How HSAs Could Beat 401(k)s For Savings

For some employees, using an HSA for health care expenses in retirement may be better than saving in a 401(k) plan, according to a report by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Contributions to an HSA reduce taxable income; earnings on the assets in the HSA build up tax free; and distributions from the HSA for qualified expenses are not subject to taxation. “Depending on the rate of return in an HSA, these accounts could generate significant assets,” said Paul Fronstin of EBRI. If you contribute the maximum allowable amounts for 40 years to an HSA without making withdrawals, you could accumulate up to $360,000 if the rate of return is 2.5%, $600,000 if the rate of return is 5%, and nearly $1.1 million if the rate of return is 7.5%. However, he added that many people aren’t able to save in an HSA and pay their out-of-pocket health care expenses. Also, HSA balances may not be enough to pay all medical expenses in retirement even if maximum contributions are made for 40 years. For more information, visitwww.ebri.org.