topic HDHP / HSA Question in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

HDHP / HSA Question

abarr84 — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:09:21 GMT

My family was covered by a HDHP all of 2021. I also had an HSA in my name with my spouse as the agent. Do I answer the question about HSA saying that both my spouse and I had an HSA, or do I answer that I had an HSA and my spouse didn't? If I do the latter, the software assumes that my spouse had a lapse in HDHP coverage, which is incorrect.

Re: HDHP / HSA Question

Anonymous_ — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 00:34:45 GMT

I am not sure but perhaps @dmertz will have some input.

Re: HDHP / HSA Question

Mike9241 — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 00:38:53 GMT

you need to check that for your HSA you had FAMILY HDHP coverage all year. I do not understand how your wife can be an agent. An HSA has an administrator which is the institution holding the HSA funds such as a bank, brokerage,etc.

1) answer yes to less common income

2) check that only you had an HSA account - continue

3) answer the question on the next page(s)

4) did you put money into HSA - answer yes

5) enter the amount put in personally. do not include money put in from your employer (that would be on your w-2)

6) answer question about other employer contributions

7) answer medicare question

😎 answer the question about being covered by an HDHP in 2021

9) then answer covered by family plan every month of the year (assuming that's true)

10) there may be a question about overfunding from 2020 - if so answer it

11) finally there's a question about the type of HDHP coverage your spouse had on 12/1/2020 note the year

this is a question that concerns the spouse having their own HDHP and contributing to their own HSA in 2020 - so unless they did answer none. there are additional reasons for this question but since the spouse apparently did not have their own HSA account in 2020, they're irrelevant.

for 11 you probably entered "family" and that is what's causing the issue

unless your spouse had their own HSA (there would be an 8889-S form in the return for 2020), the spouse made $0 contributions.

Re: HDHP / HSA Question

abarr84 — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 02:38:03 GMT

@Mike9241

I put that she had an hsa and that she didn’t fund it. Otherwise it’s assuming she had a lapse in hdhp coverage, which she didn’t. Either way the tax implications are the same. Both ways are inaccurate.

If I wanted to undo the 8889-S or now say that she doesn’t have an hdhp or hsa, it won’t let me.

It appears that I had filed similarly in 2020 as there is an 8889-S in that file as well, and they didn’t have an hsa. I believe you are correct in your above response, but l’m not sure how to go through the process of undoing it all and if it makes a difference. It appears since I indicated $0 in the contributions, it doesn’t affect the tax calculation. Maybe it’ll be a red flag to the IRS though? Their 8889 instructions are clear as mud. Any recommendations?

Re: HDHP / HSA Question

Mike9241 — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 07:01:52 GMT

This assumes your spouse does not have their own HSA.

this hopefully will get you back to the HSA section

On the top row of the TurboTax online screen, click on Search
This opens a box where you can type in “Form 8889” (be sure to enter exactly as shown here but no "") and click the magnifying glass
The search results will give you an option to “Jump to Form 8889”
Click on the blue “Jump to Form 8889” link and enter your information