Insurance Information

MSA or HSA: Can I Keep My MSA Or Do I Need to Convert it into an HSA?


The Medical Savings Account (MSA) is an older form of the Health Savings Account (HSA).

You cannot open a new MSA. You cannot contribute additional money into your MSA.

However, you can keep your MSA as long as you like. When you retire, it will automatically turn into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and you can withdraw money from it then for any reason (not just medical).

Or, if you don't want to keep your MSA, you can roll it into your HSA.

Why would anyone want to keep their MSA?

I can think of only one circumstance. My wife and I have kept our MSA because our HSA custodian does not offer very good investment options yet in their HSAs. They only have a type of money market account for their HSA offerings. We want to put money into mutual fund accounts rather than money markets, but with their HSA product, we can't do that yet, until they expand the options.

For the most part, it will make perfect sense to roll your MSA into an HSA. However, if you decide not to do that, it is your right to hang on to that MSA as long as you wish, and retire with that money or use it for medical expenses along the way.

Daryl Kulak is the author of the book Health Insurance Off the Grid - A Wonderful Way to Use Alternative Medicine and Save Money on Insurance Using the New Health Savings Account (HSA). The book provides a simple plan to get your self-employed or small business health insurance costs under control using a unique approach you won't find anywhere else. The book is available for sale as an e-Book or paperback at the Website http://www.healthoffthegrid.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Tampabay.com

Debates Rage in Tallahassee Over Insurance, Abortion, Prisons
WCTV
Several major issues were up for debate in Tallahassee on Tuesday, including property insurance, prisons and abortion. One of the top political targets in Tallahassee is Citizens Insurance, the state-run insurance company of last resort.
Florida homeowners file suit against Citizens InsuranceWink News
Citizens boosted home values to raise insurance premiums, suit saysTampabay.com
Spiking insurance rates prompts suit against CitizensSarasota Herald-Tribune
Palm Beach Post
all 59 news articles »


Chattanooga Times Free Press

Local Catholic leaders oppose birth control insurance requirement
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Supporters of the ruling point out that 28 states already require insurance plans to cover contraception if they cover other prescription drugs, although many states have broader religious exemptions than the new federal one. Tennessee does not have a ...
Midwest Voices | Catholic objections to birth control insurance benefits ...Kansas City Star
Contraception and insuranceChicago Tribune (blog)
Government gets backlash from imposing birth control in health insurance plansWVLA-TV
Orlando Sentinel (blog) -PR Newswire (press release) -ThinkProgress
all 1,366 news articles »


Customers seek access to MF Global insurance sums
Chicago Tribune
(Reuters) - Customers of MF Global's broker-dealer unit say at least $120 million in insurance policies for the company's executives should instead go toward filling a massive hole in their accounts. At least four customer groups on Tuesday objected to ...
MF Had $190 Million of Insurance for Corzine, ProfessionalsBusinessWeek

all 19 news articles »


MSU is requiring freshmen to have health insurance or join its plan
Detroit Free Press
By David Jesse If Michigan State University freshmen don't prove they have health insurance by the end of the month, the university will automatically enroll them in a plan and tack the cost onto their tuition bills. The state's second-largest public ...

and more »


Farm Futures

Crop insurance's growing value
News & Observer
News reports out of USDA's Risk Management Agency underscore that point all too clearly: With some 15 percent of all crop insurance claims yet to be processed, crop insurance companies have paid out a record $9.1 billion so far in indemnity payments to ...
Record Indemnities Underscore Value of Crop Insurance as Key ToolFarm Futures
Farm bill: 'Safety net' for farmers could be reshaped in 2012California Farm Bureau

all 3 news articles »


Long-term care insurance: The long and short of it
Chicago Tribune
Little wonder that older Americans are investing in long-term care insurance. Nursing home costs are often cited when arguing in favor of long-term care insurance. "What long-term care insurance really does is give you choice and options," says Jesse ...
Connecticut Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Information Website LaunchedNewsReleaseWire.com (press release)

all 2 news articles »


Brockton City Council defeats health insurance changes
Wicked Local
The vote in the City Council's Finance Committee Monday night was a foregone conclusion about halfway into the two-hour debate on whether or not to adopt the state's municipal health insurance reform law in Brockton. If adopted, it would have given the ...
Brockton poised to be only third community to reject health insurance lawEnterprise News

all 2 news articles »


TomTom in insurance tie-up with Motaquote
Reuters
AMSTERDAM Feb 8 (Reuters) - Dutch navigation systems maker TomTom NV said on Wednesday it has teamed up with UK-based insurance firm Motaquote to offer an insurance product for drivers which links premiums to driver behaviour and safety.
TomTom Announces Ground-Breaking Insurance PartnershipMarketWatch (press release)
TomTom Enters Insurance Telematics Market in the UKGPS Business News

all 8 news articles »


Officials say flood insurance important
In-Forum
FARGO – Officials say a decision to not renew flood insurance could have costly implications months before new flood-plain maps come out. FARGO – Officials say a decision to not renew flood insurance could have costly implications months before new ...
FEMA: More Facts About the National Flood Insurance Program (pt. 2)7thSpace Interactive (press release)

all 9 news articles »


County health insurance plan considered
nwitimes.com
VALPARAISO | The head of a Cincinnati-based health care consulting and benefit administration firm said he can save Porter County $4 million a year on its health insurance costs. The claim from Thomas Quigley of ClaimLinx came during a Porter County ...
Porter County Council examines health coverage for employeesPost-Tribune

all 2 news articles »

Google News

home | site map | contact | Partners
© 2006 - insurance-information.cliczoom.com