Check your bank and employer records first

The fastest way to learn about you have an HSA is to look at your pay stub or ask your employer's benefits department directly. If you enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) through your job and chose to open an HSA, your employer usually sets it up with a specific bank or financial institution. That bank's name will appear on your benefits paperwork or in your employee portal.

If you opened an HSA on your own—because you bought an HDHP through the marketplace or have self-employment income—you chose the bank yourself. Check your email for account statements or login confirmations from the past few years. Look for mail from banks that offer HSAs, such as Fidelity, HealthEquity, Lively, or your own personal bank if they provide HSA accounts.

You can also log into your health insurance company's website or app. Many insurers show whether you have an HSA linked to your plan and which financial institution holds it.

Key Takeaways

  • Your employer's benefits department or HR office can tell you in one call whether an HSA was opened for you and which bank holds it.
  • Check your pay stub for deductions labeled HSA, HSA contributions, or a specific bank name—this confirms an account exists.
  • Search your email for statements or account confirmations from HSA providers like Fidelity, HealthEquity, or Lively from the past three years.
  • If you have an HDHP but no HSA, you may still be able to open one during open enrollment or within 60 days of switching to an HDHP.

Look for HSA deductions on your pay stub

If you get paid through an employer, your pay stub is the clearest proof. Look for a line item that says "HSA," "Health Savings Account," "HSA contribution," or the name of a specific bank (Fidelity HSA, HealthEquity, etc.). If that line exists and shows a dollar amount being deducted, you have an active HSA.

The deduction might appear under "pre-tax deductions" or "voluntary deductions," depending on your payroll system. If you see it, that money is going into your HSA account at the bank listed. If you do not see any HSA line, you either never opened one or it was closed.

Search for account statements and tax documents

HSA providers send statements at least once a year, and most send them quarterly or monthly. Search your email inbox for messages from banks or financial companies with "HSA" in the subject line. Look back at least three years, since old accounts can sit dormant.

You can also check your tax records. If you contributed to an HSA, you should have received a Form 5498-SA from the bank that holds it. This form reports HSA contributions to the IRS and arrives by May 31 each year. If you filed taxes and deducted HSA contributions, you have a copy of that form or can request it from the IRS.

If you withdrew money from an HSA for non-medical expenses, you would have received a Form 1099-SA showing the withdrawal amount. Finding either of these forms confirms an account exists or existed.

Check your health insurance documents

Your health insurance plan documents or the summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) you received when you enrolled will state whether your plan is an HDHP. If it is, and you enrolled in the plan, your insurance company may have automatically opened an HSA for you—though this depends on your employer and insurer.

Log into your insurance company's member portal and look for a section labeled "HSA," "savings account," or "account information." Some insurers display HSA balance and transaction history directly in their portal. If nothing appears, contact your insurer's customer service line and ask whether an HSA is linked to your policy.

Contact the IRS if you cannot locate the account

If you believe you opened an HSA but cannot find any record of it, the IRS keeps a record of HSA contributions reported on Form 5498-SA. You can request a transcript of your tax account by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or by creating an account on IRS.gov and viewing your tax transcripts online. The transcript will show any HSA contributions reported in your name for the past three years.

This transcript does not tell you which bank holds the account, but it confirms whether contributions were made. Once you know contributions were made, you can contact the bank where you think you opened it, or ask your employer which institution they used.

What to do if you have an HDHP but no HSA

Having an HDHP does not automatically mean you have an HSA. Some people enroll in an HDHP and never open the savings account, or they opened one years ago and it was closed due to inactivity.

If you have an HDHP and want to open an HSA now, you can do so at any time during the year, as long as you remain enrolled in the HDHP. You can open an account directly with a bank that offers HSAs—Fidelity, HealthEquity, Lively, and many others accept individual applications. You can also ask your employer whether they offer an HSA option through payroll, which allows you to contribute pre-tax dollars.

If you switch to an HDHP during open enrollment or due to a life event, you have until 60 days after the plan starts to open an HSA and make contributions that count for that year.

Understand what happens to an old or inactive HSA

HSAs do not expire or disappear if you stop contributing to them. An account you opened five years ago and never touched still exists, still holds whatever balance remains, and still belongs to you. The money does not get forfeited to the bank or your employer.

However, some banks charge monthly maintenance fees on inactive accounts, which can reduce your balance over time. If you find an old HSA with a small balance, check the fee schedule and decide whether to keep it, transfer it to another provider with lower fees, or withdraw the balance (which is taxable if used for non-medical expenses).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have more than one HSA at the same time?

No. The IRS allows only one HSA per person per year. If you open a second account, you have over-contributed, and you owe taxes and penalties on the excess. If you find you have two accounts, close one immediately and contact the bank to report the over-contribution so you can file an amended tax return.

What if my employer closed my HSA without telling me?

Employers cannot close your HSA without your permission. If your employer stopped contributing or you left the job, the account remains yours. Contact the bank directly to confirm the account is still active. If it was closed, ask the bank why and whether you can reopen it or transfer the balance to a new provider.

Do I lose my HSA if I switch jobs?

No. Your HSA is yours to keep regardless of employment changes. When you leave a job, your employer stops contributing, but the account and all the money in it stay with you. You can continue to use it for medical expenses and can keep contributing if your new job offers an HDHP, or contribute on your own if you have self-employment income.

How do I know if my plan is a high-deductible health plan?

Your plan documents or the summary of benefits and coverage will state the deductible amount. For 2024, an HDHP has a deductible of at least $1,600 for individual coverage or $3,200 for family coverage. If your plan meets or exceeds these thresholds, it qualifies as an HDHP and you can open an HSA.

Can I have an HSA if I am on Medicare?

Once you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer contribute new money to an HSA. However, you can still withdraw money from an existing HSA for medical expenses without penalty. If you are under 65 and not yet on Medicare, you can have both an HDHP and an HSA.