Know your DepCare and Health FSA deadlines to avoid losing money

The Dependent Care (DepCare) and Health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) both let you save on your taxes by taking money from your paycheck each month to cover certain expenses. The DepCare FSA allows you to pay for eligible expenses for the care of your child (up to age 13) or eligible adult dependent while you work. The Health FSA allows you to pay for eligible medical expenses for you and for your eligible family members.

The accounts have different purposes and different rules. Here’s how they work.

Your Dependent Care (DepCare) FSA grace period ends March 15

If you have a remaining balance in your 2019 DepCare FSA, you still have time to use it! WageWorks will use your 2019 funds for any eligible expenses you incur through March 15, 2020 – as long as you submit your claims by April 15, 2020. You cannot carry over any remaining balance from 2019 past the March 15 grace period, even if you’ve enrolled in the DepCare FSA for 2020.

Health FSA carryover rules and deadlines

If you are enrolled in the Health FSA through Dec. 31, 2019, you are allowed to carry over up to $500 of unused funds to the next plan year. With the carryover, if your balance is $500 or less, you do not have to worry about losing money when the plan year ends.

You have until Dec. 31, 2019, to incur eligible expenses for the 2019 plan year, and you have until April 15, 2020, to file claims for your 2019 expenses. After the April 15 deadline, unused funds up to $500 will carry over to the 2020 plan year and be available for reimbursement in early May. Unused funds greater than $500 will be forfeited.

If you did not re-enroll in the Health FSA for 2020, you must have at least $25 remaining in your account after the April 15 deadline to be able to carry over funds to the next plan year. Funds under $25 are forfeited, and you may only carry over funds (up to $500) for one year.

Log in to your WageWorks account to get immediate access to your FSA activity, account balance and reimbursement information.

For more details, see the Flexible Spending Accounts page.