Skip to main content
Capital Blue Cross Learning Center

Ways to Contribute to Your HSA

This page presents the different ways you can contribute money to your HSA.

Set up Direct Deposit from your paycheck

This type of HSA contribution happens before taxes are taken out of your paycheck. Work with your employer's benefits administrator to set up this type of contribution. 

Make a one-time deposit

One-time deposits can be made from your personal bank account into your HSA account. You can make online contributions anytime by authorizing withdrawals from your savings or checking account or mailing your contributions to Capital Blue Cross. 

Make a one-time deposit on CapitalBlueCross.com

  1. Sign in at CapitalBlueCross.com and click Login in the top right corner. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. Click the Account Summary link in the middle of the page, directly below your account balance.
  2. Choose Make a Deposit from the I Want To... menu. 
  3. Click Make a One-Time Deposit.
  4. Enter the amount you want to transfer and click Next.
  5. Select the bank account you want to transfer the money from.
  6. Enter the date that the transfer will be posted.
  7. Enter the tax year for the transfer.
  8. Agree to the terms and conditions for making a deposit.
  9. Click Make Deposit.  

Schedule a recurring monthly deposit

You can set up reoccurring deposits from your personal bank account. You can choose both the amount and the date that deposits are added to your HSA each month. 

Schedule a recurring monthly deposit on CapitalBlueCross.com

  1. Sign in at CapitalBlueCross.com and click Login in the top right corner. Enter your username and password and click Sign In. Click the Account Summary link in the middle of the page, directly below your account balance.
  2. Choose Make a Deposit from the I Want To... menu. 
  3. Click Set up a Recurring Deposit.
  4. Enter the amount you want to transfer and click Next.
  5. Select the bank account you want to transfer the money from.
  6. Choose which day of the month you'd like the deposit to be initiated.
  7. Agree to the terms and conditions for making a deposit.
  8. Click Make Deposit.  

Frequently asked questions

For new HSAs, are maximum contributions prorated on a monthly basis?
Annual HSA contributions for new HSAs are not prorated on a monthly basis as long as you are HSA- eligible on December 1 and maintain HDHP coverage throughout the subsequent 13-month testing period. The testing period begins on December 1 in the year the qualified HDHP coverage is obtained and runs through December 31 of the following year. The testing period is also called the “13-month rule.” Enrolling in an HDHP and establishing an HSA any time after January 1 triggers the “testing period” if you contribute the maximum amount to your HSA. If you do not satisfy the 13-month rule, contribution limits are prorated and tax consequences apply. See Chapter 5, Section 1.2 on page 37 for examples of pro-rated maximum contribution amounts.
What if contributions exceed the annual limit?
The account holder is subject to a six percent excise tax imposed on the account holder for excess contributions made during the tax year. You can avoid the excise tax by taking out the extra contributions and any income earned from them before the tax return deadline.

See HSA Contribution Limits: Going over the limit for more information.
What if I withdrew money from my HSA by mistake?

You can correct mistaken HSA withdrawals when there is clear evidence that amounts were distributed from an HSA because of a mistake. Repay the withdrawal no later than April 15 the following year. The repayment does not count as an excess contribution. 

If an error is made by Capital Blue Cross in its role as the administrator, Capital Blue Cross is responsible for taking corrective action.

Can employee pretax HSA contributions be changed throughout the year?

Yes. Eligibility requirements and contribution limits for HSAs are determined on a month-by-month basis. You can start or stop contributing or increase or decrease the amount at any time, if the change is made after the change request is received.

Can I roll over or transfer funds from an existing HSA or MSA to an account with another custodian?

Yes. The assets in your current account will be withdrawn and distributed to you. You must deposit the money into the new account with Capital Blue Cross within 60 days of the withdrawal to avoid tax penalties.

Capital Blue Cross can also transfer an existing account from another custodian to a new Capital Blue Cross account.

If my HSA is set up midyear (after my FSA), can I change my FSA contributions for the rest of that year?
When your coverage changes, your contribution limit changes with it.

A change to family coverage will allow you to contribute up to the family limit. There are two ways you can do this:
  1. Make a prorated contribution based on when the family coverage was in effect.
  2. Make the full family annual maximum contribution, but coverage must be kept through December of the following year.
Changing to single coverage requires you to decrease the contribution amount for any month in which single coverage was in force for a portion of the month.

When your health insurance plan changes, update your health plan information in your profile on CapitalBlueCross.com. This way, we can alert you when you're nearing your maximum contribution level.
Can I contribute to an HSA at the same time as an FSA and/or HRA?

You can contribute to an HSA while covered by the following types of medical FSAs and/or HRAs:

  • Limited purpose FSA and/or HRA
  • Suspended HRA
  • Post-deductible FSA and/or HRA
  • Retirement HRA

You cannot contribute to an HSA while covered by the following types of medical FSAs:

  • A general purpose medical FSA that pays for all eligible expenses
  • A general purpose medical FSA with a grace period (unless the FSA has a $0 balance at the end of the plan year)
Can an individual and their spouse have family HDHPs and HSAs?

Two spouses with a family HDHP have a maximum annual HSA contribution of $8,300 in 2024. This contribution limit applies whether each spouse has their own HSA or if only one member of the family has an HSA.  

The amount each spouse can contribute is split equally by default, but the family can change how the contributions are split if they so choose.

A family cannot share a joint HSA.  Each spouse who wants to contribute to an HSA must open a separate HSA. Money cannot be transferred between the HSAs. A spouse may use withdrawals from his or her HSA for the eligible medical expenses of the other spouse, without penalty. However, money cannot be withdrawn from two HSAs to pay for the same expense.  

Spouses with individual HDHPs can contribute up to $4,150 in 2024.  If the individual is age 55 or older, an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution can also be contributed.  See Catch-up Contributions to learn more.

For other tax situations, consult your tax advisor.

Is there a deadline for setting up and contributing to an HSA?
There is no deadline to set up an HSA. HSAs can be created and contributed to at any time*.  However, HSA set up and contributions must be completed before the tax return due date to apply to the current tax year.  Any contributions made after April 15 are applied to the following tax year. Extensions with the IRS do not affect this date.
 
*Subject to the terms of the HSA custodial agreement.