Author Topic: Contribute to HSA?  (Read 2484 times)

JimmyRaye

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Contribute to HSA?
« on: August 01, 2015, 11:19:15 AM »
Currently maxing out my 401K/IRA.

Have a high deductible health care program with my work; employer matches up to $500 bucks. Should I contribute 500?

Money is kind of tight right now since I'm playing catch up to hit 18K (started working in the summer); normally I'd contribute ~22% to hit full 401K; right now I'm putting in ~44% to hit full 401K.

What to do?

Tremeroy

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Re: Contribute to HSA?
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2015, 01:16:06 PM »
Do you have enough liquidity available to cover your health insurance's out of pocket maximum without raiding your retirement funds?
Does the HSA have investment options at a certain level of savings? (If so, are the fees reasonable?)

If you have an HSA with attractive investment features, I would prioritize according to the following:
  • HSA up to company match
  • 401k up to company match
  • HSA up to limit
  • 401k up to limit

The ability to tap the HSA as an emergency medical fund without penalty & have it act like a pre-tax IRA seals the deal in my mind. Again, you need to figure out the specific benefits of the plan you're set up with.

dunhamjr

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Re: Contribute to HSA?
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2015, 10:53:52 PM »
imo you have to contribute to the hsa at least to the match. i would even drop the 401k just enough get that free $500 in the hsa.

free money is free money no matter what account you get it in.

Slee_stack

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Re: Contribute to HSA?
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2015, 07:33:45 AM »
Although the annual max contribution allowed to an HSA is relatively low, I believe it is one of the best places you can place your money, presuming you can invest it (and many HSA plans allow for that).

The HSA is one of the precious few, truly tax-free buckets in the US.  You don't pay tax up front, and you don't pay tax on principal or gains when you eventually withdraw for any health related expense.

If you remain in good health and don't deplete your balance, you even get to start pulling funds out in (traditional) retirement for non-medical reasons albeit at a normal 401k type withdrawal tax.  There are many creative advantages of the HSA though, like paying out of pocket (non HSA) for your health expenses along the way, and eventually (within 20 years) withdrawing an equivalent amount from your HSA (with capital gains untaxed!) later on.  See this link.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/financialfinesse/2012/01/10/how-hsas-can-help-make-you-healthy-and-wealthy/

The only risk lies in potential poor health draining it.  But if you end up in poor health, you have greater issues and high expenses anyway...and/or you probably paid more for a traditional plan along the way...

Even with 0 company match, try to make your maximum HSA contributions every year (after taking advantage of all other company matches of course)
« Last Edit: August 02, 2015, 07:45:44 AM by Slee_stack »

 

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