A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-exempt trust or custodial account established exclusively for the purpose of paying or reimbursing qualified medical expenses of you, your spouse, and your dependents.
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You are eligible to make or receive an HSA regular contribution if, with respect to any month, you:
Self-Only Coverage: $1,150
Family Coverage: $2,300
Self-Only Coverage: $1,200
Family Coverage: $2,400
Yes. For HSA purposes, the HDHP must limit
out-of-pocket expenses. For 2009, the maximum
out-of-pocket expenses, which include money
applied to your deductible and your coinsurance
for covered charges, must be no more than
$5,800 for single coverage and no more than
$11,600 for family coverage. These limits do not
apply to deductibles and expenses for out-of network
services.
Self-Only Coverage: no more than $5,800
Family Coverage: no more than $11,600
Self-Only Coverage: no more than $5,950
Family Coverage: no more than $11,900
You establish an HSA the same way you establish an IRA - with a qualified trustee or custodian.
If you meet the eligibility requirements for an HSA, you, your employer, your family members, and any other person (including non-individuals) may contribute to your HSA. This is true whether you are self-employed or unemployed.
An HSA is not a "use it or lose it" account. Your funds will not expire if you do not use them within the year. Funds in your HSA rollover into the next calendar year when there is a balance.
If you were considered an eligible individual for
the entire year and did not change your type
of coverage, you can contribute up to the
following limits:
Self-Only Coverage: up to $3,000
Family Coverage: up to $5,950
Self-Only Coverage: up to $3,050
Family Coverage: up to $6,150
An HSA owner may take a one time (once-in-a-lifetime) tax-free distribution from his or her IRA, and transfer that amount to an HSA. The provision does not apply to SEPs or to SIMPLE retirement accounts.
Additionally, a "catch-up" contribution is available for eligible individuals who are age 55 or older by the end of their taxable year and have not enrolled in Medicare. The chart that follows shows these additional amounts.
Tax Year Catch-up Amount
2009 - and after $1,000
If you were not an eligible individual for the entire
year, the maximum contribution is prorated for
the number of months in which your qualified
plan was in force. Any extra contributions over
the prorated amount will be subject to tax,
including an additional 10% tax penalty.
Write a check or use your HSA debit card to pay for qualified medical expenses to your health services provider. You may also make a direct withdrawal of funds from your local Centier branch. It is very important to save your receipts and statements. You will need them to complete your annual tax return.
Contributions to an HSA are generally fully deductible, the earnings grow tax deferred, and distributions for qualified medical expenses are tax-free. Consult with your tax or legal professional for guidance.
Contributions made by you, your family members, and any other person on your behalf, which do not exceed the maximum annual contribution amount, are deductible by you when determining your adjusted gross income for your federal income tax return. You cannot deduct employer contributions, and these contributions will not count as wages for federal income tax purposes.
Regular and catch-up HSA contributions can be made at any time for a taxable year up to and including your federal income tax return due date, excluding extensions, for that taxable year. The due date for most taxpayers is April 15.
Distributions from your HSA used exclusively to pay for qualified medical expenses for you, your spouse, or your dependents are excludable from your gross income. Any other distributions are includable in your gross income and are subject to an additional 10 percent tax on the amount includable, except in the case of distributions made after your death, your disability, or your attainment of age 65. HSA distributions that are not rolled over will be taxed as income in the year distributed, unless they are used for qualified medical expenses. HSA custodians/trustees are not required to determine whether HSA distributions are used for qualified medical expenses. Any qualified medical expenses must be incurred only after the HSA been established.
Spouse Beneficiary
If your spouse is the beneficiary of your HSA, the HSA becomes his/her HSA.
Nonspouse Beneficiary
If your beneficiary is not your spouse, the HSA ceases to be an HSA as of the date of your death. If your beneficiary is your estate, the fair market value of the HSA as of the date of your death is taxable on your final return. For other beneficiaries, the fair market value of your HSA is taxable to that person in the tax year that includes such date.
For your reference, please refer to IRS Publication 502 - Covered Medical Expenses and IRS Publication 969 - Health Savings Account.
For more information about Centier's HSA Health Savings Account, contact us at (219) 756-BANK or 1-888-CENTIER.
This information is effective for tax-year 2009 and thereafter. This information is intended to provide general information concerning federal tax laws governing HSAs. It is not intended to provide legal advice or to be a detailed explanation of the rules or how such rules may apply to your individual circumstances. For specific information, you are encouraged to consult your tax or legal professional. The IRS's web site, ww.irs.gov, may also provide helpful information.
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