Prepare for Retirement with an HSA

Retirement planning isn't something that happens by chance. It requires planning, financial commitment, and a long-term perspective. No matter where you are in your retirement planning process, we have an additional way to save tax-free funds for retirement. Enter the HSA (health savings account).

HSA Overview

By all intents and purposes, HSAs were designed to help individual and families save pre-tax funds for qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses. It creates a clear path to save money and reduce the cost of health services and expenses.

The benefits of an HSA are that they provide triple tax-tax advantages: tax-deductible contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free distributions (as long as they are used for qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses). This sounds great for health costs, but how does it connect to retirement?

After the age of 65, you can use your HSA funds for anything, just like A 401(k) or IRA. In fact, an HSA has no mandatory distributions in retirement. You get to decide when and if to use those pre-tax assets or sell investments in your HSA account. You can let your HSA funds grow into your 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Extra Tax-Free Retirement Savings

While the tax advantages of an HSA are clear, maybe the real value is an additional retirement savings account. Combining the savings power of a 401(k), IRA and HSA to create the only triple threat for retirement savings. That means more tax savings and more money for you in retirement.

Plan for Health Costs

Even with all of your detailed retirement planning, you might have missed the massive impact healthcare costs can have on your retirement savings nest-egg. According to a recent Fidelity Report, healthcare costs are expected to exceed $275,000 per couple in retirement. This is on top of Medicare coverage. 





HSAs can cover these expected health costs, so you can use your 401(k) or IRA for the stuff you want. Maybe some world travel?

Don't Wait to Open an HSA

HSA savings opportunities are based on HSA-eligibility. You must have an HSA-eligible health plan to contribute to an HSA. You can, however, use any accumulated HSA funds not matter your health plan. An HSA account is for life.

Your retirement planning might be in full swing, or you might be just getting started. No matter where you are in the retirement planning process, you can open an HSA to accelerate your retirement savings.