Lively HSA Investment Options Tips (2026) | HSA Tracker

If you contribute the 2026 family max of $8,750, keeping $3,000 in cash means only $5,750 is initially investable. Paying the $24 fee lets you invest the full $8,750 immediately.

A new HSA owner with a $1,500 balance can start investing immediately in a diversified portfolio through Devenir, paying about $7.50 in annual fees, instead of waiting to build a $3,000 cash buffer.

On a $20,000 invested balance, the Devenir fee is $100 per year. A similar portfolio of low-cost ETFs in Schwab might have an average expense ratio of 0.10%, costing only $20, saving you $80.

Moving a $3,000 cash buffer from the standard 0.02% APY tier to a Boost option at 0.10% APY increases annual interest from $0.60 to $3.00. Small gains add up over time.

Keep $1,000 for upcoming dental work in the standard cash account, hold $3,000 in the Boost option to avoid the Schwab fee, and invest everything above $4,000 in the Schwab brokerage.

If you change from self-only to family HDHP coverage mid-year, your contribution limit prorates. Contributing the full family $8,750 could be an excess if you were not eligible all year.

A $100 pre-tax payroll contribution costs you only ~$92.35 in take-home pay due to FICA savings, whereas a post-tax transfer of $100 costs the full $100, plus you must claim the income tax deduction

Within your Schwab HSA, you might allocate funds to a ETF like SCHB (Schwab US Broad Market ETF) with a 0.03% expense ratio for core growth, and a healthcare sector ETF like VHT for targeted exposure.

Pay a $500 medical bill from your checking account. Log the receipt in Lively's 'Track Reimbursements' feature. Thirty years later, you can withdraw that $500 tax-free, while the invested equivalent

For a $15,000 balance with $3,000 kept in cash at 0.02%, the cost is the lost potential growth on that $3,000. At Fidelity, the entire $15,000 could be invested in no-fee funds with no cash minimum.

Set a rule to automatically buy $50 of a target ETF each time a $200 payroll contribution hits your Lively cash account. This removes emotion and delay from the investment process.

Placing high-yield bond funds or REITs, which typically generate taxable ordinary income, inside your Lively HSA can be more efficient than holding them in a taxable brokerage account.

For 2026, ensure your HDHP has a minimum deductible of $1,700 (self) or $3,400 (family) and an out-of-pocket max no higher than $8,500 (self) or $17,000 (family) to remain HSA-eligible.

After a doctor's visit, take a photo of the bill in the Lively app before you leave the office. Tag it with 'Chiropractor - 2026'. This creates a searchable, digital paper trail.

Keep one year's family deductible ($3,400 for 2026) in the Lively cash account for easy access. Invest all contributions beyond that amount in a diversified ETF portfolio within the Schwab account.

On a $2,400 invested balance, the $24 fee is equivalent to a 1% expense ratio, which is high. On a $24,000 balance, it's only 0.10%, which is competitive with many managed portfolios.

A few years before enrolling in Medicare, consider gradually shifting your Schwab portfolio within Lively from growth-oriented ETFs to a more balanced mix that includes bonds or dividend-paying

Log into your Lively account each November and check the 'Pricing' page. Note any changes to the Schwab fee, Devenir fee, or cash interest rates that might affect your strategy for the next year.