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HSA Guide

Do You Have to Have Income to Contribute to HSA?

Published April 18, 2023

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Short answer: Yes—having some form of income is required to open and contribute to an HSA, and only one spouse needs income for a joint HSA when filing jointly.

Income requirement to contribute to HSA

When it comes to contributing to a Health Savings Account (HSA), having income is a requirement. In order to be eligible to open and contribute to an HSA, you must be enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and not be claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return. Since an HSA is funded with pre-tax dollars, the IRS requires that you have some form of income to contribute to it.

Wondering if you need to have income to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA)? The answer is yes, you need to have some form of income to make those contributions. Being enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is just the start of your journey towards securing your health finances!

Accepted income sources for HSA contributions

It's important to note that the income used to contribute to an HSA does not have to come from a traditional job. Other sources of income that can be used to fund an HSA include:

  • Salary or wages from employment
  • Self-employment income
  • Alimony payments
  • Rental income
  • Child support

Joint filing and spouse income rules

If you are married and file taxes jointly, only one spouse needs to have income in order for both spouses to contribute to a joint HSA account. This is particularly beneficial for couples where one spouse may not be working but still wants to contribute to an HSA.

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