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How to Maximize Your Flexible Spending Accounts

by Elle Martinez December 4, 2017 Insurance

In order to produce the podcast and keep content up free for you, I work with partners so this post may contain affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure for more info.

As this year wraps up, we're making sure we finish on a high note. Part of that means making sure our finances are in a good spot.

One huge change is switching our health insurance plans (more on that soon!).

Before we switch over, though, we have to make sure we use up all of our Flexible Spending Account (FSA) money.

Why Flexible Spending Accounts Rock

Flexible spending accounts use pre-tax dollars. You sign up through your employer and a certain amount is deducted every paycheck.

That means you can lower your tax obligation while getting your medical expenses paid.

You have the entire calendar year to use your account to cover your medical expenses.

With an FSA, if you don't use the funds, you lose them. Thankfully, our healthcare expenses have been lower than we estimated.

Since we have no interest in wasting our hard earned money we're spending it on supplies.

The good news is that there are several qualifying expenses that your FSA can cover.

Qualifying Expenses

To give you an idea of the variety of expenses that your FSA, here are some of the more common ones:

  • copay
  • coinsurance
  • deductible
  • ambulance service
  • chiropractic care
  • eye exams
  • contact lenses
  • eye glasses
  • contraceptives
  • condoms
  • blood pressure monitor
  • diabetic monitors
  • first aid kit
  • flu shots
  • bandages
  • breast pump

Some over the counter items like allergy, cold, antibiotic cream, and antacid need a prescription if you want to use your Flexible Spending Account.

Since the IRS has the final say on what's eligible for reimbursement, keep all your receipts handy. (My suggestion is to go ahead and scan a copy for your records. Ink on receipts tend to wear out quick.)

With some ‘extra' cash, I decided to take care of some vision needs.

I made an appointment with my optometrist to get new prescriptions for contacts and glasses.

I usually wear contacts for my day to day, but I like to have a solid pair of glasses for backup. (Springtime, I tend to rely on them when my allergies are at their worst.)

Even though I have money to spend, I'm still looking for a good deal.  I went with DiscountGlasses.com to order my glasses.

I managed to snag a new pair with the platinum lens package; it comes with the UltraThin, UV-Protective Coating,  Scratch-Resistant Coating, and Anti-Reflective Coating for less than $80!

Since Discount Glasses (and their sister site, DiscountContactLenses.com) are U.S. based, they have a pretty fast turnaround schedule. Plus, they have free shipping on any size order and 365-day free return shipping.

If you have money left in your FSA, take advantage and get your supplies now before the year is over!

How Much to Save in Your FSA

If you're starting an FSA for next year, figuring out what you need to tuck away can seem tricky.

My suggestion is to be more on the conservative side for your first year. Look at your co-pays and whether or not you two have any need for dental or optometrist visits.

From there you two can sit down and review things and see if you need to increase or decrease what you contribute.

Thoughts on Maximizing Your Flexible Spending Account

Now that you see how we handle our flexible spending account, I'd love to hear from you. Have you used up your FSA money? What expenses did it cover?

Disclaimer: Thanks to DiscountGlasses.com for sponsoring this post. While I have been compensated, all opinions expressed are my own.

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About Elle Martinez

Elle Martinez helps families at Couple Money achieve financial freedom by sharing tips for reducing debt, increase income, and building net worth. Learn how to live on one income and have fun with the second..

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Previous Post: How to Avoid Burnout By Giving Your Finances and Lives Margin

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About Couple Money

Hi, I'm Elle Martinez, creator of Couple Money. I started this site and podcast to help spouses get on the same page, pay off their debt faster, and build their marriage and wealth together!
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I’m not a financial professional so please take my advice as opinion. Check out resources I share so you two can sit down and discuss your unique circumstances.

STANDARD DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

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