What do I do with my HSA when I retire?

Asked by: Precious Lockman  |  Last update: December 19, 2023
Score: 5/5 (36 votes)

When you retire, you can use those HSA savings for a range of qualified health care expenses, including:
  1. IRS qualified health care premiums for Medicare Parts B, C, and D,
  2. Medicare deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance,
  3. qualified long-term care insurance premiums,
  4. dental and vision expenses,
  5. hearing aids,

What should I do with my HSA when I retire?

Pay Health Expenses in Retirement

The money saved in an HSA can help with such skyrocketing costs. One strategy might be to bunch qualified medical costs into a single year and tap the HSA for tax-free funds to pay them, compared with withdrawing from other retirement accounts that would trigger taxable income.

Can you roll an HSA into a retirement account?

A health savings account (HSA) can be used to save for medical care or as a retirement savings account. You own your HSA funds, even if your employer opens it for you, so you can take your money with you if you leave your job. The process of moving your money from one HSA into another is called an HSA rollover.

Is HSA tax-free after 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.

When should I stop HSA contributions before Medicare?

If you do not stop HSA contributions at least six months before Medicare enrollment, you may incur a tax penalty.

How Do I Use My HSA As A Retirement Account?

37 related questions found

Do I lose my HSA when I go on Medicare?

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.

What happens to my HSA balance 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.

What happens to HSA benefits after age 65?

Once you turn 65, you can also choose to treat your HSA like 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, so withdraw away!

Are HSA withdrawals tax free?

So long as the money is used for qualified expenses, An HSA withdrawal ( HSA distribution ) is not taxed or penalized. One distinct advantage with an HSA is that you own the account – just like a checking or savings account.

Is HSA exempt from Social Security tax?

With this setup, as the employer, you also benefit from even lower payroll taxes if you choose to contribute to your employees' HSAs, because your employer HSA contributions aren't included in your employees' income and therefore aren't subject to federal income tax, or Social Security or Medicare taxes (commonly known ...

Can I move my HSA to an IRA?

No, there's no way to convert an HSA to an IRA. And there's really no advantage to doing it, anyways. Both IRAs and HSAs allow you to deposit money into them before taxes. Your total yearly contributions to either type of account are deducted from your income before the taxable amount is computed.

Should I use HSA as retirement account?

Saving in an HSA for retirement gives you a tax-advantaged account dedicated to future medical expenses — allowing you the opportunity to avoid dipping into retirement accounts intended for cost-of-living expenses. Also, HSAs are a great way to pay for qualified medical expenses in retirement.

Can I convert my HSA to a Roth IRA?

HSA funds can't be rolled over into an IRA account. There's also no reason to do so, because you preserve your right to use the funds tax-free for medical costs at any time with an HSA.

Can I use my HSA to pay for Medicare 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. Note: HSA funds cannot be used to pay for Medigap premiums.

What is the average HSA balance?

The average HSA balance rose from $2,645 at the beginning of 2021 to $3,902 by the end of the year, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit independent research organization found in its analysis of its HSA database, which had information on 13.1 million HSAs in 2021.

How do I avoid taxes with HSA?

Your contributions may be 100 percent tax-deductible, meaning contributions can be deducted from your gross income. All interest earned in your HSA is 100 percent tax-deferred, meaning the funds grow without being subject to taxes unless they are used for non-eligible medical expenses.

Can I transfer money from HSA to bank account?

Online Transfers – On HSA Bank's member website, you can reimburse yourself for out-of-pocket expenses by making a one-time or reoccurring online transfer from your HSA to your personal checking or savings account.

How can I withdraw money from my HSA without penalty?

After you reach age 65 or if you become disabled, you can withdraw HSA funds without penalty, but the amounts withdrawn will be taxable as ordinary income if not used for qualified medical expenses. Can I withdraw the funds from my HSA at any time?

At what age can you no longer have an HSA?

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.

What is the 6 month rule for Medicare and HSA?

Under current regulations, individuals who apply for Medicare Part A or Part B after reaching age 65 are automatically given six months of retroactive health coverage, which invalidates their ability to make or receive HSA contributions for any of those months they were deemed to be covered.

Can you contribute to HSA while on Social Security?

However, if they elect to begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits, enrollment in Medicare Part A coverage is automatic and mandatory. Once that coverage begins, the person is no longer permitted to continue HSA contributions.

Can you contribute to an HSA if you are no longer employed?

∎ Can I contribute to an HSA even if I'm not employed: You do not have to have a job or earned income from employment to be eligible for an HSA – in other words, the money can be from your own personal savings, income from dividends, unemployment, etc.

Does HSA money go away at the end of the year?

The money in an HSA never expires. Unlike flexible spending accounts (FSAs), all remaining HSA funds roll over each year.

Can my spouse contribute to my 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.

How do I convert my HSA to cash?

You can submit a withdrawal request form to receive funds (cash) from your HSA. If the cash is used to pay for ineligible purchases, it must be reported when you're filing your taxes. Once it's reported, it's subject to an income tax and treated as though it had never been in your tax-free HSA.