How much can I contribute to an HSA?
Last updated August 2026
Short answer
The headline numbers are simple. Three details underneath them account for nearly every excess contribution: employer money sharing your ceiling, mid-year proration, and the catch-up being per person rather than per household.
The 2026 limits
| Coverage type | 2026 limit | 2025 limit | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-only coverage | $4,400 | $4,300 | +$100 |
| Family coverage | $8,750 | $8,550 | +$200 |
| Catch-up, age 55+ | $1,000 | $1,000 | unchanged |
The catch-up starts in the calendar year you turn 55 and, unlike the 401(k) catch-up, has no upper age band or enhanced tier. It also stops once you enroll in Medicare, because eligibility to contribute ends there.
Employer contributions share your limit
This is the difference that catches people moving from a 401(k) mindset. There, the employer match is additional. In an HSA, everything counts against one number.
If your employer deposits $750 into your HSA and you have self-only coverage, your own room is $3,650, not $4,400. Employers often fund quarterly or as a wellness incentive, so the total is not always obvious in January. Checking the deposit history before setting a payroll election prevents the problem entirely.
Proration, and the last-month rule
Eligibility is tested on the first day of each month. Become eligible on July 1 and you are eligible for six months, so your standard limit is half the annual figure: $2,200 for self-only in 2026.
The last-month rule is the exception. If you are eligible on December 1, you may contribute the full annual limit for that year regardless of the earlier months. The condition is a testing period: you must remain eligible through December 31 of the following year.
Fail the testing period, by changing to a non-qualifying plan or enrolling in Medicare, and the extra amount becomes taxable income plus a 10% penalty. It is a useful rule if your coverage is stable and a costly one if it is not.
Family coverage and the per-person catch-up
The $8,750 family limit is a household ceiling. A married couple can divide it however they like across their accounts, or put it all in one.
The catch-up does not work that way. It is $1,000 per eligible person, and it must be contributed to that person's own HSA. A couple both over 55 who share a single account can only take one catch-up. Opening a second account, even with a small balance, captures the other $1,000.
Deadline and correction
You have until the tax filing deadline, normally April 15 of the following year, to make a contribution for the prior year. As with an IRA, tell your provider which tax year you intend or it will default to the current one.
Excess contributions are taxed at 6% for every year they remain. Withdraw the excess plus its earnings before your filing deadline and the penalty is avoided; the earnings are taxable.
Try it in Walnut
Walnut reads the positions in your connected brokerage accounts, so an invested HSA shows up as part of your overall allocation rather than a balance you check once a year.
Changing coverage mid-year
Switching between self-only and family coverage during the year changes your limit, and the calculation is done month by month.
Someone on self-only coverage from January to June and family coverage from July to December gets six months at the self-only rate and six at the family rate: roughly $2,200 plus $4,375, so about $6,575 for 2026. It is not the family limit, and it is not an average.
The last-month rule can override this too. Eligible with family coverage on December 1 and you may contribute the full $8,750 for the year, provided you stay eligible through the whole of the following year. Getting married, having a child or changing employer mid-year are the common triggers for this calculation, and the arithmetic is easy to get wrong in the direction of over-contributing.
Sources
2026 limits are from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-19. Proration, the last-month rule and excess-contribution corrections are in IRS Publication 969. Walnut is informational and is not an investment adviser. This guide is educational and not personalized tax or investment advice; anything with a tax consequence is worth confirming with a tax professional.
FAQ
How much can I contribute to an HSA in 2026?
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$4,400 with self-only high-deductible coverage and $8,750 with family coverage. From age 55 you can add a $1,000 catch-up. The limit counts everything going in, including anything your employer contributes, so an employer putting in $1,000 leaves you $3,400 of self-only room.
Does my employer's HSA contribution count toward my limit?
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Yes. Unlike a 401(k), where the employer match sits on top of your limit, HSA contributions from all sources share one ceiling. Check what your employer is depositing before you set your own payroll amount, or you can drift into an excess contribution without noticing.
What if I am only eligible for part of the year?
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Your limit is normally prorated by the number of months you were eligible on the first of the month. The last-month rule offers an alternative: if you are eligible on December 1, you may contribute the full annual amount, provided you stay eligible through the whole of the following year.
Can my spouse and I both make catch-up contributions?
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Yes, but only into separate accounts. The family limit can be split between you however you like, but the $1,000 catch-up is per person and must go into that person's own HSA. A couple both over 55 sharing one account can only capture one catch-up.