# Is there a time limit for health flex spending accounts?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-time-limit-for-health-flex-spending-accounts/705295>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 21, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-time-limit-for-health-flex-spending-accounts/705295 "2014-11-21T21:47:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-time-limit-for-health-flex-spending-accounts/705295/1 "2014-11-21T21:47:35Z")

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I know that you usually have up to 3 months after the year deadline to spend money in your healthcare flex spending account, but what about the reverse? Let’s say end of 2013 I incurred an unexpected medical expense, but there was not enough money in the account to cover it. I pay it out of pocket, can I still submit a claim form for it once the new year starts, and once the new balance kicks in? Or are expenses incurred only within that particular year reimbursable?

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**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-time-limit-for-health-flex-spending-accounts/705295/2 "2014-11-21T23:41:22Z")

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Used to have (and make use of) one of them, almost positive you cannot do this. Only applies to services in each calendar year. Best thing to do is just ask your HR person.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-time-limit-for-health-flex-spending-accounts/705295/3 "2014-11-22T00:49:23Z")

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No. The Flex Plan only applies to the expenses in a calendar year. You can submit the expenses until the end of January, but they have to be incurred before December 31 (the delay is so that you can get a bill for the services: if you go to the doctor on 12/31 but don’t get it until January 15, you can still submit it).