that, a tax deduction going in and no taxes going out.
Can I stop contributing to my HSA mid year?
Yes, you can change your HSA contributions after open enrollment. Unlike other benefits, HSAs allow adjustments at any time during the year.
What is the 6 month lookback for HSA?
If you contribute to your HSA during those 6 months, you may face a 6% excise tax and an income tax for those contributions. This "6-month lookback" starts when you enroll in Medicare or begin your Social Security retirement benefits.
Does it make sense to contribute to HSA after retirement?
Post-Retirement Contributions
Someone who wants to keep making contributions after retirement can do so by either not enrolling in Medicare or by withdrawing from the program. While rare, both are options. However, it is unlikely that this would make sense financially.
Is HSA penalty free after 65?
Your HSA as a retirement account
If you withdraw money from your HSA for something other than qualified medical expenses before you turn 65, you have to pay income tax plus a 20% penalty. But after you turn 65, that 20% penalty no longer applies and you only pay income tax!
When to stop HSA contributions before enrolling in Medicare?
If you do not stop HSA contributions at least six months before Medicare enrollment, you may incur a tax penalty.
Can I contribute to HSA in year I turn 65?
Your maximum contribution is determined by adjusting the HSA maximum in accordance with how many months of the year that you were eligible. For example, if you turn 65 in April, you were eligible for the first three months of the year. You can then contribute 3/12 of the HSA annual contribution maximum.
Can HSA be used for dental?
Yes, you can use a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) for dental expenses.
Can I fully fund my HSA at the beginning of the year?
So you can full fund in December of that year or till the April of next year as you would know exactly how many months you were eligible. See below guide as an example. It shows you yearly maximum contribution limits based on number of months you have HSA eligible plan.
Can I use HSA to pay insurance premiums?
By using untaxed dollars in an HSA to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and some other expenses, you may be able to lower your out-of-pocket health care costs. HSA funds generally may not be used to pay premiums.
Do I need to report HSA contributions on my tax return?
Form 8889 is submitted with your tax return via Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR to report a distribution from the account, even if it's not taxable. If you took a taxable distribution from your HSA, this is where you report that. You also report contributions and any deductions related to your HSA on this form.
Does everyone have to pay $170 a month for Medicare?
Most people pay no premiums for Part A. For Medicare Part B in 2025, most beneficiaries will pay $185 per month. Certain factors may require you to pay more or less than the standard Medicare Part B premium in 2025.
What is the 2 2 2 rule in Medicare?
Introduced in the Fiscal Year 2014 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule, the two-midnight rule specifies that Medicare will pay for inpatient hospital admissions when a physician reasonably expects the patient's care to require a stay that crosses two midnights, and the medical record supports this ...
Can I drop my employer health insurance and go on Medicare Part B?
Once you stop working (or lose your health insurance, if that happens first) you have an 8-month Special Enrollment Period (SEP) when you can sign up for Medicare (or add Part B to existing Part A coverage).