The IRS recently announced the increase to the amount individuals can contribute to health savings accounts (HSAs) in 2026. Federal employees, retirees and annuitants have an opportunity to save money in a tax-advantaged manner in order to pay current and future medical expenses by utilizing HSAs.
The HSA contribution limits for 2026 are $4,400 for self-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage.
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HSA Catch-Up Contributions
Those eligible and age 55 can contribute an additional $1,000 as a catch-up contribution. An HSA is a tax-exempt trust or custodial account you set up with a qualified HSA trustee to pay or reimburse certain medical expenses you incur. You must be an eligible individual to contribute to an HSA.
2026 HSA Contribution Limits
Spousal catch-up contributions
If you and your spouse are both age 55 or over, not enrolled in Medicare, and otherwise eligible, you each can make $1,000 HSA catch-up contributions, but you must do so in separate HSAs. These contributions can be taken as a tax deduction on your personal taxes assuming they’re not done through payroll deductions.
HSA Rules for Married People
The IRS rules for married people apply only if both spouses are eligible individuals. If either spouse has family HDHP coverage, the family contribution limit applies; both spouses are treated as having family HDHP coverage.
If both spouses are 55 or older and not enrolled in Medicare:
- Each spouse is entitled to increase his or her contribution limit with an additional contribution.
- Their maximum total contributions under family HDHP coverage would include a catch-up contribution for each spouse.
- The contribution limit is divided between the spouses by agreement. If there is no agreement, the contribution limit is split equally between the spouses.
- Any additional contribution for age 55 or over must be made by each spouse to his or her own HSA.
Eligibility to Contribute to an HSA
To be eligible to contribute to an HSA, a participant must be enrolled in an HSA-qualified high deductible health insurance plan (HDHP). Each year the IRS defines what constitutes an HDHP.
A high deductible health plan is defined as a health plan with an annual deductible that is not less than $1,650 for self-only coverage or $3,300 for family coverage, and for which “the annual out-of-pocket expenses (deductibles, co-payments, and other amounts, but not premiums) do not exceed $8,300 for self-only coverage or $16,600 for family coverage,” according to the IRS.
The following information is from OPM regarding HSAs and Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) enrollment:
A Health Savings Account allows individuals to pay for current health expenses and save for future qualified medical expenses on a pre-tax basis. Funds deposited into an HSA are not taxed, the balance in the HSA and interest grows tax free, and that amount is available on a tax free basis to pay your qualified medical expenses, including your copays, coinsurance and deductible.
When you enroll in an HDHP, the health plan determines whether you are eligible for a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) based on the information you provide.
Who is eligible for an HSA?
You are eligible for an HSA if you are:
• Enrolled in an HDHP and not covered by another health plan (including a spouse’s health plan, but not including specific injury insurance and accident, disability, dental care, vision care, or long-term care coverage)
• Not enrolled in Medicare
• Not in receipt of VA or Indian Health Service (IHS) medical benefits within the last three months
The FEHB program offers many types of health insurance plans, including health plans that are HDHP qualified and associated with an HSA. Employees who are currently not enrolled in an FEHB program HDHP and who are interested in enrolling in such a plan associated with an HSA for 2025 may do so during the next FEHB open season to be held from early November 2024 to early December 2024.