by admin | Nov 30, 2022 | Blog
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is an individually owned, tax-favored account that allows participants to pay for qualified healthcare expenses, such as pregnancy test kits, eyeglasses, and more. Here is an overview of the five potential benefits that an HSA provides.
Benefit #1: HSAs provide triple-tax coverage; meaning contributions are made tax-free, grow tax-free, and can be withdrawn tax-free. This is possible if it’s coupled with a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP).
Benefit #2: Unused HSA funds are rolled over annually, enabling them to be used for future expenses.
Benefit #3: Contribution limits continue to increase with this account. Participants can now use up to $3,850 in annual funds to pay for healthcare expenses individually. If participants wish to use up funds for family coverage, the annual limit is now $7,750.
Benefit #4: Participants who are Medicare eligible, but not enrolled in Medicare, can contribute to an HSA to save for retirement. If 65 or older, HSA funds can also be used without a penalty.
Benefit #5: Even if a participant loses employment, HSA funds can still be used to pay for qualified expenses. However, the ability to continue contributing depends on if the participant chooses to enroll in an HSA qualified health insurance plan either through COBRA, their new employer or an individual policy.
by admin | Oct 11, 2022 | Blog
Several months ago, NueSynergy wrote about what happens to Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) when employment ends and what happens to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) when retirement starts. Now, it’s time to talk about HSAs following the loss of employment. Here is what you need to know.
- Since HSAs are owned by participants and not employers, HSAs remain available even after employee termination. This means that HSAs can continue to be used for qualified expenses. However, the ability to continue contributing to this account depends on if a participant is enrolled in an HSA Qualified Health Insurance Plan either through an employer or an individual policy.
- All future salary redirections from HSAs will end.
- Any admin fees previously covered by employer will be withdrawn directly from HSA on the 1st of each month.
- Current NueSynergy HSA debit card will be turned off while a new one will automatically be issued at the physical address associated with account.
- Account and routing numbers associated with HSA will remain the same.
For further information about this topic, read here.
by admin | Sep 14, 2022 | Blog
Health Savings Account (HSA) participants can use their HSA funds to pay for qualified health care expenses such as deductibles and prescription drugs. What many don’t know is that HSA funds can also cover these commonly used products and services:
- Dental treatment
- Pregnancy test kits
- Orthodontia
- Hearing aids and batteries
- Ambulance services
- Contraceptives
- Insulin
- Prescription eyeglasses
- Nursing services
- Physical therapy
To learn even more about HSA-eligible items, check out our extensive list.
by admin | Jul 27, 2022 | Blog
Question: Our company currently offers a general-purpose health FSA. If we switched to an HDHP/HSA, could our employees receive tax-free reimbursements for the same types of expenses from their HSAs?
Answer: Yes, and they might acquire a few additional options. Like health FSAs, HSAs can provide tax-free reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses for medical care. But HSAs also can reimburse certain expenses that health FSAs cannot. Those differences are highlighted below.
- Nonmedical Expenses: Unlike health FSAs, HSAs can make distributions at any time and for any purpose, although only distributions for qualified medical expenses are tax-free. Some taxable distributions may also be subject to a 20% excise tax.
- Insurance Premiums: While HSAs generally cannot reimburse health insurance premiums or coverage contributions on a tax-free basis, there are a few exceptions:
- Qualified long-term care insurance
- Any federally required continuation coverage (e.g., under COBRA or USERRA)
- Health plan coverage while the HSA account holder is receiving unemployment compensation under state or federal law
- For HSA holders who are age 65 or older, any health insurance other than a Medicare supplemental policy
- Qualified Long-Term Care: Unlike health FSAs, HSAs can reimburse qualified long-term care services on a tax-free basis.
In addition, HSAs cannot limit the types of expenses that are reimbursable on either a taxable or tax-free basis because they are individual trusts to which account holders must have unrestricted access, subject only to reasonable restrictions on the frequency or minimum amounts of distributions. HSAs are also different in terms of whose expenses they can reimburse tax-free. Health FSAs can provide tax-free reimbursements for the expenses of employees’ children who are under age 27 at the end of the taxable year, regardless of their status as tax dependents. However, HSAs can only provide tax-free payment or reimbursement of the expenses of an HSA account holder’s child if the child qualifies as a dependent. Keep in mind that other requirements (e.g., regarding substantiation of expenses) will also apply and may vary from arrangement to arrangement.
Source: Thomson Reuters
by admin | Jul 25, 2022 | Blog
A limited-purpose FSA (LPFSA) is a Health Savings Account (HSA) eligible FSA plan that allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars for dental, vision, and orthodontia expenses for you and your dependents, even if they are not covered under your primary health plan. The Limited Purpose FSA covers these eligible expenses, tax-free while your HSA covers eligible medical expenses. It’s a great way to save on HSA dollars – especially if you choose to use your account to invest.
There is an abundance of benefits by enrolling in a LPFSA, notably:
- At the outset of the plan year, your LPFSA is pre-funded, and your full contribution amount is immediately available for use.
- In addition to your HSA contributions, you are able to set aside additional LPFSA tax-free contributions, up to $2,850 in 2022.
- Preserve HSA funds for other purposes, like investing or saving for retirement.
- Money contributed to a limited-purpose FSA is tax-free when it’s spent on eligible dental, vision, and orthodontia expenses, including dental exams, x-rays, vison exams, and much more.
