Introduction
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a special account that lets you save money for medical costs while paying less in taxes. If you have a high-deductible health plan, an HSA is one of the best ways to grow your savings. The money you put in is tax-free, it grows tax-free, and you can take it out tax-free when you use it for health expenses.1 This HSA Calculator helps you see how much your account could grow over time. Just enter your yearly contributions, expected rate of return, and how long you plan to save. The calculator will show you your total savings, including tax benefits, so you can plan ahead and make smart choices with your money.
How to Use Our HSA Calculator
Enter your health savings account details below to see how much your HSA could grow over time, including tax savings and investment returns.
Annual HSA Contribution: Enter the total amount of money you plan to put into your HSA each year. This should not exceed the IRS contribution limit for your coverage type (individual or family).
Coverage Type: Select whether you have individual or family health insurance coverage. This determines your maximum yearly contribution limit.
Current HSA Balance: Enter the amount of money you already have saved in your HSA right now. If you are opening a new account, enter zero.
Annual Rate of Return: Enter the percentage you expect your HSA investments to grow each year. A reasonable starting assumption for a balanced portfolio is between 5% and 7%.
Federal Tax Rate: Enter your federal income tax bracket as a percentage. This is used to calculate how much you save in taxes by contributing to your HSA.
State Tax Rate: Enter your state income tax rate as a percentage. HSA contributions are tax-free in most states, so this helps estimate your full tax savings. Enter zero if your state has no income tax.
Years Until Retirement: Enter the number of years you plan to keep saving in your HSA. A longer time period means more growth from compound interest.
Annual HSA Spending: Enter the amount you expect to withdraw from your HSA each year to pay for medical expenses. This reduces the balance that stays invested and grows over time.
What Is a Health Savings Account (HSA)?
A Health Savings Account, or HSA, is a special savings account that lets you set aside money before taxes to pay for qualified medical expenses. To contribute to one, you must be covered by a high-deductible health plan (HDHP).1 The money you put in, the growth it earns, and the money you take out for medical costs are all free from federal income tax.1 This is often called the "triple tax advantage," and it makes the HSA one of the most powerful savings tools available.
How the Triple Tax Advantage Works
The HSA gives you three separate tax benefits that work together to help your money grow faster:
- Tax-free contributions: The money you put into your HSA is deducted from your income before taxes are calculated.1 Contributions made through an employer's Section 125 cafeteria (payroll) plan are also exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes.2
- Tax-free growth: Any interest, dividends, or investment gains your HSA earns are never taxed as long as the money stays in the account.1 In a regular brokerage account, you would owe taxes on those gains each year.
- Tax-free withdrawals: When you take money out to pay for qualified medical expenses (things like doctor visits, prescriptions, dental work, and vision care), you pay zero tax on those withdrawals.1
HSA Contribution Limits for 2026 and 2025
The IRS sets a maximum amount you can contribute to your HSA each year. For 2026, the limits are:
- Individual coverage: $4,400 per year.1
- Family coverage: $8,750 per year.1
- Catch-up contribution: If you are age 55 or older, you can add an extra $1,000 per year on top of the standard limit.1
For 2025, the limits were $4,300 for individual coverage and $8,550 for family coverage.1 These limits include both your own contributions and any money your employer puts in.1 So if your employer contributes $1,000 and you have individual coverage in 2026, you can only contribute up to $3,400 yourself.
HSA vs. a Regular Taxable Account
When you save money in a normal savings or investment account, you deposit after-tax dollars, pay taxes on any earnings each year, and still owe taxes when you withdraw. With an HSA, you skip taxes at every step when used for medical expenses. Over 10, 20, or 30 years, this difference adds up to thousands of dollars in extra savings. The calculator above shows you exactly how much more your money can grow in an HSA compared to a taxable account with the same contributions and returns.
Why HSAs Are Great for Long-Term Savings
Many people use their HSA only for current medical bills, but the real power comes from investing your HSA for the long term. There is no rule that says you must spend your HSA money right away. The balance rolls over every year, and it never expires.1 If you can afford to pay small medical bills out of pocket now, you can let your HSA grow and use it later in retirement when medical costs are typically much higher. According to Fidelity's 2026 Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate, a 65-year-old individual may need $185,500 in after-tax savings to cover health care expenses in retirement, so a well-funded HSA is extremely valuable.3
The HSA works especially well alongside other tax-advantaged accounts. For example, you might maximize your 401k contributions for general retirement savings and your Roth IRA for tax-free retirement income, while using your HSA specifically to cover future healthcare costs. Together, these accounts create a powerful, diversified tax strategy.
After Age 65
Once you turn 65, your HSA becomes even more flexible. You can still withdraw money tax-free for qualified medical expenses, including Medicare premiums.1 If you withdraw money for non-medical purposes after age 65, you pay regular income tax on it but no penalty, much like a withdrawal from a traditional IRA.1 This makes the HSA a strong backup retirement account on top of its primary role as a medical savings tool.
Key Rules to Remember
- You must have a high-deductible health plan to contribute to an HSA.1
- If you withdraw money for non-medical expenses before age 65, you pay income tax plus a 20% penalty.1
- Keep receipts for all medical expenses in case you need to prove your withdrawals were qualified.1
- HSA funds belong to you, not your employer. If you change jobs, the money goes with you.1
- Most states follow the federal tax treatment, but not all. California allows no deduction for HSA contributions and taxes HSA earnings in the year they are earned.6 New Jersey also taxes HSA contributions.
Building an emergency fund alongside your HSA is also a smart strategy. It ensures you can cover unexpected non-medical expenses without dipping into your tax-advantaged health savings.