Do I lose unspent HSA money at year-end?

No. Unlike a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), an HSA is owned by you permanently, carries over every year, and can be invested for tax-free medical withdrawals at any age.

◆ 2026 IRS REV. PROC. 2025-19 • HDHP + HSA VS. PPO COST COMPARATOR

Health Insurance Comparator: High-Deductible + HSA vs. Traditional PPO

Compare guaranteed annual premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximums side by side—with automatic enforcement of 2026 IRS combined employer + employee HSA limits ($4,400 self / $8,750 family, +$1,000 at age 55+).

US Tax Code Only — USD Bound strictly to 2026 U.S. Internal Revenue Code statutory caps (IRC § 529 / IRC § 223)

FRED · BLS · US-STATUTORY-2026.11 Plain-English A–Z Glossary →

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2026 Coverage Tier (Sets IRS HSA Limit)

Account Holder Age & Contribution Method

HDHP Monthly Paycheck Premium $165/mo

PPO Monthly Paycheck Premium $435/mo

HDHP Annual Deductible ($) $3,400

HDHP Out-of-Pocket Maximum ($) $6,800

PPO Annual Deductible ($) $1,000

PPO Out-of-Pocket Maximum ($) $4,500

Employer HSA Contribution ($/yr) $1,000/yr

Your Employee HSA Contribution ($/yr) $3,300/yr

Marginal Income Tax Rate — Fed + State (%) 22.0% (+7.65% FICA)

Post-Deductible Coinsurance (%) 20%

Expected Covered In-Network Medical & Rx Bills ($/yr) $2,800/yr

Your Results & Breakdown 2026 U.S. FORMULA

HDHP + HSA Wins by $1,949/yr

$1,949 Saved

At $2,800 in expected medical & Rx bills

HDHP + HSA Net Cost

$2,801/yr

After $1,000 employer + $979 payroll tax save

Traditional PPO Net Cost

$4,750/yr

$5,220/yr fixed paycheck premiums

HSA Tax Savings (Eligible)

$979/yr

2026 Family Cap: $8,750 ($4,300 used)

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◆ METHODOLOGY & PLAIN-ENGLISH GUIDE (CLICK DOTTED TERMS FOR DEFINITIONS)

How Employer Seed Money Counts Toward Your IRS HSA Limit

A common open-enrollment mistake is contributing the full IRS maximum yourself when your employer also deposits seed money. Under IRC § 223, employer contributions and employee contributions share the same annual statutory ceiling ($4,400 self-only / $8,750 family in 2026, plus $1,000 at age 55+). Excess contributions face a 6% annual IRS excise tax unless removed before the tax filing deadline.

Payroll vs. Direct Contributions: Contributing via your employer's Section 125 cafeteria payroll deduction exempts dollars from 7.65% payroll tax (below the $184,500 Social Security cap) in addition to federal income tax. Direct deposits from a personal bank account still qualify for an above-the-line federal income tax deduction, but do not refund FICA taxes.

Health Insurance Comparator: High-Deductible + HSA vs. Traditional PPO

How Employer Seed Money Counts Toward Your IRS HSA Limit

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