Considerations During Medicare’s Open Enrollment
How long has it been since you’ve reviewed your Medicare policy? With open enrollment fast approaching, there are a few questions you may want to ask yourself before you renew, add, drop, or switch coverage.
Have you switched doctors, or is your doctor no longer accepting your current plan? Or maybe your prescription drug needs have changed, and your Medicare plan doesn’t cover everything you need. Maybe you’re paying too much for your coverage and need to make adjustments. If you’ve reviewed your Medicare plan and realized you don’t quite have the coverage that you want, you can make changes during the fall open enrollment period. From October 15 – December 7, 2024, you can add, drop, or switch Medicare plans. Any changes will be effective on January 1, 2025, as long as the changes are submitted by the deadline.
Reviewing your Medicare coverage is an important part of your financial and insurance strategy. If you have any questions or need help navigating this process, reach out to the Shepherd Financial team.
What the Health?
If you’ve been around the past few months, you’ve probably seen that health savings accounts (HSAs) are all the buzz in the retirement industry. But what’s the fuss?
Well, a major fear for adults is that they’re going to run out of money to pay for health care or long-term care as they age. Studies estimate the average 65-year-old retired couple is going to need between $250,000 and $300,000 for out-of-pocket health care expenses, though some reports push those numbers over $400,000. Regardless, it’s an intimidating number, especially for employees already struggling to save for retirement.
So how can HSAs help? These tax-advantaged medical savings accounts were created in 2003 as part of the Medicare Modernization Act to provide Americans with more knowledge about and more control over their health care spending. HSAs are designed to help people save money for current and future qualified expenses.
An HSA can be a very effective companion to a 401(k) plan when preparing for retirement. And for certain employees, after qualifying for their employer’s matching contribution in the 401(k) plan, it could make sense to max out their HSA contributions. There are three primary tax advantages:
- Like a 401(k) account, employees can make pre-tax contributions, lowering their taxable income. Employers can also contribute to the account, either in a lump sum or with each paycheck.
- The money grows tax-free and, depending on the HSA’s features, can be invested for greater growth potential.
- As long as the money is used for qualified healthcare expenses, withdrawals and any investment gains are 100% tax-free. (If money is withdrawn before age 65 for any reason other than paying qualified medical expenses, there is a 20% IRS penalty, and the funds are considered taxable income.)
An HSA’s positive features don’t end with the triple tax savings – they’re individually owned and portable, which means employees have control of their accounts and can transport them from job to job. Unlike a flexible spending arrangement (FSA), HSA money isn’t forfeited at year-end.
Though there are contribution limits, HSAs allow more than just the account owner to contribute, because after-tax contributions are also permitted (and if made by the account owner, these contributions can also then be deducted on personal taxes). Additionally, individuals age 55 or older can make catch-up contributions.
Employees can easily miss out on an HSA’s advantages if they are not properly educated about its features. The Shepherd Financial team is equipped to help your participants better understand their whole suite of benefits; call us today to schedule an HSA-focused employee engagement meeting!
None of the information in this document should be considered as tax advice. You should consult your tax advisor for information concerning your individual situation.