A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged savings account owned by an individual that can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses for the owner and their dependents.
To be eligible to open an HSA, your employees need to be enrolled in either an HSA-eligible health plan or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Without a healthcare plan in place, your employees won’t be able to participate in an HSA.
HSAs are a great way for employees like yours to strengthen both their financial and physical health. Their popularity continues to grow due to the flexibility they offer for a variety of financial situations, the tax-saving benefits they provide, and the stronger sense of financial control they afford employees. As a result, by midyear 2025, nearly $159 billion in HSA assets nationwide existed across approximately 40 million accounts, representing meaningful year-over-year growth. Meanwhile, about 10% of HSAs have at least a portion of their funds invested, with investment assets climbing to nearly $73 billion.
As such, the changes to HSA contribution limits coming in 2026 will affect a large number of people—including HSA participants at your organization. Read on to learn what you and your employees should know about upcoming changes to HSA contribution limits, and more.
What are the HSA contribution limits for 2026?
Each year, the IRS reviews and adjusts HSA contribution limits to account for inflation. For 2026, contribution limits will increase slightly, allowing employees to save more in their HSAs.
For HSAs that can be used to pay for a participant’s own qualified medical expenses, the contribution limit will increase from $4,300 in 2025 to $4,400 in 2026, an increase of $100.
For family HSAs that can be used to pay for both a participant’s and their family’s qualified medical expenses, the contribution limit will increase from $8,550 in 2025 to $8,750 in 2026, an increase of $200.
These increases provide employees with additional tax-advantaged savings opportunities—especially valuable as healthcare costs and deductibles continue to rise.
What are the HDHP amounts and limits for 2026?
Because HSAs are paired with high-deductible health plans, it’s important to understand how HDHP limits are changing as well.
Minimum HDHP deductibles
In 2025, the minimum deductibles are:
- $1,650 for self-only coverage
- $3,300 for family coverage
In 2026, the minimum deductibles will increase to:
- $1,700 for self-only coverage
- $3,400 for family coverage
Maximum HDHP out-of-pocket limits
For 2025, the maximum out-of-pocket limits are:
- $8,300 for self-only coverage
- $16,600 for family coverage
In 2026, those limits will increase to:
- $8,500 for self-only coverage
- $17,000 for family coverage
These changes mean employees may be responsible for slightly higher upfront healthcare costs, making the ability to save more in an HSA especially important.
2026 Limits
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| HSA Contribution Limits | Self-only: $4,300 Family: $8,550 |
Self-only: $4,400 Family: $8,750 |
| HDHP (Self-only coverage) | Min deductible: $1,650 Max out-of-pocket: $8,300 |
Min deductible: $1,700 Max out-of-pocket: $8,500 |
| HDHP (Family coverage) | Min deductible: $3,300 Max out-of-pocket: $16,600 |
Min deductible: $3,400 Max out-of-pocket: $17,000 |
Employees who are age 55 or older by the end of the tax year are eligible to make catch-up contributions to their HSA. This allows older participants to save an additional $1,000 per year on top of the standard HSA contribution limit.
In 2026, that means eligible participants can contribute:
- $5,400 to a self-only HSA
- $9,750 to a family HSA
Catch-up contributions can be a powerful tool for employees who are preparing for retirement or planning for future healthcare expenses.
When can employees change their HSA contributions?
One of the biggest advantages of an HSA is flexibility. Unlike many other benefit accounts, HSA contribution amounts can typically be changed at any time throughout the year.
If you contribute to your HSA through payroll deductions, you can adjust your contribution amount to better align with changes in your income, healthcare needs, or financial goals. This flexibility allows you to take full advantage of the increased contribution limits as your situation evolves.
For reference, here’s a summary of additional benefit limits changing in 2026:
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Medical FSA Contribution Limits | $3,300 | $3,400 |
| Medical FSA Carryover | $660 | $680 |
| Commuter Benefits Contribution Limits | $325 | $340 |
| Adoption Assistance Limits | $17,280 | $17,670 |
| Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA) Limits | Self-only: $6,350 Family: $12,800 |
Self-only: $6,450 Family: $13,100 |
The maximum amount that may be excluded from an employee’s gross income for the adoption of a special needs child through an adoption assistance program is $17,670. That amount is the same as what may be excluded from that employee’s gross income for expenses incurred by an employer for qualified adoption expenses within the program.
The available adoption credit begins to phase out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income in excess of $265,080 and is completely phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of $305,080 or more.
Stay connected
Health benefit accounts are powerful tools that provide financial flexibility and tax advantages. With the increased contribution limits for 2026, now is the perfect time to evaluate your options and consider how these accounts can enhance your financial and healthcare planning. By making informed decisions, individuals and families can secure better healthcare outcomes while effectively managing their finances. First American Bank Health Account Services can help. For more information, contact our Health Account Consumer Services team at (866) 449-1150, Monday - Friday from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CT, excluding holidays.
