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HSA vs Roth IRA: Quick Chooser & Tax Calculator
Updated on
Not sure whether to fund your HSA or Roth IRA first? Use this quick chooser and see the math in dollars (including HSA’s payroll tax advantage and the Roth vs Traditional tradeoff).
- HSA first (especially if funded via payroll and/or employer contributes) — triple tax advantage.
- Roth vs Traditional IRA/401(k): if your future tax rate ≥ today’s, favor Roth; if lower later, favor Traditional.
- Then consider taxable accounts.
Want deeper context? See Roth vs Traditional IRA and Retirement Tax Windows.
Quick Chooser
The HSA wins on paper. Whether it wins for you depends on what you will spend on health care.
Triple-tax-free only holds if the money is eventually spent on qualified expenses, and that is a personal forecast rather than an arithmetic one. The advisers below pay for the introduction. It is free to you, and it is not the only way to find an adviser.
Before you start, what actually happens. The form is run by Kapitalwise, our advisor-matching partner. Kapitalwise sends your details to advisers who pay for the introduction, so expect calls and texts. Clear Money Guide is paid when you submit the form, whether or not you ever hire anyone. This is free to you and there is no obligation to hire anyone.
The Kapitalwise form opens here — you stay on this page.
What happens when you press the button
It asks about nine questions — age, investable assets, location — then your name, email and phone number, and verifies the phone by text. Nothing loads and nothing reaches Kapitalwise until you press the button.
See the math (per $1,000 of out-of-pocket budget)
| Option | Future after-tax $ |
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