Help with answering "HDHP coverage" questions for 2025

[WhatsTheDeal]

I lost my job in Sep 2025 and switched to my wife's HDHP Plan in Oct 2025.   I had my own HDHP plan through my employer through Sep 2025 and switched to her employer's HDHP plan for Oct-Dec 2025.   So when Turbo Tax asked the question "What type of HDHP coverage" did I have during 2025, I answered that I "had different plan types at different times of the year" as that answer seemed more appropriate than the choices of I was "covered by a Family plan every month of the year" or I was "covered by a Self only plan every month of the year". 

The next screen, "Tell us about  High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) coverage for 2025", then asks about monthly details for the year and has answer choices for each month of "None", "Self", "Family".    It seems that I should choose "Self" for months Jan-Sep but I am not sure what to choose for Oct-Dec when I was covered through my wife's HDHP plan.  Can someone please help with answering these questions when one has to switch HDHP coverage from their employer to their spouse's employer HDHP plan in the same year?  Thanks.

[Opus 17]

It sounds like you would be self-only for the first part of the year and family for the rest of the year.  The question is about how you were covered -- it does not matter if you were covered by a plan in your own name or a plan in your spouse's name.  

[WhatsTheDeal]

When researching possible ways to answer that question, I've seen others state to use "None" instead of "Family" since this question appears to apply to the person who is paying for the HDCP coverage.  So it seems like Jan-Sep would be self for me and None for Oct-Dec since I no longer had my own HDPCP plan.   Then under my wife's details she would use Self for Jan-Sep and Family for Oct-2025.    The wording on this series of questions is a bit too generic which I was a I needed a TurboTax person to help with the appropriate answer.

[Opus 17]

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@WhatsTheDeal wrote:

When researching possible ways to answer that question, I've seen others state to use "None" instead of "Family" since this question appears to apply to the person who is paying for the HDCP coverage.  So it seems like Jan-Sep would be self for me and None for Oct-Dec since I no longer had my own HDPCP plan.   Then under my wife's details she would use Self for Jan-Sep and Family for Oct-2025.    The wording on this series of questions is a bit too generic which I was a I needed a TurboTax person to help with the appropriate answer.

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Well those "other people" are wrong.

If you are covered by a plan that is paid for by your spouse, you are still covered by that plan within the meaning of the law.  

Publication 969
Rules for married people.
If either spouse has family HDHP coverage, both spouses are treated as having family HDHP coverage. 

[WhatsTheDeal]

Thank you very much for the response.  I just navigated to form 8889 details in TurboTax and the Line 3  Smart Worksheet explains how to answer these questions in a much clearer manner which is consistent with what you've stated.  It states: "if coverage varied in 2025, select your coverage for each month below.  Select Family for any month you had self-only coverage and your spouse had family coverage.  Select None for any month you were covered by Medicare."  Having that same worksheet verbiage being shown to TurboTax users on the monthly input screen would be very helpful for people to understand the correct way to fill out the section.