HSA contributions showing on W-2 box 12 vs 5498-SA form - which is correct?

The difference you're seeing is due to how each employer handles HSA contributions. When HSA contributions are made through payroll (pre-tax via salary reduction), they should appear in box 12 with code W on the W-2. This is what's happening with your W-2. For your wife's situation, there are a couple of possibilities. If she made her HSA contributions directly (not through payroll deduction), then they wouldn't show up on her W-2. Instead, you'd need to claim them as an "above-the-line" deduction on Schedule 1 of your tax return. In TurboTax, you need to look for the HSA section, which is usually under "Deductions & Credits." There should be a place to enter HSA contributions that weren't made through payroll. Make sure you enter the contribution shown on the 5498-SA in this section. The 5498-SA is actually an information return that reports all contributions made to the HSA for the year (regardless of source). It's sent to both you and the IRS, but you don't attach it to your tax return.

After struggling with this exact issue last year, I found a solution using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). My wife's employer also didn't include her HSA contributions in box 12, and I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out where to enter it in TurboTax. The taxr.ai service analyzed our tax documents and immediately identified that my wife's HSA contributions needed to be entered as an "above-the-line" deduction since they weren't handled through payroll. It saved me hours of frustration and prevented us from potentially missing out on tax savings. The tool also explained exactly where to enter this information in TurboTax, which was super helpful since the software doesn't make it obvious where to report HSA contributions that aren't on a W-2.

Just wanted to follow up about my HSA issue. I tried taxr.ai after reading about it here, and it was actually really helpful! I uploaded my spouse's 5498-SA and W-2, and it immediately identified that the HSA contributions were made outside of payroll. The tool gave me step-by-step instructions for entering the HSA contributions in H&R Block as an above-the-line deduction. It even flagged that we were eligible for catch-up contributions that I didn't know about. Ended up saving us around $750 in taxes that we would have missed otherwise. Really glad I found this thread - our HSA contributions are properly accounted for now!

If you're having trouble reaching the IRS to get clarification on HSA reporting, I'd recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS about a similar HSA issue last year, but kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed exactly how to handle HSA contributions that aren't reported on a W-2. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent explained that when the employer doesn't include HSA contributions in box 12, you need to account for them yourself on Form 8889, and the agent walked me through exactly how to do it correctly.

Alright, I need to admit I was wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since I needed clarification on some HSA contribution rules. I honestly can't believe it worked. After trying for literally weeks to reach someone at the IRS about my HSA contribution issues, I got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes using their service. The agent explained that my wife's employer-provided HSA contributions don't show in box 12 because they were employer contributions, not salary reductions. The agent walked me through exactly how to complete Form 8889 to properly account for all types of HSA contributions. This saved me from potentially underreporting our HSA contributions and missing out on tax benefits. Eating humble pie here, but wanted to follow up since this actually solved my problem.

Don't forget to check if your wife's contributions were made by her employer rather than through salary reduction! My company contributes directly to my HSA as a benefit (not taken from my paycheck), so it doesn't show up in box 12. The 5498-SA form shows ALL contributions regardless of source - including what you contributed directly, what came from payroll deductions, and what your employer contributed. But they're all treated differently for tax purposes. TurboTax is sometimes confusing with HSAs. Look specifically for "HSA contributions not shown on W-2" in the deductions section. If her employer made the contributions directly, those are already pre-tax and you don't need to take a deduction for them.

Make sure you're entering Form 5498-SA information in the right place in TurboTax! I had this exact issue. When you get to the HSA section, there's a question that asks something like "Did you make contributions to your HSA outside of payroll deductions?" Answer yes to that. Then it should ask for contributions not reported on your W-2. That's where you enter the amount from the 5498-SA that isn't shown on the W-2. TurboTax will calculate the deduction for you on Form 8889.

I went through this exact same confusion last year! The key thing to understand is that HSA contributions can be made in different ways, and each affects your tax forms differently. If your wife's HSA contributions don't show up in box 12 of her W-2, it's likely because either: 1. She made direct contributions to her HSA (not through payroll), or 2. Her employer made the contributions directly as a benefit For TurboTax, you need to navigate to the HSA section under "Deductions & Credits" and look for something like "HSA contributions not on W-2" or "Did you make HSA contributions outside of payroll?" This is where you'll enter the amount from her 5498-SA form. The 5498-SA shows all contributions made to the HSA during the year, but only certain types need to be claimed as deductions. If they were direct contributions (not through payroll), you can deduct them. If they were employer contributions, they're already tax-free and don't need to be deducted. Check her paystubs to see if HSA amounts were deducted from her paycheck. If not, they were likely either direct contributions she made or employer contributions. This will help you determine how to handle them in TurboTax.