There's a pile of money with your name on it, and it's quietly shrinking.
If you have a flexible spending account through work, the deadline to spend those funds is closer than you think.
Miss it, and the balance doesn't roll into your pocket—it goes back to your employer.
For 2025 plan years, many workers have until December 31 to empty their healthcare FSA.
But here's where it gets confusing: some plans offer a grace period until March 15, and others allow a carryover of up to $660 into the next year.
The rules depend entirely on what your employer set up.
You may have one of these perks, both, or neither.
The average worker leaves real money behind.
Industry surveys have found that a meaningful share of FSA holders forfeit funds each year—often because they simply forgot or assumed the money would carry over.
Unlike an HSA, which travels with you and grows over time, an FSA is use-it-or-lose-it by design.
So what can you actually spend it on before the clock runs out?
The list is longer than most people realize.
Prescription glasses and contacts, dental work, therapy, acupuncture, bandages, sunscreen, menstrual products, and over-the-counter medicines are all generally eligible.
You can also stock up on eligible items through FSA storefronts, which label products clearly so you don't guess wrong.
For healthcare FSAs, the expense usually has to be incurred by the deadline—not just paid.
If your plan ends December 31, a January dentist appointment won't count, even if you swipe the card in December.
Check whether your plan uses the date of service or the date of payment.
Dependent care FSAs run on a different clock and stricter rules.
You can only claim care expenses for a child under 13 or another dependent who can't care for themselves, and both spouses generally need earned income.
That money is also forfeited if unused, though the deadlines and carryover options differ from healthcare accounts.
Here's the move that saves people the most stress: log into your FSA portal today and check three things.
Your exact deadline, whether a grace period or carryover applies, and your remaining balance.
Then book the appointments you've been putting off—eye exam, dental cleaning, that nagging dermatology visit—before the calendar flips.
If you're staring down a balance you can't realistically spend on care, you still have options.
Stocking a medicine cabinet, replacing worn glasses, or scheduling a physical are legitimate uses.
What you don't want is to do nothing and let the balance vanish.
One more thing worth checking: your receipts.
If you paid out of pocket for an eligible expense earlier this year, you can often submit that claim now and get reimbursed from your FSA, even if you forgot at the time.
This money was set aside from your own paycheck, and letting it expire is like leaving cash in a drawer you never open again.
Final Thoughts
Ten minutes on your benefits portal this week could be the highest-paid work you do all month.