IRS unveils new HSA limits for 2026. Here's what investors need to know
Starting in 2026, the new HSA contribution limit will be $4,400 for self-only health coverage, the IRS announced Thursday. That's up from $4,300 in 2025, based on inflation adjustments.
Meanwhile, the new limit for savers with family coverage will jump to $8,750, up from $8,550 in 2025, according to the update.
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To make HSA contributions in 2026, you must have an eligible high-deductible health insurance plan.
For 2026, the IRS defines a high deductible as at least $1,700 for self-only coverage or $3,400 for family plans. Plus, the plan's cap on yearly out-of-pocket expenses — deductibles, co-payments and other amounts — can't exceed $8,500 for individual plans or $17,000 for family coverage.
Investors have until the tax deadline to make HSA contributions for the previous year. That means the last chance for 2026 deposits is April 2027.
If you're eligible to make HSA contributions, financial advisors recommend investing the balance for the long-term rather than spending the funds on current-year medical expenses, cash flow permitting.
The reason: "Your health savings account has three tax benefits," said certified financial planner Dan Galli, owner of Daniel J. Galli & Associates in Norwell, Massachusetts.
There's typically an upfront deduction for contributions, your balance grows tax-free and you can withdraw the money any time tax-free for qualified medical expenses.
Unlike flexible spending accounts, or FSAs, investors can roll HSA balances over from year to year. The account is also portable between jobs, meaning you can keep the money when leaving an employer.
That makes your HSA "very powerful" for future retirement savings, Galli said.
Healthcare expenses in retirement can be significant. A single 65-year-old retiring in 2024 could expect to spend an average of $165,000 on medical expenses through their golden years, according to Fidelity data. This doesn't include the cost of long-term care.
In 2024, two-thirds of companies offered investment options for HSA contributions, according to a survey released in November by the Plan Sponsor Council of America, which polled more than 500 employers in the summer of 2024.
But only 18% of participants were investing their HSA balance, down slightly from the previous year, the survey found.
"Ultimately, most participants still are using that HSA for current health-care expenses," Hattie Greenan, director of research and communications for the Plan Sponsor Council of America, previously told CNBC.
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