Health savings accounts for small businesses and their employees

FAQs

• How do I set up an HSA for my small business?

  First, you’ll want to confirm that you offer an HSA-eligible health plan for your employees. This is a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and it’s important to remember that not all HDHPs are HSA-eligible.

  
  

  Next, if your goal is for your employees to contribute to their HSA on a pre-tax basis, you’ll need to establish something that’s referred to as an HSA cafeteria plan. It’s called a cafeteria plan because employees can pick and choose the benefits they want. This type of plan allows your employees to pay certain expenses with pretax income.

  
  

  If you don’t set up a cafeteria plan, your employees can contribute to an HSA with after-tax dollars. This means when they file their taxes, they can claim the deduction—but they won’t benefit from the added savings on Social Security and Medicare taxes.

• Can I open an HSA for my employees?

  Your employees can easily open an HSA on their own. Once they do, they can set up payroll deductions by providing their account number to you.

• How many employees do I need to be considered a small business?

  There’s no set number for what’s considered a small business. If you’re self-employed, you can open and contribute to an HSA if you’re enrolled in an HSA-eligible health plan. Keep in mind you’re not eligible if your only coverage is under your spouse’s health insurance plan, and that plan is not HSA-eligible, you’re claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return, or you’re covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

• How does an employee/employer contribute to an HSA?

  Employees generally contribute through payroll deduction, but an employer can also choose to contribute to their employee’s HSA. Any employer contribution counts towards the HSA limit and there is no minimum contribution amount. As the employer, you also have the option of funding the entire annual contribution limit for the year. In addition, you may be able to deduct any employer contributions as a company business expense.

  
  

  For 2023, the IRS contribution limits for HSAs are $3,850 for individual coverage and $7,750 for family coverage. For 2024, HSA contribution limits are $4,150 for individual health plans and $8,300 for family health plans. If you're 55 or older during the tax year, you may be able to make a catch-up contribution of up to $1,000 per year. Spouses age 55 or older can also make a catch-up contribution, but will need to open their own HSA.