# How to Add a Health Savings Account in YNAB

> Tax-advantaged savings accounts (HSAs or FSAs) can only be spent on medical expenses. You don't have to add these in YNAB, but you can track them if you'd like!

Source: https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-add-a-health-savings-account-in-ynab-ByRXzZOAc

Last updated: 2026-07-02T17:22:39.296Z

Decide whether to include Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) in YNAB based on your preference for tracking medical expenses. Learn how to add these accounts to your plan and enter your contributions.

#### In This Article

[To Add, or Not to Add](#decision)

[How to Add an HSA or FSA in YNAB as a Tracking Account](#tracking)

[How to Add an HSA or FSA in YNAB as a Checking Account](#checking)

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## To Add, or Not to Add

You actually don't need to add these accounts in YNAB at all. HSAs are designed exclusively for healthcare spending.

If you **do** want to track these medical expenses and keep this account in YNAB, you have two options. You can add your HSA or FSA as an **unlinked tracking account** or as an **unlinked checking account** using the steps below. The checking account option is not recommended for invested accounts where the balance fluctuates.

[Back to Top](#backtotop)

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## How to Add an HSA or FSA in YNAB as a Tracking Account

This is a good option if you only want to track the balance of your account.

1.  When [adding an unlinked account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-add-an-account-ByoxswMJs) for your HSA or FSA account, select **Asset** as the tracking account type. 
    
2.  If you make contributions to your HSA or FSA outside of payroll deductions, [create a category](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909) in your plan for those contributions.
    
3.  You’ll plan for any HSA or FSA contributions you make from your checking account in that category and [enter a transfer](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/transfer-transactions-a-guide-HJOsZz4Jj) from your checking account to your HSA or FSA account to record the contribution.
    
4.  Contributions made from your payroll deductions should be entered directly into your HSA or FSA tracking account as an inflow. If your employer contributes to your HSA plan, be sure to add those funds, too.
    
5.  When it comes time to cover a medical expense using your HSA or FSA, enter the amount as an outflow and include a memo.
    

If you'd like more specifics, [tell the chatbot you need a human or send us an email](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-get-help-SygqcvtC5)!

[Back to Top](#backtotop)

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## How to Add an HSA or FSA in YNAB as a Checking Account

This is a good option if you want to create a Healthcare category group and assign your HSA dollars to different health-related categories.

1.  When [adding an unlinked account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-add-an-account-ByoxswMJs) for your HSA or FSA account, select **Checking** as the cash account type. 
    
2.  Create a [category group](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909#newgroup) for your HSA or FSA in your plan. [Add categories](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909#new) to the group for Medical, Dental, Optical, etc.
    
3.  [Assign money](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/assigning-your-money-a-guide-SypgkrNJi) to the HSA or FSA categories you created.
    
4.  Contributions made from your payroll deductions should be entered directly into your HSA or FSA account as an inflow. If your employer contributes to your HSA plan, be sure to add those funds, too.
    
5.  When it comes time to cover a medical expense using your HSA or FSA, enter the amount as an outflow and categorize the transaction to the appropriate spending category.
    

#### How much should be in the HSA or FSA categories?

It’s important to keep in mind that there is nothing in the plan that links an account balance to a single category or group of categories. If you [move money](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/moving-money-in-your-plan-ryyCKbBJi) in your plan, be sure your HSA or FSA funds don’t leave your HSA or FSA category group (since you can't flexibly spend them on anything else). You'll always want the money in your HSA or FSA category group to be equal to (or more than) the balance in the HSA or FSA account.

If you'd like more specifics, [tell the chatbot you need a human or send us an email](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-get-help-SygqcvtC5)!

[Back to Top](#backtotop)

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