HSA Contribution and Health Insurance Coverage

[MA37]

I was employed in 2020 from January through July and carried a high deductible family plan.  I contributed monthly to an HSA.  When I was laid off, we switched to a high deductible family plan under my husband's insurance without an HSA.  I am trying to figure out how to fill in the Form 8889-S and -T.  Do I only need the 8889 for myself since he did not contribute to an HSA for 2020?  If so, do I indicate on my 8889 that I had family coverage for all 12 months even though August through December coverage was through his employer?

[BillM223 · Accepted solution]

It does not matter from whom you had HDHP coverage. Your plan, your husband's plan - it's all the same, so long as you had no conflicting coverage. You had Family coverage all year.

Also, it does not matter that your husband has an HSA or not. An HSA is like an IRA in the sense that it belongs to the individual, not the employer.

While it may seem that you have a joint HSA, in fact, all HSAs are owned by the individual. This means, of course, that each of you can have a separate HSAs.

This will become important when one or both of you turn 55 - at age 55, the owner of the HSA can add $1,000 to the limit for that HSA. If you are close, let us know, and we will explain the details of what this means for you.

PS. TurboTax will create both the 8889-T and 8889-S, even if one of them won't get filed. Don't worry about it. The 8889 will be filed for the person who has the HSA.