"Employer" Contribution on Form 8889

[Deleted]

I tangle with this every year and can never seem to get it right.

Last year I contributed $2,800 to my HSA through payroll deductions. This was NOT additional $$ from my employer; it was money taken out of my regular pay.  It shows up in Box 12 of my W-2 with code W.  Since I left the employer mid-year but enrolled in another HDHP, I opened up a private HSA account (my name only) and added $2K to that.   (DH went on Medicare mid-year but was on my HDHP for the first half so the total is within limits.) 

Form 8889-T (Taxpayer, which is me) shows that my allowable HSA deduction is $5,900 (worksheet calculation of max I can contribute given our ages and the months he and I were covered for HDHP), minus the $2,800 "employer contribution", or $3,100.  Form 8889-S (Spouse) shows zero deduction.

We didn't take any money out of the account.

How did my $4,800 contributions ($2,800 from payroll plus an additional $2K) turn into a $3,100 deduction?  This makes no sense and I don't know how to fix it.

Thanks.

[mwcpa]

Turbo tax or what ever software is calculating your total allowable of 5900 (per your calc above) less the employer withheld amount of 2800 as 3100 more allowed.  You have an input error in the software... Call there tech support....

[Deleted]

Thanks! I once did contact TurboTax a few years ago when they had an error in their AMT calculation. No response whatsoever- not even a thank you. This is also TurboTax and they give you the ability to override the calculations. I plan to carefully read the directions for the form and do that.

[mwcpa]

for $39.95 you really cannot expect the best in customer service... there is no personalized service from a box.....

[TheOtherMe]

I called Customer Service and I paid more than $39.95 for my Turbo Tax.  They spent over an hour on the phone with me.  I knew the correct answer and could not get Turbo Tax to give it to me.  We got it figured out.