Move an Existing HSA to Hammock
Learn how to move an existing HSA balance into Hammock by indirect rollover, including the timing and tax rules to know first.
Moving your balance can keep your HSA alongside Hammock's expense tracking and any applicable Letters of Medical Necessity in one place.
The path
Locate the former provider and confirm its distribution process.
Wait until you receive the distribution. That starts the 60-day rollover window.
Use Hammock's Transfer In flow only after the former provider's funds have reached your bank account.
Important: this guide covers an indirect rollover. An indirect rollover is a distribution sent to you first, followed by your deposit into another HSA. Hammock's current member flow uses the practical path of former provider → your personal bank account → Hammock.
Complete it within 60 days: An indirect rollover generally must be deposited into another HSA within 60 days after you receive it to remain tax-free.
One in a 12-month period: The IRS generally allows one HSA rollover during a 12-month period.
Doesn't use your contribution limit: A properly completed rollover does not use your annual HSA contribution limit.
1Find and prepare the existing HSAStart here
Your existing HSA remains your account after a job change or provider transition. You will need a live Hammock HSA, the name of your former provider, and a personal bank account linked to Hammock.
Sign in to that provider's HSA portal. If the sign-in no longer works, use the provider's account recovery process and update your email, mailing address, and phone number there.
Search your old benefits portal, payroll records, and email for "HSA," "health savings account," "1099-SA," or the name of your former benefits provider.
Contact your former employer's benefits or HR team. Ask for the name and contact information for the HSA custodian, then contact that provider directly to recover the account.
If your HSA holds investments, ask the former provider how its distribution process handles them. It may require a sale and settlement before it can distribute the amount you plan to move.
Reach out to Hammock Support if you are unsure how a job or provider change affects your next step. Your former provider is the source for facts only it can confirm, such as the existing account balance.
Before requesting money, make sure the former provider has your current contact details and that its payment destination is your current personal bank account.
2Request a distributionAt your former provider
Each provider's screens and rules differ. Follow its instructions to request an HSA distribution to you, and record the amount you request.
Ask the former provider whether pending card transactions, reimbursements, or claims affect the amount it can distribute.
Note the amount you request. You will compare it with the deposit that arrives in your bank.
Deposit the check into the personal bank account linked to Hammock. Once the funds are available, start Transfer In and select that account. The 60-day rollover period starts when you receive the check, not when it clears your bank. Contact Support if you cannot deposit it into that linked account.
3Wait for the funds to reach your bankYour bank
After the funds reach your personal bank account, confirm the amount and record the date you received the distribution. Do not start Transfer In before the money reaches that account. You generally have 60 days from receipt to complete an indirect rollover.
For an electronic deposit, keep the date the funds became available in your bank as a practical record. For a mailed check, keep the date you received the check as well as the bank-deposit record.
If you do not deposit an indirect rollover into another HSA within the 60-day window, the amount may become taxable and may be subject to an additional tax. If the deadline is close or the amount does not match, contact Support and a qualified tax adviser before moving funds.
4Roll the funds into HammockIn Hammock
Hammock's Transfer In flow moves money from the personal bank account that received the distribution into your Hammock HSA. Accurate certifications allow the deposit to be recorded as a rollover rather than a new contribution.
In Hammock, go to HSA → Settings → Transfer In.
- Select Start a transfer.
- Enter the amount.
- Choose Full account or Partial.
- Select the personal bank account where the former provider's funds landed.
- Select the previous HSA provider. If it is not listed, choose Other and enter the provider name.
- Confirm that the money came from an HSA, that you are depositing it within 60 days, and that you have not completed another HSA rollover in the prior 12 months.
- Select Review Transfer, then Submit Transfer.
5Keep the rollover recordsTax time
Keep the former provider's distribution record, your bank deposit record, and Hammock's transfer confirmation. You may receive Form 1099-SA for the distribution and Form 5498-SA showing HSA contributions, including rollover contributions. Use these records when completing Form 8889, where rollovers are reported separately from regular contributions.
Quick FAQ
Does this count as a new HSA contribution?
No. Payroll, employer, and direct deposits are contributions that use annual contribution room. A properly completed rollover does not count against that limit. A direct trustee-to-trustee transfer also is not a contribution, but Hammock does not currently support that as a self-serve member flow.
My employer is moving benefits to Hammock. Do I need to move my existing balance?
No. Your Hammock enrollment and your employer's payroll cutover are separate from an optional move of an existing HSA balance. Complete enrollment from your work-email invitation when your employer instructs you to. Hammock will communicate the payroll cutover; your old balance can stay where it is or move later.
What if I have already done an indirect rollover in the past 12 months?
Do not start another one until you have confirmed that you are outside the rolling 12-month window. Ask your former provider whether a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer is available, or wait until the period has passed. Contact Hammock Support and a qualified tax adviser if you are unsure.
What happens if I miss the 60-day deadline?
The amount you did not return to an HSA in time is generally treated as a taxable distribution, and an additional tax may apply if you are under 65 and it was not for a qualified medical expense. Contact Hammock Support and a qualified tax adviser before submitting anything.
Can my former provider transfer funds directly to Hammock?
Hammock's current member process supports the indirect-rollover path in this guide. A direct trustee-to-trustee transfer is different: funds move directly between HSA custodians without being paid to you, and it is not subject to the indirect-rollover timing or frequency rules. That option is not available as a self-serve Hammock member flow today.
Can I move only part of the existing HSA?
Yes. Choose Partial in the Hammock transfer flow and use the amount that arrived in your personal bank account.
What if my former provider is not listed?
Select Other in the previous-provider list, then enter your former provider's name. If you cannot identify or access the existing HSA, return to step 1 and contact your former employer's benefits team or the former HSA custodian. You can also contact Hammock Support for help working through the transfer process.
Do I need to close the existing HSA?
Not necessarily. If you moved the full balance, ask the former provider whether it has any residual interest, account-maintenance fees, or closure steps before you close the account.