HSA Contributions

Contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA) allow you to set aside money to pay for health care in the current year or save those funds so you’re prepared for health care expenses in the future. Here are some things you need to know about contributing to your HSA.

Know your annual contribution limits

The IRS sets annual contribution limits for HSAs based on individual or family coverage under a high deductible health plan. You are responsible for ensuring your contributions do not exceed the annual limit.

Four ways to contribute to your HSA

You, your employer or anyone else can contribute to your HSA on your behalf. There are a number of ways to fund your HSA, so be sure to keep track of all your contributions including employer, payroll and individual contributions to ensure your total contributions do not exceed the annual limit.

  1. Payroll deduction

    If you have an employer-sponsored plan, your election amount will automatically be deposited into your HSA on a pre-tax1 basis each pay period.

    Note: Some employer-sponsored plans allow changes to your elections throughout the year. Check with your employer for more details.

  2. Individual contributions

    You can make a contribution at any time using the member website, the MyHealth app or by mail.

    Member website

    • From the Home screen select “Contribute to HSA” and follow the on-screen instructions to create a transaction.

    MyHealth app

    • Select Contribute to an HSA and follow the on-screen instructions.

    Note: If you would like to make a contribution to your HSA directly from your bank account, you’ll need to first link your bank account.

    Mail

    • Download the HSA Contribution form from the member website: Select “Tools & Support” > “Account Support & Forms.” Complete and mail the form along with a check.
  3. Move funds from existing HSA

    There are two ways you can move funds from another HSA. In both cases you will need to complete the HSA Contribution Form, which can be found on the member website: “Tools & Support” > “Account Support & Forms”

    Note: Funds moved from an existing HSA do not count toward your annual contribution limit.

    • Trustee-to-trustee transfer: A trustee makes a direct transfer to Bank of America.
      Note: There are no limits to the number of transfers you can make this way.
    • Rollover: A check is sent to you from another custodian and you forward it to Bank of America.
      Note: You must rollover the amount within 60 days after the date of receipt. You can make only one rollover contribution to an HSA during a one-year period.
  4. Once-per-lifetime transfer or rollover

    You can move money from a traditional or Roth IRA by using the HSA Transfer Request Form, which can be found on the member website: “Tools & Support” > “Account Support & Forms”

    Note: A rollover from a traditional IRA or Roth IRA to your HSA is a qualified HSA funding distribution that is not included in your income, is not deductible, and reduces the amount that can be contributed to your HSA by you and other sources (including employer contributions). Rollovers that exceed annual HSA contribution limits based on your age at the end of the year and your HDHP coverage (individual or family) at the time of the distribution will result in additional tax on the excess contributions. The rollover cannot be made from an ongoing SEP IRA or SIMPLE IRA. You can make only one qualified HSA funding distribution during your lifetime.

Contribution deadline

You may contribute funds for the current year up until Tax Day of the following calendar year. Be sure to choose the checkbox for the prior year for the contribution to be applied correctly.

screen shot showing transaction details, including options to select appropriate tax year

What if you over contribute?

You are responsible for making sure that your annual HSA contributions do not exceed the IRS limit. If you realize you have gone over the annual limit, go to the member website and follow these steps to have the overage returned to you:

  1. Go to “Tools & Support” > “Account Support & Forms.”
  2. Download and open the HSA Distribution Request Form.
  3. Check the box for “Excess Contribution Removal” in Step 2a, and include the date of the excess contribution.
  4. Sign and mail or fax the form.
  5. If you make HSA contributions through payroll, you may want to stop these contributions for the remainder of the year.

 

1Pre-tax payroll contributions to your HSA may be exempt from federal and most state taxes or you may be able to claim a tax deduction for after-tax contributions you, or someone other than your employer, make to your HSA, as long as you continue to be an eligible individual. Eligibility is defined by IRS Code 223 and is described in your Bank of America Health Savings Account Custodial Agreement and Disclosure Statement, which includes maintaining coverage under a qualifying high deductible health plan.