Thank you, Opus17, for your elaboration!
1. How old are you?
- 70 in December 2025
2. When do you plan to start Medicare coverage?
- Still on company FSA, but likely no more as of Jan 1, 26, to free up my wife’s eligibility for HSA later by April/May 2026 (school calendar). That open enrollment period becomes effective on July 1st.
The reason I hope to influence a delay in Medicare coverage and the lookback period is my (erroneous) assumption that if I request and get a delay receiving SSA payments, it may give me extra time in the first 6 months of 2026.
-Best,
3. How old is your wife?
- 63 in September 2025
4. When does your wife plan to start Medicare coverage?
She may delay that once she gets an adequate HSA to lean on, or until being forced to stop further contributions. Once I am on SSA, her income level likely does not warrant much tax saving from HSA deduction.
5. Can your wife enroll in an HDHP in August 2025 without an FSA? Would that HDHP be self-only or family (self plus her spouse)?
She would, but currently being dependent on my 2025 FSA excludes that possibility. If she could, she would like as HSA-family, since there is at least me and one likely dependent on her next 3 years returns.
6. Can you enroll in an HDHP in January 2026 without an FSA? Would that HDHP be self-only or family (self plus your spouse)?
If I can, I’d have an HSA in January 2026 (for myself, with my wife as a beneficiary), provided that I’m cleared from the Medicare lookback, and can I delay receiving my SSA benefits past October 2026?
So, my HSA is not as important in my future compared to my wife’s.
