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Health
Savings Accounts in Colorado
Health
savings account (HSA) plans can lower your premium, reduce your
income taxes, and allow you to save money for future medical expenses
tax-free. For these reasons, HSA plans have become the most
popular plans we offer.
Here's why Health
Savings Accounts have become so popular:
- An
HSA offers Lower Premiums - Because a health
savings plan in an HSA is paired with a high
deductible health insurance plan, the premium savings for
an HSA can be up to 50% or more compared to a typical low deductible
health insurance plan.
- Tax-Deductible
Contributions - Contributions to an HSA
are tax-deductible. Annual contribution limits for 2010 are capped at $3,050
for individuals and $6,100 for families. IMPORTANT: You must have
your HSA-qualified health insurance in place before December 1 in order to qualify
for a 2010 tax break. You only have , so you should apply as soon as possible.
- Pre-tax
medical expenses - Withdrawals are tax-free
and penalty-free when made for HSA
qualified expenses, including your deductible, birth control
pills, contact lenses and eyeglasses, chiropractors, dental treatment,
fertility treatment, vasectomies, and even travel expenses incurred
while seeking medical care.
- Tax-deferred
growth - Unused funds grow in your account tax-deferred,
and can be withdrawn penalty-free at age 65. There are a
variety of investment options, including savings accounts, money
market accounts, or a wide selection of mutual funds.
For more information
on how HSA plans work, see our brief "How
To" Guide to HSAs.
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The following
Health
Savings Account plans are available in Colorado:
Below are some
interesting articles on Health Savings Accounts:
Health
Savings Accounts allow you to legally avoid federal income tax by saving up to
$3,050 for singles or $6,150 for families, into your Health Savings Account.
Whatever you deposit into your account with any HSA
Administrators up to April 15, is an "above the line" tax deduction
for the previous year's income taxes, meaning you get a federal income tax deduction
for money you put in even if you take the standard deduction and don’t itemize
deductions. If your employer makes a Health Savings Account contribution
for you, it is “excluded” from income, and not subject to any income
tax or FICA. Either way, this will immediately reduce your federal income
tax due for the year. Health
Savings Accounts in the News
A Health Savings Account Has Benefits Like an IRA
Health Savings Accounts offer a better way to manage health care costs with tax advantages that help you save. If you want coverage in case of a catastrophic major accident or illness that will leave you with overwhelming medical bills, a Health Savings Account is made for you.
A Health Savings Account is often abbreviated as "HSA", but it's typically called a health IRA in the financial industry. That's because a HSA works much like an IRA (Individual Retirement Account). When you set up a free HSA, you buy a High Deductible Health Insurance policy. If the deductible is $1,200, you pay the first $1,200 in medical costs before your insurance begins to cover charges.
Health Savings Accounts Help If You Lose a Job or Retire
A Health Savings Account (HSA) can do more for you than help pay for health-care expenses with tax-free dollars. It also helps to bridge gaps in health insurance coverage if you lose your job, or when you retire.
If you're under 65, you can open a free Health Savings Account when you buy a qualified high-deductible health insurance plan. You can keep your HSA even when you're covered with other insurance policies if you don't have medical expenses paid by both insurance and your HSA, called "double dipping."
Health Savings Accounts Are in Greater Demand Than Ever Before
Chase (the nation’s second largest bank) reported significant growth in Health Savings Accounts. Chase added 115,000 Health Savings Accounts, and $220 million in related deposits last year. That amounted to 500,000 Health Savings Account (HSA) owners with combined account balances of $740 million. So many people are saving with a HSA because they understand this offers a better way to pay for current health expenses, and save for future qualified medical costs. HSA contributions are tax-deductible, and earn tax-free interest. You can also make tax-free withdrawals from a HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses. A HSA also helps you save through the associated lower premiums of High Deductible Health Insurance.
Health Savings Accounts Can Lower Insurance Premiums
Health Savings Accounts offer tax deductions for medical expenses, but lower monthly premiums for health insurance may be the greatest advantage Health Savings Accounts offer. Premiums for group health insurance rose 9.6 percent last year, and more than 10 percent for each of the previous six years. Premiums for individual plans went up even more, while insurance premiums associated with Health Savings Accounts only rose a mere 3.4 percent last year. In fact, average premiums for High Deductible Health Insurance associated with a Health Savings Account (HSA) for individuals actually dropped 19.5 percent during the past two years.
Is a Flexible Spending Account as Good as a Health Savings Account?
While Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts have some similarities, they also have important differences. Health Savings Accounts offer greater control, and more benefits.
While you own and control your Health Savings Account, a Flexible Spending Account is controlled by your employer. That means you lose all the money in your Flexible Spending Account if you leave that employer, but you can keep your investment in your Health Savings Account if you change jobs, become unemployed, or retire.
Health Savings Accounts Save Money with Low-cost Health Insurance
Health Savings Accounts work with health insurance plans that have lower monthly premiums. Premiums for group health insurance rose 9.6 percent last year, and premiums for individual plans rose even more. Yet, insurance premiums for health insurance associated with Health Savings Accounts rose a mere 3.4 percent last year. Amazingly, average premiums for High Deductible Health Insurance associated with Health Savings Accounts for individuals actually dropped 19.5 percent during the past two years.
How is that possible?
Health Savings Accounts Offer an Effective Solution for Lowering Health Insurance Premiums
Health Savings Accounts are tax deductible savings accounts that allow participants to pay for their qualifying medical expenses tax-free. Moreover, the funds spent on those qualifying medical expenses are actually tax deductible. In addition to providing participants with available funds for their medical expenses, Health Savings Accounts help participants to save for retirement.
While Health Savings Accounts are excellent solutions for growing savings tax-free, they are also associated with high-deductible health insurance plans, which further helps participants to save money each month off of the cost of their monthly health insurance premiums.
Alabama Legislator Hopes to Offer Pre-tax Health Savings Accounts
An Alabama legislature hopes to create tax-free Health Savings Account options for Alabama residents. According to Federal laws, families and individuals can have Health Savings Accounts that help them reduce their annual health care costs and tax burdens. However, the state of Alabama does not offer its residents tax-free Health Savings Accounts.
Rep. Greg Canfield (R-Vestavia Hills) introduced a new bill to the Alabama House of Representatives on January 12 that would allow individuals and families in Alabama to deposit their pre-tax earnings into a Health Savings Accounts to help cover qualifying medical expenses.
An Overview of the Aetna Health Savings Account Plan
If you’ve never heard of a Health Savings Account, then it’s time to take a look at this increasingly popular health insurance plan option that has become available for Americans and their families. Aetna is one of the many health insurance companies that offers the Health Savings Account option. The Aetna Health Savings Account is similar to its HealthNow PPO and Aetna PPO Plans.
However, while the Health Savings Account option helps many Americans save a significant amount of money each year off of the cost of their healthcare expenses, there are some important things that everyone will want to know about before enrolling in a Health Savings Account plan.
How a Health Savings Account Can Help to Protect Your Finances
If you have health insurance, you might be surprised to learn that a starling 16.6% of American adults are still uninsured, despite the high degree of attention that has been given to health insurance issues in the U.S. lately. Many American adults without health insurance are put into a tricky situation when they have a catastrophic injury or illness and are then stuck with an expensive emergency room or ICU bill. According to many, living without health insurance is a high stakes gamble that too many Americans make every day.
You can find extensive
information on Health Savings Accounts at: http://www.Health--Savings--Accounts.com | | | |
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