Tax my HSA!

August 28, 2012 5:26 AM

I'm straightening out my taxes for 2010 and 2011, and I had a couple of questions about HSAs that I hoped you guys would be able to help me answer. (I know you're not my lawyer).

1. I can't find a 2010 version of form 8853 on the IRS website. Am I looking in the wrong place? Is it okay to use the 2011 version?

2. In high-level terms, how are employer contributions treated? I understand how to go through the worksheets, but is it counted as a benefit? Extra income? (This is why I have to redo my 2010 taxes in the first place.)

Thank you for any help you can give me!

posted by Stephanie Duy to work & money (8 answers total)

Bonus question: Forms 8853 and 8889 are the only ones I need to worry about, right?
posted by Stephanie Duy at 5:35 AM on August 28, 2012

Previous year forms are here, and the form 8853 for 2010 is here. (Are you sure 8853 is the one you need? It doesn't appear to deal with HSAs.)
posted by magicbus at 5:36 AM on August 28, 2012

Dammit, 8853.
posted by magicbus at 5:37 AM on August 28, 2012

Magicbus--I've looked at that form, but it only contains the instructions for the 2010 form (not the actual form itself).
posted by Stephanie Duy at 5:51 AM on August 28, 2012

That's because I can't make a link right to save my life. Sorry, try this.
posted by magicbus at 6:02 AM on August 28, 2012

Thank you! I'm working through form 8853 because form 8889 (which specifically deals with HSAs) needs some information from that form.
posted by Stephanie Duy at 6:53 AM on August 28, 2012

...which I probably don't need, ugh. Thanks for pointing that out!
posted by Stephanie Duy at 6:58 AM on August 28, 2012

2. In high-level terms, how are employer contributions treated? I understand how to go through the worksheets, but is it counted as a benefit? Extra income?

IIRC, employer paid contributions are not taxed or reported as income, similar to how your employer paid health insurance premiums don't show up on your taxes. It would be a bit silly otherwise, since you could just increase your own contribution instead.
posted by pwnguin at 7:45 PM on August 28, 2012