Can I Deposit to my 2018 HSA in 2019?

Many people often wonder if they can deposit funds into their Health Savings Account (HSA) for the previous tax year if the contribution deadline has passed. The answer is not as straightforward as one might think.

According to IRS regulations, you cannot contribute to your HSA for the previous year after the tax filing deadline. For the year 2018, the tax filing deadline was April 15, 2019. This means that you cannot make contributions to your 2018 HSA beyond this date.

However, there are some exceptions and ways you can still maximize your HSA contributions:

• If you had a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) for all of 2018 and were eligible to contribute to an HSA, you could have made contributions throughout the year up to the annual limit.
• If you did not reach the annual contribution limit for 2018, you can make additional contributions after the tax deadline, up to the maximum annual limit.
• If you had an eligible change in status, such as getting married or having a baby, you may be able to make additional contributions.

It's important to keep track of your HSA contributions and ensure you stay within the annual limits to avoid any IRS penalties or tax implications. While you cannot directly deposit funds for the previous year after the deadline, there are ways to optimize your contributions and tax benefits within the guidelines.

It's natural to question whether you can still make contributions to your HSA after the tax deadline for the previous year. Unfortunately, once the deadline has passed, typically April 15 of the following year, no further contributions for that year’s tax return are permitted.