HSA Limits Increased for 2025

In our effort to keep dental practices in Texas apprised of pertinent tax information, we wanted to let you know that the IRS recently announced the 2025 inflation adjustments for health savings accounts (HSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), reflecting the ongoing economic conditions. The adjustments show an increase in allowable contributions and cost thresholds for high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), which could impact financial planning for those utilizing these accounts and the available funds of your patients.

For individuals with self-only HDHP coverage, the maximum HSA contribution limit will rise to $4,300, up from $4,150. Those with family HDHP coverage will see their limit increase to $8,550 from $8,300. Additionally, the minimum deductible for an HDHP will increase slightly, as will the maximum out-of-pocket expenses allowed under the plan.

Additionally, the limit for excepted benefit HRAs will increase to $2,150, up from $2,100. These savings opportunities can play an important role in tax and overall financial planning. We encourage you to consider adjusting your contributions to take full advantage of the tax benefits provided by higher limits and prepare for increased health care costs associated with higher deductible and out-of-pocket limits.

Keeping up with these changes is crucial for optimizing healthcare spending and savings strategies next year. For more detailed information and assistance with financial planning and tax strategies, feel free to reach out to our team.

CANDIDATES’ TAX PLANS, WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

With elections around the corner, paying attention to the candidates’ tax plans is crucial. Clinton wants upper-income Americans to pay more, while Trump seeks across-the-board tax cuts.   Per The Kiplinger Tax Letter, some highlights of both candidates’ plans are:

CLINTON

    1. Raise in capital gains rates for individuals in the 39.6% bracket who sell assets they have owned for six years or less. Taking into account the 3.8% surtax on net investment income, these folks would pay tax at a 43.4% rate on gains from assets held two years or less. The rate would drop incrementally to 23.8% (the rate currently) for assets held more than six years.
    2. Surcharge on taxpayers with AGIs over $5 million.
    3. Payroll tax hikes by increasing the wage ceiling on the 6.2% Social Security tax.
    4. Cap of 28% on the value of itemized deductions (except charitable contributions).
    5. 30% minimum tax on millionaires.
    6. Restrictions on those taxpayers with large balances in their retirement plans or IRAs.
    7. Doubling of the child tax credit to $2,000 for each child up to age four.
    8. New caregiver credit of up to $1,200 to provide relief to people who help care for elderly parents or grandparents.

TRUMP

    1. Reduce individual tax rates into three tax brackets: 12%, 25%, and 33%. For married couples, the 12% rate runs to $75,000, the 25% one tops out at $225,000 and the 33% rate kicks in after that. These thresholds are cut in half for single filers.
    2. 15% business rate.
    3. Standard deductions would go up to $30,000 for joint filers and $15,000 for singles.
    4. No more personal exemptions or head-of-household filing status.
    5. Capital gains tax would stay as is.
    6. Elimination of the 0.9% and 3.8% Affordable Care Act surtaxes.
    7. Elimination of alternate minimum tax, as well as estate and gift tax.
    8. Expansion of dependent care breaks for working and stay-at-home parents and creation of tax-favored savings accounts for child development and elder care expenses.
    9. Itemization would be capped at $200,000 for couples and $100,000 for singles.

The most noticeable disagreement between the two candidates is over the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare):

CLINTON

  1. Increase premium tax credits.
  2. Refundable tax credit up to $2,500 to insured individuals, $5,000 for families for individuals whose out-of-pockets expenses exceed 5% of income.

TRUMP

  1. Ditch the plan completely.
  2. Give individuals an above-the-line deduction for premiums that they pay and not subjecting the write-offs to an adjusted-gross-income threshold.
  3. Rely more on HSAs to help individuals pay for coverage

Change is on the Way

President Obama and Congress are now well on their way to making the first in what will certainly turn out to be a long list of changes to try and turn the economy around. Even as the President signs his $900 Billion Economic Stimulus Act, Congress is busy putting together changes to the tax code that will affect us all, some more than others. It now looks like the 50% Bonus depreciation will return for 2009 and we now expect the limits on deductions for new equipment purchases under IRS Code Section 179 to be increased back to $250,000, also for 2009. These changes should be signed into law by mid-February and will likely be retroactive to the beginning of the year. There are several additional changes that will affect those with adjusted gross incomes of less than $100,000. Those are too numerous to go into here, but contact us if you have any questions about those. We will keep you informed of the major changes as they become a part of the President’s stimulus plan.