Form 5498-SA is the statement your HSA trustee or custodian sends to report the contributions made to your health savings account (or Archer MSA or Medicare Advantage MSA) and its fair market value on December 31. You don't file it: your HSA provider files it with the IRS and sends you a copy by May 31 of the following year. You keep it to check against your return.
Because it arrives after most people have filed, it's easy to ignore. It's worth a look, though, because it's how you catch an excess contribution. Everything below comes from the IRS's December 2026 revision of the Instructions for Forms 1099-SA and 5498-SA, checked in October 2026.
Why it arrives in May
You can make HSA contributions for a year up until April 15 of the following year. The provider can't report the full year's contributions until that window closes, so the deadline to file Form 5498-SA with the IRS, and to give you your copy, is May 31. If May 31 falls on a weekend or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day. That timing means the form often reaches you after you've filed, so don't hold your return back waiting for it.
Providers may also send a statement of your December 31 value by January 31, but they aren't required to. That's why some people get two documents.
What each box shows
| Box | What it reports |
|---|---|
| 1 | Employee or self-employed person's Archer MSA contributions for the year (no HSA amounts here) |
| 2 | Total HSA or Archer MSA contributions made during the calendar year, including any made this year for the prior year, and qualified HSA funding distributions from an IRA |
| 3 | Contributions made in the following year (by April 15) for this year |
| 4 | Rollover contributions received during the year (not included in box 2) |
| 5 | Fair market value of the account on December 31 |
| 6 | Checkbox showing whether it's an HSA, Archer MSA or MA MSA |
Read boxes 2 and 3 together. Box 2 is by calendar year of deposit, so a contribution you made in March for the previous year shows up in box 2 of this year's form and box 3 of last year's. Matching them to the year you claimed the deduction is where most mismatches come from.
What isn't on it
- Trustee-to-trustee transfers from one HSA to another, or from an Archer MSA to an HSA. These aren't contributions or rollovers for reporting purposes.
- Distributions. Withdrawals from the account are reported on Form 1099-SA, a separate form.
- Excess employer contributions that the employer withdrew under IRS Notice 2008-59 shouldn't be reported as contributions.
And if you closed the account with a total distribution and nothing was contributed for that year, the provider doesn't need to file a 5498-SA or send a statement showing a zero balance.
Using it to check your return
- Compare boxes 2 and 3 with the HSA contributions you reported on Form 8889, matched to the right tax year.
- Remember that box 2 is the total contributed to the account in the year, so it can include deposits that didn't come from you personally, such as deposits through work.
- If the total is more than you were allowed to contribute, treat it as an excess contribution and fix it with your HSA provider and on Form 8889 before you file.
- Check box 4 if you rolled funds in. Rollovers are reported separately and aren't deductible contributions.
- Keep the form with your tax records. You don't attach it to your return.
Two special cases
Mistaken distributions: if you took a distribution by mistake and your provider lets you put it back, the repayment is reported as a contribution on Form 5498-SA, not as income. The provider isn't required to allow this, so ask first.
Death of the account holder: in the year an HSA owner dies, the provider generally still files a 5498-SA for the deceased. If the beneficiary is the surviving spouse, the spouse becomes the account holder. If not, the account stops being an HSA.
It's the HSA cousin of Form 5498, which does the same job for IRAs. If you're also drawing a pension or IRA income, that's reported on Form 1099-R, not on any HSA form.
Common Form 5498-SA questions
- One form per type of plan. A separate Form 5498-SA is required for each type of account, so an HSA and an Archer MSA mean two forms.
- Account numbers. If you have more than one account with the same provider, each form must show an account number, and the IRS encourages providers to show one on every form.
- Social Security number shown as asterisks. Providers may truncate your number on your copy, but never on the copy filed with the IRS.
The verdict
Don't wait for Form 5498-SA to file your return; use your own records and file on time. When it arrives in May, spend two minutes matching boxes 2 and 3 to the years you deducted. If the total is over your limit, deal with it with your provider straight away rather than letting it roll into next year.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need to file Form 5498-SA with my tax return?
No. Your HSA trustee or custodian files it with the IRS. You keep your copy with your records.
When will I get Form 5498-SA?
The provider must send it by May 31 of the year after the calendar year it covers, because contributions can be made until April 15.
What's the difference between Form 5498-SA and Form 1099-SA?
Form 5498-SA reports contributions and the year-end account value. Form 1099-SA reports distributions taken from the account.
Are HSA-to-HSA transfers shown on Form 5498-SA?
No. Trustee-to-trustee transfers between HSAs aren't reported as contributions or rollovers.
What does box 5 on Form 5498-SA mean?
Box 5 shows the fair market value of your HSA, Archer MSA or MA MSA on December 31 of the calendar year.
Will I get a Form 5498-SA for each HSA?
A separate form is required for each type of plan, and providers must show an account number when you have more than one account with them.
Who files Form 5498-SA?
The trustee or custodian of the HSA, Archer MSA or Medicare Advantage MSA files it with the IRS, for each person they held an account for during the year.
