A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-exempt trust or custodial account. You establish an HSA with a qualified HSA trustee to pay or reimburse the medical expenses you incur.

Report contributions and distributions on Form 8889 and attach it to your Form 1040.

• You can claim a tax deduction on your 1040, even if you do not itemize deductions.
• Contributions your employer makes can be excluded from your gross income.
• Interest and other earnings on the account are tax-free.
• Distributions are tax-free if used to pay for qualified medical expenses.
• Contributions remain in your account year after year until you use them.
• HSA accounts stay with you, even if you change employers or leave the workforce.

You must meet all of the following qualifications:

• You must have a high deductible health plan (HDHP).
• You must have no other health coverage.
• You must not be enrolled in Medicare.
• You cannot be claimed as a dependent of someone else.

You or another qualified person can contribute to your HSA. The limit on the amount of contributions depends on the type of HDHP you have and your age.

If you are filing married filing jointly, you are treated as having family coverage if you or your spouse has family coverage.

If you are contributing to a self-only coverage HSA, you can contribute up to the amount of your health plan deductible, but not more than $2,700.

If you are contributing family coverage HSA, you can contribute up to the amount of your health plan deductible, but not more than $5,540.

If you are enrolled in Medicare you cannot contribute to your HSA.

If you are age 55 or older, your contribution limit is increased by $700.  If you are married filing jointly and both you and your spouse are over age 55 and are not enrolled in Medicare, the total contribution limit is increased to $6,850.

You must reduce the amount that can be contributed to your HSA by any contributions made to an Archer medical savings account. This includes any contributions your employer makes on your behalf.

The deduction is limited based on whether the coverage is for an individual or a family.

• Minimum annual deductible must be at least $1,050.
• Maximum annual deductible and out of pocket expenses must be at least $5,250.

• Maximum annual deductible must be at least $2,100.
• Maximum annual deductible and out of pocket expenses must be at least $10,500.

Qualified medical expenses are the same expenses that qualify for the Medical and Dental Deduction and are incurred by:

• You or your spouse
• All dependents that you are claiming
• Any person you could have claimed as a dependent except that:
  • The person filed a joint return.
  • The person had more than $3,300 in gross income.
  • You could be claimed by someone else.

For more information, see IRS Publication 969.