FSA · use-it-or-lose-it
How much of your FSA are you about to lose?
Enter your plan-year-end, whether your plan has a carryover or a grace period (or neither), and your unspent balance to get your spend-by date, the money at risk of forfeiture, what rolls over, and the run-out date to submit receipts — with a live countdown. All in your browser.
Open the calculator ↗FSA deadlines, the short version
Unspent health FSA funds are generally forfeited at the plan year end unless your plan offers carryover or a grace period.
Up to $680 may carry over (2025: $660; 2024: $640). Indexed yearly; your employer may set a lower limit or none.
Up to 2.5 months to incur new expenses — the 15th of the 3rd month after the plan year (Dec 31 plan → March 15).
An employer can offer a carryover OR a grace period, but not both. Some offer neither.
The run-out period only extends time to SUBMIT receipts for prior expenses — it does not extend time to spend.
Why it matters
FSA money is "use it or lose it," and the rules trip people up: a carryover and a grace period are different (and you only get one), and the run-out period extends only the time to submit receipts, not the time to spend. fsadeadline applies the published IRS rules with a disclosed method — no black box — and runs entirely client-side, so nothing you enter is uploaded. It is informational only, not tax advice, and not affiliated with the IRS.
Frequently asked questions
What does fsadeadline do?
You enter your FSA plan-year-end date, what your plan offers (carryover, a grace period, or neither), your unspent balance, and (for carryover) your plan’s carryover limit. It shows the exact date you must spend by, how much money is at risk of being forfeited, how much safely rolls over, the separate deadline to submit your receipts, and a live countdown. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
What is the "use it or lose it" rule?
Health FSA money is generally forfeited if you don’t use it by the end of the plan year. Two optional employer features soften this: a carryover (rollover) of up to an IRS-set amount into next year, OR a grace period of up to 2.5 extra months to incur new expenses. Your employer can offer one of these, but not both — and some offer neither.
How much can carry over in 2026?
For 2026 plan years the IRS lets plans carry over up to $680 of unused health FSA funds (it was $660 for 2025 and $640 for 2024 — the cap is indexed for inflation each year). Your employer may set a LOWER limit or none at all, so confirm your plan’s figure and enter it in the calculator. Anything above the carryover limit at the plan year end is forfeited.
What is a grace period and when does it end?
A grace period gives you up to 2.5 months after the plan year ends to incur NEW expenses using last year’s money. The maximum is the 15th day of the third month after the plan year — so a December 31 plan year has a grace period ending March 15. Employers may set a shorter one, so the tool lets you enter your plan’s actual date. With a grace period, all unspent funds are at risk until you’ve spent them by that date.
What’s the difference between the grace period and the run-out period?
They are different deadlines and easy to confuse. The grace period extends the time to INCUR (spend on) new expenses. The run-out period only extends the time to SUBMIT receipts for expenses you already incurred during the plan year — it does NOT give you more time to spend. A plan can offer a run-out period alongside either a carryover or a grace period. Submit your claims by the run-out deadline or you can lose reimbursement for money you already spent.
Carryover vs. grace period — which is better?
Carryover is usually more flexible: up to the limit follows you into next year with no rush. A grace period gives you a hard 2.5-month window to spend everything or lose it. You don’t choose — your employer’s plan decides which (if either) you get. Check your Summary Plan Description or ask HR/your FSA administrator, then pick the matching option here.
Does this work for a Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA)?
Partly. A Dependent Care FSA cannot offer a carryover — at most it may offer a grace period (or neither), and it has a separate annual contribution limit. So for a DCFSA, use the "grace period" or "neither" option; the spend-by and forfeiture logic is the same. The carryover option and the $680 figure apply to Health FSAs only.
How do I avoid forfeiting my FSA money?
Spend it on eligible expenses before your spend-by date: medical/dental/vision copays, prescriptions, and a wide range of over-the-counter items (pain relievers, allergy meds, sunscreen, first-aid, contact lens solution, period products, and more), plus glasses and dental work you’ve been putting off. After spending, make sure you submit your receipts before the run-out deadline. This tool shows both dates so nothing slips.
Is this tax or financial advice? Is my data private?
No — fsadeadline is an informational calculator that applies published IRS FSA rules to the dates and amounts you enter. It is not tax, legal, or financial advice and is not affiliated with the IRS or your plan administrator. FSA plan terms vary by employer, so confirm your exact deadlines and limits in your plan documents. On privacy: this is a static page; everything you enter is processed in your browser, never uploaded, and nothing is logged.