The HSA Contribution Deadline
As a follow-up to my IRA contribution deadline post, I wanted to make sure that everyone also knows that the HSA contribution deadline for a calendar year is also at the tax deadline.
Until recently, I assumed that because my employer made payroll deductions for my HSA only through the end of the year, that the deadline for all HSA contributions was the end of the calendar year. That’s not the case. Contrary to popular belief, you can contribute to an HSA outside of an employer’s payroll deductions, and you can do it beyond the calendar year, up until the tax deadline.
Beyond providing additional time to save and contribute funds, this extended HSA deadline gives you even more opportunity to reduce your tax obligation at the last minute, while completing your tax return.
The fact that you have the option of contributing to both an IRA and/or HSA right up until the tax deadline is great, but it provides some interesting scenarios that get a bit complex.
Should you Make an HSA Contribution or an IRA Contribution?
HSA contributions, like Traditional IRA contributions, are tax deductible, so long as you meet the HDHP requirements.
If you can afford to make the maximum HSA contribution and the maximum IRA contribution for a given year, then go for it! If not, you’re left with a choice: HSA contribution versus IRA contribution.
If you’re not eligible for an HSA through a qualified health plan, that makes your choice simple – contribute to an IRA.
If you’re not eligible for a deductible Traditional IRA contribution, due to IRA income limits for those with an employer-sponsored plan (such as a 401K) in the household – contribute to an HSA.
If you’re eligible for both, then what?
HSA and Traditional IRA contributions are both “above the line”, which means that you can claim a tax deduction for them even if you do not itemize your taxes and you take the standard deduction instead. Contributions to either will reduce your adjusted gross income on a dollar-per-dollar basis. So, this criteria is a wash.
All else being equal, HSA’s are superior to IRA’s because withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free (similar to Roth IRA withdrawals). Tax deduction and tax free withdrawals – you can’t beat that. This is why HSA’s are my favorite type of retirement account.
HSA contributions, however, are not eligible for the Saver’s Credit because they aren’t officially recognized by the IRS as a retirement account, like a 401K or IRA is (even though you can withdraw HSA funds for anything starting at age 65). The Saver’s Credit is a government funded tax credit that matches a percentage of your retirement contribution, up to 50%.
So you’re left with a choice if you haven’t made Saver’s Credit eligible contributions already: tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses (with HSA contributions) versus getting the Saver’s Credit (with IRA contributions).
Here are the tables for the IRA contributions:
| 2018 Saver’s Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Rate | Married Filing Jointly | Head of Household | All Other Filers* |
| 50% of your contribution | AGI not more than $38,000 | AGI not more than $28,500 | AGI not more than $19,000 |
| 20% of your contribution | $38,001 – $41,000 | $28,501 – $30,750 | $19,001 – $20,500 |
| 10% of your contribution | $41,001 – $63,000 | $30,751 – $47,250 | $20,501 – $31,500 |
| 0% of your contribution | more than $63,000 | more than $47,250 | more than $31,500 |
| 2019 Saver’s Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Rate | Married Filing Jointly | Head of Household | All Other Filers* |
| 50% of your contribution | AGI not more than $38,500 | AGI not more than $28,875 | AGI not more than $19,250 |
| 20% of your contribution | $38,501 – $41,500 | $28,876 – $31,125 | $19,251 – $20,750 |
| 10% of your contribution | $41,501 – $64,000 | $31,126 – $48,000 | $20,751 – $32,000 |
| 0% of your contribution | more than $64,000 | more than $48,000 | more than $32,000 |
As a general rule, if you are eligible for a 20% or 50% Saver’s Tax Credit, choosing to contribute to the IRA over the HSA is probably the better move because your tax credit rate on your IRA contribution will be higher than your tax rate.
If you are eligible for a 10% Saver’s Tax Credit (or no credit at all), choosing to contribute to the HSA over the IRA is probably the better move because your tax credit rate on an IRA contribution would be lower than your tax rate.
How to Make an HSA Contribution Before the Deadline for the Previous Year
To make an HSA contribution for the previous year, you simply choose which year you would like to apply the contribution to within your HSA account.
If you didn’t know that all of this was a thing, don’t feel bad, you’re not alone. Only 21.8 million Americans have an HSA, and far fewer know that you can contribute to an IRA outside of payroll.
For more information, refer to the links in this article or IRS publication 969.
Have a last-minute tax-saving HSA contribution success story? Please share in the comments!
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In my example I cannot add to IRA. DW maxes out her traditional IRA. I max out my 401k. If I top off our family HSA (~ 2k short) I can amend my tax return from last year and get some money back from the IRS while at the same time paying for some outstanding medical bills?
Potentially – but confirm w/ appropriate parties (HSA admin, IRS, tax preparer).
This is a helpful article, especially with determining whether we should contribute to an HSA or IRA depending on our AGI. Question…do you know if I open an HSA this month (Jan. 2019), can I still do a prior year contribution for last year? We have been on an HDHP most of 2018 but just haven’t opened an HSA yet.
Christie, you have until April 15, 2019 to open and contribute to an HSA for 2018. You will need to complete an IRS worksheet to determine the maximum amount if health coverage changed anytime in 2018.
Okay, so I/we can add catch-up funds to my wife’s HSA for 2018 up until April 15, or whenever we file federal income tax this year. Problem: my wife does not currently have an existing HSA. i have been told that I cannot open an HSA now (2019) and make her catch-up contribution of $1000 for 2018. I have scoured Pub 969 and cannot find anywhere it says that we can’t. I believe this person at BenefitWallet is incorrect. Do you know of any such rule that disallows opening an HSA in 2019, then making a legitimate contribution for 2018? Thanks in advance.
Can I use funds to reimburse myself for medical expense incurred in Feb of 2018 if I open an Hsa account after that date?
No, and there would be no value (and added tax paperwork) in putting money in and taking it back out. Deposit money in your HSA to save for future medical expenses.