It is asking me what type of High Deductible Health Plan did my spouse have on 12/1/17. My wife was covered on my HSA plan provided by my employer. How should I answer?

[denton-finley]

a) Family
b) Self only
c) None

[BMcCalpin · Accepted solution]

"What type of HDHP coverage did [name] have on December 1, 2017?"

This is a poorly worded question that really wants to know if [name] took advantage of the last-month rule in 2017. The lapse message happens either to taxpayers who don't have an HSA and didn't realize that this question didn't apply to them (so should answer "None"), or had HDHP coverage but no personal HSA, so never had the chance to tell TurboTax in the interview that they had HDHP coverage in 2018 (only the taxpayer who has an HSA answers those questions).

If the taxpayer who got this message does not have an HSA (even if he/she has HDHP coverage), then read the following:

So for each of you who does not have an HSA:

• if you (or your spouse) were covered under an HDHP for every month in 2017 or
• if you (or your spouse) were covered under an HDHP in every month of 2018 or
• if you (or your spouse) made no HSA contributions in 2017 at all or
• if you (or your spouse) never had in 2017 or 2018 any HDHP coverage

then you (whichever of you) should enter "None" for the 12/1/2017 answer even if you were covered, because this last-month question doesn't apply to you.

Yes, this is counter-intuitive. She had HDHP coverage but no HSA (she was using yours), so for the purposes of this question, you answer "None"

[Dmitry1]

Then change this POORLY-worded question to a well-worded one. Change "HDHP" to "HSA", for example!