Hogan Taylor Wealth Management Blog

Discover the “Hidden” Advantage of HSAs

Written by HoganTaylor Wealth | Nov 17, 2022 8:09:02 PM

Employers may want to explore the benefits of providing Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to their workforce. When coupled with a high-deductible health plan, an HSA can be a powerful tool for funding medical expenses on a tax-advantaged basis. This brief article outlines the advantages, and the 2022 contribution limits.

A Health Savings Account (HSA) coupled with a high-deductible health plan can be a powerful tool for funding medical expenses on a tax-advantaged basis. For 2022, individuals with self-only coverage can make tax-deductible contributions to an HSA of up to $3,650 ($7,300 for family coverage). These limits are increased by $1,000 for individuals aged 55 or older.

When an employer establishes an HSA and contributes on an employee’s behalf, the employer gets the tax deduction. The employer’s contribution isn’t considered taxable compensation for the employee.

Accountholders can withdraw funds tax-free to pay qualified medical expenses. Once you reach age 65, you can withdraw funds penalty-free for any purpose (though if the funds aren’t used for qualified medical expenses, they’ll be subject to tax).

There’s also a “hidden” advantage of HSAs that many people overlook: These accounts can play a helpful role in your estate plan. HSAs have an advantage over traditional IRAs and 401(k) plans in that they’re not subject to required minimum distributions at age 72. This means, to the extent you don’t use the account for medical expenses, the account can continue growing on a tax-deferred basis indefinitely. This could provide valuable future benefits for your loved ones.

If your spouse inherits the account, it will be treated as his or her own HSA. If someone else inherits it, the HSA will terminate and the recipient will be taxed on its value, less any qualified medical expenses of the decedent paid by the transferee within one year after the date of death.

HoganTaylor Wealth

HoganTaylor Wealth provides an integrated approach to investment and financial planning and is a registered investment advisor and subsidiary of HoganTaylor LLP. HoganTaylor Wealth takes its fiduciary responsibility seriously. Without commission, referral or soft-dollar arrangements, they operate on a fee-only basis to ensure everyone’s interests are aligned with those of the client.

INFORMATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY. This content is for informational purposes only. This content does not constitute professional advice and should not be relied upon by you or any third party, including to operate or promote your business, secure financing or capital in any form, obtain any regulatory or governmental approvals, or otherwise be used in connection with procuring services or other benefits from any entity. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult with professional advisors.