FSA Spending Estimator

The health FSA is a bet with your employer: elect pre-tax dollars in November, spend them on medical costs next year, and anything unspent (beyond your plan's rollover or grace period) is forfeited. Sized right, it saves ~30% on money you'd spend anyway; sized wrong, the forfeiture eats the savings. This estimator builds your election from the expenses you can actually predict — and prices the bet's both sides.

The 2025 Mechanics

Building a Forfeit-Proof Election

1. Count only the predictable: recurring prescriptions, planned dental work, the glasses/contacts you buy every year, therapy copays, a deductible you always hit.
2. Add planned procedures — the FSA is the classic way to pre-tax a LASIK, orthodontics or planned surgery year.
3. Buffer only to your plan's safety net — with a $660 rollover, electing $200 over is riskless; with hard forfeit, elect to the floor of certainty.
4. Remember the eligible-expense breadth: OTC meds, sunscreen (SPF 15+), first-aid, menstrual products, contact solution, heating pads — the FSA-eligible universe is far wider than people think, which makes year-end spend-downs easy.

The December Spend-Down List

Balance left in November? In rough order of usefulness: dental/vision appointments before year-end, glasses/prescription sunglasses, stockpile contacts and recurring meds, first-aid and OTC restock, sunscreen for the year, blood-pressure monitor/thermometer upgrades. FSA-store websites exist precisely for December 28th.

FSA vs HSA (One Paragraph)

If you're HDHP-covered and HSA-eligible, the HSA wins on every axis — no forfeiture, investable, portable. The general-purpose FSA is for everyone else; HSA holders can still add a limited-purpose FSA (dental/vision only) on top, a niche but real stack for orthodontics years. And the Dependent Care FSA is a separate account with separate limits — different tool.

How to Use the Estimator

1. Fill each category with genuinely predictable amounts (last year's explanation-of-benefits is the best data source).
2. Set your bracket and — critically — your plan's year-end rule from the benefits guide.
3. Read the recommended election and savings; submit it at open enrollment and calendar a November balance check.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to forfeited FSA money?

It goes to your employer (who uses it to offset plan costs — including other employees' mid-year-quit float losses). Forfeiture isn't rare: estimates run $3-4 billion/year nationally, which is why conservative elections win.

Can I change my election mid-year?

Only with a qualifying life event: marriage/divorce, birth/adoption, employment or coverage changes. Discovering you under- or over-elected isn't an event — hence the November planning ritual.

What's the January float trick?

Your entire election is spendable January 1, though you fund it across 26 paychecks. Scheduling expensive care early in the year uses the employer's interest-free float — and if you leave the job mid-year having spent more than you contributed, you generally don't repay it.

Are OTC medications really eligible?

Yes — since 2020, OTC drugs need no prescription, and the eligible list includes sunscreen, menstrual products, first-aid, and much of the pharmacy aisle. Keep receipts; FSA debit cards auto-verify at most pharmacies.

Both spouses have FSAs — can we double up?

Each employee can elect up to $3,300 — a couple can shelter $6,600 — but you can't reimburse the SAME expense twice. Coordinate whose card pays what.

Can I have an FSA and an HSA?

Not a general-purpose FSA — it disqualifies HSA contributions (yours AND your spouse's, if their FSA covers you). Limited-purpose (dental/vision) FSAs stack fine with HSAs.

Is my information private?

Yes — every figure computes locally in your browser.

Fifteen minutes with last year's medical spending turns the FSA from a gamble into a ~30% coupon on care you were buying anyway. Elect to the level of certainty, know your plan's year-end rule, and set that November reminder.