Per IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-19: $4,400 for self-only HDHP coverage, $8,750 for family coverage, plus a $1,000 catch-up if you are 55 or older (and not on Medicare) — so $5,400 / $9,750 max with catch-up. The catch-up is fixed by statute and has not changed in years. These are calendar-year 2026 figures, verified September 2026; always confirm the current tax year's numbers in IRS Publication 969.

It must be a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP): for 2026, a minimum annual deductible of $1,700 (self-only) or $3,400 (family), and out-of-pocket maximums no higher than $8,500 / $17,000. A plan marketed as "high deductible" that misses either test is not HSA-qualified. Disqualifying coverage also kills eligibility: a general-purpose FSA, an HRA that pays before the deductible, or Medicare enrollment (including turning 65 and enrolling) all disqualify you — even if the HDHP itself qualifies.

The IRS prorates month by month: a month counts if you held qualifying HDHP coverage on the 1st of the month. Enroll June 15 → June doesn't count; your 2026 limit is 6/12 of the annual figure. The catch-up prorates the same way. There is a "last-month rule" that can allow the full annual contribution if you're eligible on December 1 and stay eligible through the following December — but it comes with a testing period and penalties if you break it, so get professional guidance before relying on it. This calculator uses straight proration, the safe default.

Yes — every dollar counts. Employer seed money, payroll deductions, wellness incentives, and your own direct deposits all share the single annual cap. The most common over-contribution cause is a freelancer-turned-employee (or vice versa) who maxes personal contributions without checking what the employer already deposited. Check your benefits portal or pay stubs in January and adjust. If you discover an excess, withdraw it (plus earnings) before the tax filing deadline to avoid the 6% excise tax.

The triple advantage: (1) contributions are deductible from federal income tax — at a 22% marginal rate, a $4,400 contribution saves ~$968; (2) growth inside the HSA is tax-free; (3) withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free. For the self-employed specifically, HSA contributions also reduce adjusted gross income, which can lower ACA premium-credit phaseouts and other AGI-based thresholds — but they do not reduce self-employment (Social Security/Medicare) tax the way S-corp payroll HSA contributions can for employees. Model the income-tax piece with this calculator and your quarterly estimated tax with ours.

An extra $1,000/year if you are 55 or older at year-end and not enrolled in Medicare. Key details: it is per person, not per account — a married couple both 55+ can contribute $1,000 each, but only if each has their own HSA (one spouse cannot take both catch-ups in a single account). It prorates with partial-year eligibility like the base limit. And it is not indexed for inflation — it has been $1,000 since 2009, so its real value shrinks yearly.

Generally the federal tax filing deadline — about April 15, 2027 — and you do not need to file an extension to use the extra time. This makes the HSA one of the few levers you can still pull after year-end to cut your 2026 tax bill. The deadline applies to contributions; the eligibility itself is still determined month-by-month during 2026.

Excess contributions face a 6% excise tax every year they remain in the account — it is not a one-time penalty. Fix it by withdrawing the excess (plus any earnings on it) before the tax filing deadline; the earnings are taxable income in the year withdrawn. Prevention beats cure: run this calculator before year-end contributions, and re-run it if your coverage or contributions change mid-year.

Generally no — a general-purpose health FSA is disqualifying coverage that kills HSA eligibility for the whole period it covers (including employer "use-it-or-lose-it" grace periods people forget about). The exception is a limited-purpose FSA (dental/vision only), which can coexist with an HSA. If your spouse holds a general-purpose FSA that covers you, you are disqualified too. This is the single most common accidental disqualification — check before contributing.

The HSA wins on almost every axis that matters to the self-employed: no "use it or lose it" (balances roll over forever), the account is yours (portable across jobs and insurers), triple tax advantage, and you can invest the balance. The FSA's only advantages are availability without an HDHP and slightly simpler rules. If you can tolerate a high deductible and qualify, the HSA is the stronger long-term vehicle — including as a stealth retirement account (pay medical costs out of pocket now, reimburse yourself decades later; keep receipts).

No. This is an estimate based on published 2026 IRS figures for planning purposes. HSA eligibility interacts with your specific coverage, employment changes, spouse's coverage, and Medicare status in ways a calculator cannot fully model. Confirm your eligibility and limits against IRS Publication 969 and, for anything consequential, a licensed tax professional. Tax law changes; the IRS publication for the current year always wins over any tool.