Should clients contribute to their HSA before contributing to their 401K or IRA?

There are compelling reasons to do exactly that:

• An HSA is triple tax-advantaged – contributions, earnings, and withdrawals are generally tax-free, whereas with traditional retirement accounts (401K, IRA) only two of those three are tax-free.
• The funds are portable should the account holder change employers.
• Funds can be used to pay qualified expenses for spouse and tax dependents.
• Funds can be used to pay for Medicare premiums and qualified long-term care premiums.
• Even if funds need to be withdrawn in an emergency for non-medical expenses, the penalty (only if prior to age 65) and tax consequences are the same as for traditional retirement accounts.

There is one situation where the decision becomes a bit more difficult. That is if the employer offers a matching contribution to a traditional retirement account. It’s tough to turn down that “free money.”

As with all matters related to tax and finance, it is strongly recommended that you do not provide advice unless you are certified to do so. That said, if you are not a tax or finance professional, you could certainly encourage your clients to solicit the professional opinion of their tax or financial advisor on this matter.

Please note that this FAQ is meant to be informational only. It is not tax advice and Claremont Insurance Services is not a tax advisor.

Resources
Employee Benefit News recently published two helpful articles: “The Case for an HSA-First Investment Strategy” and “How HSA Savings Can Be Used for Long-Term Care in Retirement.”