Health Savings Account

WE BELIEVE IN BEING PREPARED

Health emergencies can sometimes come without warning. Be prepared for those unexpected expenses with a Health Savings Account.

Smart. Simple. Rewarding.

Having a Health Savings Account (HSA) at First Southern is smart and simple. An HSA is a tax-exempt account established exclusively for paying qualified medical expenses. There are many reasons why an HSA is good for you and your family:

The funds deposited into your account are not federally taxed, nor is the interest you earn on the account balance.
Use funds deposited into your HSA to pay for current and future medical expenses for yourself, your spouse or your dependents using your special HSA debit card or transfer funds to your checking account to pay for or reimburse yourself for payment of qualified expenses.
This is not a “use it or lose it” type of account. You may accumulate your unused balance and interest without limit and access the funds in subsequent years.

BENEFITS

A First Southern HSA features the benefits below:

Interest Bearing

Earns interest regardless of your balance; interest credited monthly.

FREE Debit Card

FREE Visa debit card with an unlimited number of transactions

No Annual Fee

No annual fee or monthly maintenance fee

Online Banking

Free access to our robust Online Banking and Mobile App, including access to Bill Pay.

Free Telephone Banking

Free access to our telephone banking system.

HSA FAQs

Have questions about how an HSA would work for you and your family? Our goal is for you to fully understand the ins-and-outs of an HSA so you can make an informed decision on whether or not this account is right for you.

What is a Health Savings Account?

Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, were signed into law on December 8, 2003, for use in conjunction with High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP). Pre-tax funds are contributed and deposited into these accounts for the purpose of paying for current and future medical expenses. As needed, you may withdraw the funds, tax-free, to pay for medical care for yourself, your spouse or your dependents.

HSAs are controlled by the individual owner of the account, not the employer or the insurer.

Who is allowed to contribute to my HSA?

Contributions may be made to an HSA owned by you either by your employer, by you, by other individuals, or any combination of these.

Contributions made by your employer are not taxable to you.
Contributions made by you qualify for “above the line” tax deduction.
Contributions made by a third party may also be deducted by the account owner.

How can contributions be made to my HSA?

You can make contributions by salary deduction—these are pre-tax.
You can make contributions thru non-salary contributions or random contributions. These are not pre-tax and will be reported as after-tax contributions, then they may be deducted on your tax return.
Employers can make some, all or none of your contributions. Employer contributions are never taxable to you and they must be comparable for all employees participating in the HSA plan.
Self-employed individuals, members of partnerships and S-Corporation shareholders are generally not considered employees and cannot receive an employer contribution, but they can make deductible contributions to their own HSA.

What are the annual maximum contribution limits?

For 2020, the amount is $3,550 for individuals and $7,100 for family coverage. If you are over 55, you can make additional catch-up contributions. Every year, these dollar amounts change as the IRS adjusts the limits for inflation.

Do I have to use the preferred financial institution of my employer or insurance provider for my HSA?

No. You can open your account with any financial institution that is an HSA provider. If your insurance provider is partnering with a financial institution to provide an integrated package, you may want to consider the benefits of the partnership. However, you should also consider the quality and level of service you’ll receive from the HSA provider. (Don’t forget that an employer making contributions to your HSA cannot deny contributions if you choose a financial institution other than the one recommended by your employer or the employer’s insurance provider.)

How do I access my account funds?

We offer unrestricted access to your account. That means you can utilize your HSA Visa debit card, withdraw funds in person at any First Southern branch, or transfer funds and pay bills from your account online.

How do I apply and what happens next?

Stop by any First Southern branch to open your HSA. We’ll open your account, order your HSA VISA debit card and mail you your new account number and a signature card for you to sign and return to us with a statement of your beneficiaries. Each month, you’ll get an account statement. If your employer is making contributions on your behalf, be sure to give your First Southern HSA account number to the payroll department.