Archer Medical Savings Account


Archer Medical Savings Account

An account into which one makes tax-deferred contributions that can be used for present and future medical expenses. An Archer MSA is used in conjunction with an insurance policy with a high deductible. An Archer MSA may be used in order to offset the high deductible on one's other insurance policy.

One does not pay taxes on withdrawals from a health savings account, unless one withdraws funds for a non-medical reason, in which case they are taxed as ordinary income. If one is under 65, there may also be a penalty associated with a non-medical withdrawal.