Tax year of HSA contributions on W-2

Question

Payroll is done in arrears on the first of the month. HR promised that HSA contributions for the beginning-of-January 2016 payroll would go in for the 2015 tax year. To make things easier, HR sent out HSA contributions early, and they were received by the HSA in 2015. HSA is showing the numbers I'm expecting for 2015 contributions. Got my W-2, and it is showing the HSA contributions as missing that end of 2015/January payroll HSA contribution.

IE:

• HSA is showing contributions of $3,350
• W-2 is showing contributions of $3,070.84
• contribution of $279.16 received by HSA on December 30th, shown on January 4th paycheck

My questions:

1. Is my W-2 correct? Should it be showing the HSA contribution received at the end of December?
2. If it is correct, should I be entering that contribution in the "other pre-tax payroll deductions for HSA" line on my 1040?
3. Is this going to screw me next year - ie, make it so that I can't fill up my 2016 HSA because the W-2 is counting things toward a different year than the HSA?

Answer 1

Is my W-2 correct? Should it be showing the HSA contribution received at the end of December?

Yes, it is correct. No, it shouldn't.

If it is correct, should I be entering that contribution in the "other pre-tax payroll deductions for HSA" line on my 1040?

No.

Is this going to screw me next year - ie, make it so that I can't fill up my 2016 HSA because the W-2 is counting things toward a different year than the HSA?

Yes.

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The reason is that the deduction is attributed to the year of the paycheck from which it was made. They sent the money early to the HSA - good for them, but it was deducted from your January 4th paycheck, which puts it in 2016.