Where to Find Your HSA Contribution on Your W-2

The W-2 form summarizes your annual earnings and taxes withheld. This document is a primary resource for preparing your income tax return. This article explains how to find and understand your Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions reported on your W-2.

Identifying HSA Contributions on Your W-2

To find your HSA contributions, look at Box 12 on your W-2 form. Box 12 reports various types of compensation and benefits, each identified by a specific code. For Health Savings Account contributions, look for “Code W.” This code reports the total amount contributed to your HSA through your employer.

The amount next to Code W in Box 12 represents the total contributions made by your employer and any pre-tax contributions you made through payroll deductions. For example, “W 2500.00” in Box 12 indicates $2,500 was contributed to your HSA for the year via your employer’s payroll system.

Decoding Your W-2 HSA Information

The amount in Box 12, Code W, includes direct contributions from your employer and any pre-tax amounts you contributed from your paycheck. These pre-tax employee contributions are made through a Section 125 cafeteria plan.

Since these contributions are pre-tax, they are already excluded from taxable wages reported in Box 1 (Wages, Tips, Other Compensation), Box 3 (Social Security Wages), and Box 5 (Medicare Wages and Tips) of your W-2. You do not receive a separate deduction for these amounts on your tax return, as the tax benefit has already been applied. However, any direct contributions you made to your HSA outside of payroll deductions, such as transfers from your personal bank account, will not appear on your W-2 and must be tracked separately.

Using W-2 HSA Data for Tax Purposes

The amount reported in Box 12, Code W, is used for completing your federal income tax return. This figure is specifically used when you file IRS Form 8889, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Form 8889 reports all HSA contributions, any distributions received from your HSA, and calculates any taxable amounts or eligible deductions.

While the Code W amount from your W-2 is directly entered onto Form 8889, it represents only one part of your overall HSA activity. You will also need to report any personal contributions made directly to your HSA and any distributions taken during the year. Form 8889 helps the IRS determine if your contributions were within annual limits and if any distributions are taxable.