Who inherits HSA?

Asked by: Donnell Durgan  |  Last update: October 25, 2023
Score: 4.1/5 (25 votes)

Your HSA is a trust that you own. As with any trust, you name a beneficiary when you're alive. You can designate any individual or organization as your beneficiary and change your primary or contingent beneficiaries at any time. The trust bypasses probate, and assets are directed to the beneficiary.

What happens to an HSA when someone dies?

ANSWER: Upon the death of an HSA account holder, any amounts remaining in the HSA transfer to the beneficiary named in the HSA beneficiary designation form. (If a beneficiary is not named, the funds transfer according to the terms of the HSA trust or custodial account agreement.)

Does the HSA require a beneficiary?

When no beneficiary is named, the HSA ends on the date of the accountholder's death. The fair market value of the account will be included on the employee's final income tax return and the HSA will be distributed to the estate (even if there is a surviving spouse).

Should I put my HSA in a trust?

Depending on the type of trust you have, there are many assets you can put in a trust, including your bank accounts, real estate property, and insurance policies. There are also several things that generally shouldn't be included in your trust plans, like retirement accounts, everyday vehicles, and HSAs.

Can HSA money be used for any family member?

You can use your HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses for your spouse and tax dependents, as long as their expenses are not otherwise reimbursed.

5 Ways Your Health Savings Account (HSA) Can Be Inherited (And The Tax Ramifications)

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Can I use my HSA for my family if they are not on my plan?

You definitely can, even if your spouse doesn't have an HSA or a HDHP. You can also use your HSA funds to pay for the medical expenses of any dependent children claimed on your income tax return. This is true even if your spouse has individual-only coverage under a traditional medical plan.

Can I use my HSA for my daughter?

You can make tax-free withdrawals from your HSA to cover qualified medical expenses of a child, regardless of whether a child is covered by your HDHP. The one rule is that you can't use your HSA for qualified expenses that have already been reimbursed by the insurance policy covering your child.

Can my child inherit my HSA?

You may also name your children or other non-spouse individuals as a beneficiary. For someone other than a spouse the tax benefits of account ownership do not transfer. The balance of the account will be distributed to your beneficiary and becomes taxable to them in the year you pass away.

Does HSA go through probate?

Your HSA is a trust that you own. As with any trust, you name a beneficiary when you're alive. You can designate any individual or organization as your beneficiary and change your primary or contingent beneficiaries at any time. The trust bypasses probate, and assets are directed to the beneficiary.

What is the downside of investing in HSA?

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.

Which is better to name a spouse or a trust as the beneficiary of a health savings account?

The most logical and tax-friendly beneficiary for your HSA is your spouse. He or she can treat the HSA as if it were their own if they're the primary beneficiary and if there's anything left. That would keep the account balance from being included in your taxable income on your final income tax return.

Can the spouse use the money in ones HSA account if the owner dies?

Spouse Beneficiary

If the HSA owner's spouse is named as the beneficiary of the HSA, the HSA automatically becomes the surviving spouse's own HSA at the time of the HSA owner's death, and any qualified distributions the spouse takes are exempt from federal income tax and penalties.

Can I use my husbands HSA if I am not on his insurance?

The IRS allows you to use your HSA to pay for eligible expenses for your spouse, children or anyone who is listed as a dependent on your tax return. That's true whether you have individual coverage or family coverage with an HSA through your health plan.

Does HSA stay with you forever?

You can keep your HSA funds for as long as you like. Just be sure to name a beneficiary for your HSA, so it's not part of your estate when you pass away. Before you turn 65, withdrawals from HSAs for non-medical expenses will be charged a 20% penalty and will also be counted as income for tax purposes.

Can I use HSA to pay Medicare premiums?

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.

Can I leave my HSA to charity?

You can use your HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses tax-free. If you present your HSA funds to a qualified charitable organization, you can also claim a tax deduction for the donation. Donating your retirement plan or HSA can be a win-win situation that benefits you and the charitable organizations you support.

Is HSA taxable to estate?

Any Individual Other than Spouse is the HSA Beneficiary

This means that the account ceases to be an HSA, and the fair market value of the account becomes taxable to the beneficiary in the year of the HSA holder's death.

Can I use my HSA for my 26 year old daughter?

Adult Child Dependents and HSAs

The ACA requires major medical plans to cover dependents to the age of 26, but it doesn't require these dependents to be tax dependents. To use HSA funds for dependent expenses, the dependent must specifically be able to be claimed as a dependent on the HSA owner's tax return.

At what age can you not 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.

How does HSA work for family?

The IRS treats married couples as a single tax unit, which means you must share one family HSA contribution limit of $7,300, or $7,750 in 2023. If you and your spouse have self-only coverage, you may each contribute up to $3,650, or $3,850 in 2023, annually into your separate accounts.

Can I use my HSA for massage?

Massages with a doctor's note of necessity

In certain cases, the massage is deemed medically necessary, and can be classified as a qualified medical expense. In a case like this, accountholders can use their HSA to pay for the massage.

Can you transfer HSA to spouse in divorce?

Depending on the details of a court judgment, one person's HSA funds may be divided between the spouses or given in part or full to the former spouse.

How can I use my HSA funds after age 65?

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.

Who you should never name as beneficiary?

Never name your estate as your life insurance beneficiary.

This is a common mistake that should always be avoided! Naming your estate as the beneficiary subjects the life insurance probates, creditors, and potential taxes.

Who is the best beneficiary for an HSA?

Any funds in the HSA would be transferred to your estate after you pass away. When your executor files your file tax return, HSA monies would be treated as taxable income. Of these options, naming your spouse as beneficiary offers the most favorable tax treatment.