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Article

Helping employees get more from their HSAs 

A closer look at the flexibility behind one of today’s most versatile benefits. 

October 15, 2026 | 5-minute read

Table of contents

More employees are embracing health savings accounts 

Health care expenses can have a significant impact on employees’ financial well-being. In fact, medical expenses account for nearly one-third of all hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts.1

As employees look for better ways to manage costs, they’re increasingly turning to benefits that can help make their health care more affordable. Among them are HSAs, which offer tax advantages that help reduce the cost of qualified medical expenses. 

Those savings opportunities are resonating widely. As of 2025, there were more than 40 million open HSA accounts, up 6% from 2024.2 While many account holders use their HSAs to manage everyday healthcare expenses, these accounts also help support longer-term healthcare and financial goals.

What makes an HSA unique

Available to eligible individuals enrolled in a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP), HSAs stand out for their combination of tax advantages and features that give account holders more control over how they manage health care expenses over time.3  

Additional eligibility requirements may apply, but for those who qualify, HSAs offer a versatile approach to managing health care costs while preparing for future health and financial needs.  

One tax advantage is good. Three is even more valuable.

HSAs offer a notable triple-tax benefit through payroll contributions, tax-free investment growth and income-tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses. Combined with features that support long-term account ownership and savings, this structure can help account holders make the most of their health care dollars.

Beyond tax advantages, several features may help employees adapt their HSA strategy over time:

  • Individual-owned: Unlike some benefit accounts, HSAs belong to the individual. Account holders keep their HSA if they change jobs, retire or experience other career transitions, allowing them to maintain continuity throughout different stages of life. 
  • Year-to-year rollover: Unused available HSA funds roll over from year to year, giving account holders the flexibility to use funds when health care needs arise rather than spending them to hit a specific deadline. 
  • Investment potential: Account holders may choose to start investing once their HSA balance meets certain thresholds, giving them an opportunity to potentially grow a portion of their healthcare savings while also continuing to set aside funds for future qualified medical expenses.

Together, these features make HSAs more than a tool for covering healthcare expenses. They allow account holders to use the account in different ways as their life circumstances evolve. 

How HSA goals can evolve over time

The features that make this account unique also create more choice for account holders. Because HSAs can support immediate health expenses and longer-term financial goals, it’s up to account holders to determine how an account can best serve their needs at any point in time.

Some employees may rely on their HSA to help manage qualified medical expenses, while others focus on building balances for future medical needs or investing a portion of their balance as part of a long-term financial strategy. 

None of these approaches is inherently “more correct” than the other. The value of an HSA lies in its flexibility to support different health care needs, financial priorities and life circumstances.

Not every HSA journey looks the same

From managing today’s health care expenses to planning for tomorrow, HSAs can support a wide range of goals. 

The Cost Manager 

“I want my health care dollars to go further today.” 

Use pre-tax dollars for qualified medical expenses 

Educational resource: Qualified Medical Expense tool to quickly check whether a health expense is qualified. 

The Habit Builder 

"I want to build stronger saving habits.” 

Carry unused funds forward year-to-year.  

Educational resource: HSA calculator to see how consistent saving may help impact future balances.

The Future Planner

"I want to plan for future health care needs.” 

Contribute the maximum amount under IRS rules. 

Educational resource: Health Savings Checkup to estimate future health expenses. 

The Long-Term Thinker 

"I want my health care savings to grow over time” 

Explore available investment options.4 

Educational resource: Investment options to learn more about available approaches, like self-directed mutual funds, and ETF portfolios.

HSAs don't lock employees into a single way of using the account. As financial priorities and life circumstances change, account holders can adjust how they use their HSA and the role it plays in helping them manage healthcare expenses and plan for future needs. 

Unlocking the full value of an HSA

Flexibility alone doesn’t create value. Getting the most from an HSA requires education, guidance and ongoing support that help employees make informed decisions along the way. Because healthcare needs, financial priorities and life circumstances can change over time, employees often benefit from timely resources that extend beyond enrollment. As HSA adoption continues to grow, organizations have an opportunity to help employees better understand how an HSA can support both their healthcare and financial goals throughout life. This means helping them see how healthcare decisions, spending habits and financial goals impact one another. 

The more your employees understand how healthcare spending, saving and planning can work together within an HSA, the more value they can ultimately get from their health benefits.

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Sources 

1. Vanguard. How America Withstands Financial Hardships (2026). 
2. Devenir. HSA Assets Surge to $159 Billion as Invested Assets Jump 30% Year-Over-Year to Reach $73 Billion (2025). 

 

Important Information 

3. A person also generally cannot have other disqualifying health coverage, cannot be enrolled in Medicare, and cannot be claimed as someone else’s tax dependent .
4. Investment options are available to eligible account holders who meet minimum balance requirements.  

© 2026 Optum, Inc. All rights reserved. Investments are not a deposit, not FDIC insured, not bank issued or guaranteed by Optum Financial or its subsidiaries, including Optum Bank, and are subject to risk including fluctuations in value and the possible loss of the principal amount invested. Health savings accounts (HSAs) are individual accounts held at Optum Bank®, Member FDIC, unless otherwise indicated, and administered by Optum Financial, Inc. or ConnectYourCare, LLC, an IRS-Designated Non-Bank Custodian of HSAs, a subsidiary of Optum Financial, Inc. Neither Optum Financial, Inc. nor ConnectYourCare, LLC is a bank or an FDIC insured institution. 

© 2026 Optum, Inc. All rights reserved. Stock photos used.