Let’s Start Over – 2018 Health Savings Account Cost of Living Adjustments
By Mary Ellen Schill
March 7, 2018
It is unusual for the IRS to implement a retroactive change to a previously announced limit (whether it be qualified plan limits or HSA limits). Especially when the change is a reduction in the amount that taxpayers can save/contribute. But who would disagree that 2018 has been a bit unusual. On March 5, 2018 the IRS in Notice 2018-18 revised its earlier pronouncement on the 2018 limit on HSA contributions for a taxpayer eligible for family high deductible health plan (HDHP) coverage, reducing the maximum contribution limit from $6,900 to $6,850. The change is the result of the use of a new index for determining cost of living increases (Chained CPI-U rather than CPI-U). The new index was mandated by the 2018 Budget Act.
Below is a chart which reflects the all of the relevant 2018 limits for HSAs, including the recent IRS change.
| HSA/HDHP Requirement | Cost-of-Living Adjustments |
| Limit on HSA Contributions – Self-only HDHP | 2017-$3,400
2018-$3,450 |
| Limit on HSA Contributions – Family HDHP | 2017-$6,750
2018-$6,850 |
| HDHP Required Deductible – Self-only HDHP | 2017-$1,300
2018-$1,350 |
| HDHP Required Deductible – Family HDHP | 2017-$2,600
2018-$2,700 |
| HDHP Out-of-pocket Maximum – Self-only HDHP | 2017-$6,550
2018-$6,650 |
| HDHP Out-of-pocket Maximum – Family HDHP | 2017-$13,100
2018-$13,300 |
| HSA Catch-up Contribution Limit | 2017-$1,000
2018-$1,000 |
All of the above are for calendar year 2018.
For further information, please contact Attorney Mary Ellen Schill, who prepared this article, or any of the attorneys within the Employment, Benefits & Labor Relations Practice Group of Ruder Ware.
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