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forestview
Returning Member

HSA and Medicare

My husband and I are on my group health plan that has a family HSA.  He turned 65 in April 2022. I turn 65 in Feb 2025.  I am retiring in April 2024 and my husband will enroll to go on Medicare on May 1, 2024.  We will both have group health insurance through on my group health plan until April 30, 2024.  He will enroll for Medicare through a Special Enrollment Period.  I think there is a 6-month look-back period for his Part A Medicare, which means he would be covered under Medicare starting Nov 2, 2023, but I'm not sure.  He will be eligible for free Part A. 

 

Can I continue to contribute to my family HSA up until I retire on April 30, 2024?  What is the maximum penalty-free contributions that I can make to my HSA in 2023 and in 2024?  Do I have to cut back from the family maximum contribution because my husband may have Medicare Part A coverage starting in November 2023?

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3 Replies

HSA and Medicare

You do not have to adjust your HSA contributions if your spouse goes on Medicare, as long as your only coverage is the family HDHP.  If you turn 65 in Feb 2024, then your effective Medicare enrollment date will be Feb 1, 2024 if you enroll any time between 3 months before and 6 months after your 65th birthday.  That means that while you can contribute the maximum amount for 2023 ($7750 plus $1000 catch-up), you will only be eligible for one month of 2024 and your contribution limit will be $775 ($8300÷12 plus $1000 catch-up÷12).   (**special rule, if your birthday happens to be February 1, your Medicare enrollment will be effective January 1 and your HSA contribution limit for 2024 will be zero.)

 

Separately, your spouse may make contributions to an HSA in his name as long as he is covered by a qualifying HDHP, even if he is not the named policyholder.  Your combined maximum of $7750 can be divided any way you want, but each of your $1000 catch-up contributions can only be contributed to an individual account.  In other words, even if your husband does not currently have an HSA, he could open one at a private bank and contribute his catch-up contribution (up to $1000) under his name, even if you are maxed out on your account.  

 

However, no matter when your husband enrolls in Medicare, if it is more than 6 months after his 65th birthday, his enrollment will be backdated 6 months.  That means your husbands enrollment will be effective November 1, 2023.   And that in turn, means that if you maximize contributions to your HSA, your husband could contribute $833 to an HSA in his own name for 2023 and nothing in 2024  ($1000 catch-up ÷ 12 x 10 months).

HSA and Medicare

@Opus 17 @forestview 

 

I read through this and a great response as always.  One point of confusion that may affect the outcome.

 

OP states they are retiring April, 2024 but turning 65 in  Feb of 2025.  Is a HDHP plan continuing duriing the gap from May, 2024 until Feb, 2025?  if not, then there can't be HSA contributions (and I do not beleive COBRA counts as HDHP coverage)   Or is the year turning 65 a typo and it should be Feb 2024?  What is OP doing for health insurance from May, 2024 until Feb 1, 2025? 

 

@Opus 17's response used Feb 2024 (and not Feb 2025) as when the OP turns 65, even though that is not what OP stated.  HDHP coverage in 2024 is at least the first 4 months of the year so HSA contributions for at least 4 months of 2024 are permitted.  Contributions for the rest of 2024 is dependent on OP's response on what their medical coverage will be from May - Dec, 2024.

 

 

HSA and Medicare

@forestview 

Yes, if you turn 65 in 2025 (not 2024) then your contribution eligibility for 2024 depends on your medical coverage.  You indicate that you will leave the group plan in May, so you have 4 months of eligibility ($3100).  Whether or not you have additional eligibility depends on what kind of insurance, if any, you maintain for the rest of 2024.  

 

I don't see anything in publication 969 that says that a continuation plan (COBRA coverage after you leave the job) would not qualify, as long as the plan is a qualifying plan.  In addition, you are allowed to use your HSA funds to pay the COBRA premiums if you want.  If there is a rule that COBRA coverage does not make you eligible to make contributions, I would want to see that in writing some place.  If you bought a qualifying marketplace plan to cover you until Medicare started, that would also allow you to make contributions.

 

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