Form 5498-SA reports contributions to a health savings account, an Archer MSA or a Medicare Advantage MSA. The HSA trustee files it, not the employer, and both the IRS and the account holder get it by May 31.
| Form | Who files it | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Form W-2 | Employer | Employer contributions, including pre-tax payroll contributions |
| Form 5498-SA | HSA trustee | Contributions into the account and value on December 31 |
| Form 1099-SA | HSA trustee | Distributions out of the account |
| Form 8889 | Employee, with the tax return | Contributions, deduction and how distributions were used |
Money taken out of the account is reported on Form 1099-SA. Payroll deductions explains how pre-tax contributions come out of pay.
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A warehouse supervisor contributes $150 a month to her HSA through payroll in 2026, so her W-2 shows $1,800 of HSA contributions.
In March 2027, before she files her return, she deposits another $500 directly with her HSA provider and marks it as a 2026 contribution. Her 2026 Form 5498-SA, which she gets by May 31, 2027, shows the $1,800 from payroll and the $500 made in 2027 for 2026, a total of $2,300, along with the account value on December 31, 2026.
She asks HR why her W-2 is wrong. It is not. The W-2 shows only what went through payroll. She enters both amounts on Form 8889, and the 5498-SA confirms the total she reported.
Employees often ask HR about Form 5498-SA because it arrives late and its numbers differ from the W-2. A short note in the January W-2 message helps: the W-2 shows HSA contributions made through payroll, including employer contributions; the trustee’s Form 5498-SA shows all contributions to the account, including any made directly, and arrives by the end of May.
For 2026, the HSA contribution limit is $4,400 for self-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage, with an extra $1,000 catch-up for people 55 or older. Employer and employee contributions count toward the same limit, so employees who also contribute directly should keep track of the total.
An employer puts $500 into each eligible employee’s HSA in January 2026. A technician with self-only coverage also contributes $1,800 through payroll and deposits $500 directly in December.
Her total for 2026 is $500 + $1,800 + $500 = $2,800, under the $4,400 self-only limit. Her W-2 shows $2,300, the employer contribution plus her payroll contributions. Her Form 5498-SA shows the full $2,800 contributed to the account.
The trustee or custodian of the HSA, Archer MSA or Medicare Advantage MSA, usually the bank or HSA provider.
The trustee files it with the IRS and gives the participant a statement by May 31 of the year after the year it covers.
Usually not. Contributions are reported on Form 8889 using your W-2 and your own records. The 5498-SA confirms them later.
The W-2 shows only contributions through payroll. The 5498-SA also includes contributions you made directly and contributions made early in the next year for the prior year.
Yes. Form 5498-SA shows total contributions to the account, including employer contributions. They also appear on the employee’s W-2.
$4,400 for self-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage, plus a $1,000 catch-up for people 55 or older.
EZTime turns clock-ins and approved corrections into signed monthly reports you can export to PDF or Excel for payroll.