13 Ways to Spend Your FSA Money

Flexible Spending Accounts can be a very important part of your finances but they come with one drawback – use it or lose it. It can be challenging to know how much to put in and sometimes, as we near the end of the year, we find ourselves with a little more than we really needed.

Fortunately, there is a solution. There are a lot of great things you can use your FSA dollars on.

If you’ve got a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you may be wondering how to spend your FSA money before the end of the year comes around. In this article, we’ll share several ways to spend your FSA money on qualifying medical expenses you might not know are FSA-eligible. 

What Is an FSA?

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) works together with your employer’s health insurance plan. The funds in the account, deposited via payroll contribution, can cover various medical expenses.

Much like the Health Savings Account (HSA), both you and your employer can contribute to an FSA account, although the annual maximum contribution of an FSA ($2750) is lower than that of an HSA.

What Are the Contribution/Spending Rules for FSA Money?

FSAs, along with HSAs, are powerful, money-saving options for helping reduce your tax burden. 

However, the two plans operate differently. Check out this article on HSAs to learn more about how HSAs work.

In this article, however, we’re focusing on FSAs. As of 2021, the contribution limits for FSAs are as follows:

• $2.750 for single participants
• $5,500 for married participants

FSA Carryover Rules

Note that your employer does have the option to include a carryover provision for the company’s FSA plan. That carryover amount can be up to 20% of the annual contribution limit. 

The dollar amount for the carryover is entirely up to your employer but cannot exceed the 20% figure. 

And if you can carry over the entire 20% of the prior year’s contribution, you can still contribute the total amount for the current year.

So, for example, you could carry over $550 in 2021 (provided your employer has set the plan provisions for that amount) and still contribute the maximum allowable in 2022.

If you have money from your FSA left over at the end of the year, you may want to consider spending it on these little-known eligible expenses.

How To Use Up Your FSA Money

If you’ve covered all of your mainstream medical expenses and still have money left over in your FSA, here are some products and services you could purchase with your FSA funds.  

1. Acupuncture

According to the Mayo Clinic, acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical treatment used to relieve pain, reduce stress, and enhance overall body wellness. 

Acupuncture practitioners insert very thin needles on specified meridians (energy pathways) in your body to bring it into balance.

Be sure to use a licensed acupuncturist (or at the very least, a certified acupuncturist) for treatment. 

2. Gel Inserts

Are you on your feet all day? Do you need or want added support in your shoes? You can pay for gel inserts with your FSA funds. 

Putting quality gel inserts in your shoes can be an excellent way to make walking and standing much more bearable.  

Be sure to keep your receipts for this and all other FSA expenses in case you get audited. 

3. Prescription Sunglasses

If you need corrective lenses to help your eyesight, prescription sunglasses are very nice to have. However, they are also expensive. Use your FSA money, visit your optometrist, and order some prescription eyeglasses that can help make being out in the sun even more fun.  

4. Chiropractor Visits

Many people have had success in relieving back pain and other health issues with the help of a licensed chiropractor. Unfortunately, chiropractors don’t take insurance or are considered out-of-network on insurance plans. Thankfully, your FSA funds can be used to cover expenses incurred by chiropractic care. 

5. Sleep Aids

If you have trouble sleeping at night, FSA funds can cover sleep aid medicines. For the expenses to be eligible, however, you have to have a prescription from your doctor. That said, many doctors will write prescriptions for sleep aids when needed, even if they are over-the-counter or natural sleep aids. 

6. Acne Medicine

Acne medicine is another expense that you can pay for out of your FSA funds. If you or a dependent are struggling with acne, talk with your doctor about prescribing medicines to help. 

There is a wide variety of medicines that can be used to treat acne, including amoxicillin. Visit your doctor for details.  

7. Baby Products

Do you have, or are you expecting to have, a baby? If so, note that certain baby products can be purchased using FSA funds. 

Those products include (but are not necessarily limited to) breast pumps and other supplies to assist with lactation, baby monitors, baby sunscreen, and potty training underwear.

You can also purchase oral medication dispensers, baby thermometers, and baby pain reliever medications with FSA funds. 

8. Family Planning Products

Along with covering your baby products after your child is born, some family planning products can be covered with FSA funds as well. 

Family planning products that are eligible for payment with FSA funds include vasectomies, fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization, and treatments such as reverse vasectomies and reverse tubal ligations. 

9. Certain Dental Costs

You can pay some dental costs for using your leftover FSA funds too. Qualifying dental expenses include:

• Teeth cleaning
• Fluoride treatments
• Tooth sealants
• Cavity fillings
• Braces
• Dentures
• Tooth extractions

See the government’s FSA website page for more information on what dental and other expenses can be covered using your FSA funds. 

10. Alcohol and Tobacco Cessation Products and Programs

You can also use your FSA to cover expenses for programs designed to help you stop smoking or quit drinking. 

For example, you can use the money to pay for alcoholism treatment facility services, including meals for in-patient stays. 

And you can use the money to cover smoking cessation programs, although you can’t usually use the money for nicotine patches or nicotine gum unless your doctor prescribes them.

11. Vacation Supplies

Some vacation supplies can be covered with FSA funds as well. These might include sunscreen and motion sickness medicine when prescribed by your doctor. You can also claim compression socks for long air flights and travel-sized medicines as well. Talk to your doctor for details. 

12. Service Animals

You can also cover service animal expenses with FSA funds. If you have or need a service animal for a physical disability, you can pay for the cost of the service animal and all expenses such as:

• Food
• Grooming costs
• Veterinary care
• Other expenses vital to the animal doing its job

Note that this includes service animals for emotional disabilities such as depression too. However, your doctor will need to write a Letter of Medical Necessity to confirm the need for a service animal. 

And note as well that “service animal” is a different designation than “therapy animal.” Therapy pets do not qualify to be paid for or cared for with FSA funds. 

13. Insurance Premiums

And last but not least, you can pay for insurance premiums that you pay out-of-pocket for medical care coverage. You can’t, however, deduct the portion of your insurance premiums paid for by your employer. 

Final Thoughts on Spending FSA Funds

Contributing to an FSA is just one of many ways to save money. If you do have an FSA, feel free to roll over your leftover FSA funds to the following year’s balance if you have the option to do so. 

However, don’t let leftover FSA funds go to waste. Instead, use the money for little-known expenses like those mentioned above to help you live a better life.