You can access your FSA account through your employer’s benefits administrator, either by logging into their online portal, using their mobile app, or swiping your FSA debit card at the point of sale. Most employers partner with a third-party administrator (companies like HealthEquity, WEX, or Optum) that provides the website, app, and debit card you’ll use to manage and spend your funds.
Find Your FSA Administrator
Your FSA is managed by whatever benefits administrator your employer has chosen. If you’re not sure who that is, check your benefits enrollment paperwork, look at the name printed on your FSA debit card, or ask your HR department. Once you know the administrator, go to their website and register for an online account if you haven’t already. You’ll typically need your employer ID or a registration code from your enrollment materials, plus basic personal details like your date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
After registering, you can log in to check your balance, review transaction history, and file reimbursement claims. Most administrators also offer a mobile app with the same features, plus the ability to snap photos of receipts and submit claims from your phone.
Using Your FSA Debit Card
The fastest way to spend FSA funds is with the debit card your administrator mails after you enroll and set up contributions. The card typically arrives within 7 to 10 business days. You swipe or tap it at pharmacies, doctor’s offices, dentists, and online retailers that accept FSA payments, and the money comes directly out of your account balance.
A few rules apply. You can only use the card for qualified medical and dental expenses not already covered by insurance. You cannot withdraw cash with it. Keep every receipt from purchases made with the card. Your administrator or the IRS may ask you to verify that a transaction was for an eligible expense, and without a receipt you could be required to repay the amount.
The card works at most healthcare providers and major pharmacies without any extra steps, but some purchases (like a first-aid kit at a general retailer) may require you to submit documentation after the fact to prove the item qualifies.
Filing a Claim for Reimbursement
If you pay out of pocket for an eligible expense instead of using your debit card, you can file a claim to get reimbursed from your FSA. There are three common ways to do this: online through the administrator’s portal, through their mobile app, or by fax or mail.
For online or app submissions, you log in, select the option to submit a claim, enter the details of the expense, and upload a photo or scan of your itemized receipt. The app route is especially convenient because you can photograph the receipt right from your phone and submit it in a few taps.
If you prefer paper, download the claim form from your administrator’s website, fill it out, attach copies of your receipts, and fax or mail everything to the address provided. Reimbursement by direct deposit usually takes a few business days for electronic claims and longer for paper submissions.
What Your Receipts Need to Show
To avoid delays, make sure every receipt includes these five details:
- Patient’s name: who received the service or product (for retail purchases, this can sometimes be omitted)
- Provider or merchant name: the doctor’s office, pharmacy, or store
- Date of service: when the service happened or the item was purchased
- Description of service or item: a clear description of what was provided (a pharmacy prescription receipt works for prescriptions)
- Amount paid: the cost you actually paid, or the portion not covered by insurance
Deadlines for Using Your Funds
FSA funds don’t last forever. A standard health care FSA operates on a “use it or lose it” basis tied to the plan year, which for most employers runs January through December. Any money you don’t spend by the end of the plan year is forfeited, with two possible exceptions your employer may offer (but is not required to).
The first is a grace period, which gives you an extra two and a half months after the plan year ends to incur new expenses and use up leftover funds. The second is a carryover, which lets you roll a limited amount of unused money into the next year. For the 2026 plan year, the maximum carryover into 2027 is $680. Your employer can offer one of these options or neither, but not both. Check with HR to find out which applies to your plan.
Accessing Your FSA After Leaving a Job
When you leave your employer, whether you quit or are let go, your FSA debit card is typically deactivated on your last day of coverage. Any remaining balance goes back to the employer unless you take specific steps.
You generally have a 60 to 90 day window after your job ends to submit reimbursement claims for eligible expenses you incurred while you were still employed. That means you can’t use leftover FSA money on new expenses after your coverage ends, but you can still get reimbursed for qualifying costs from before your last day if you haven’t filed those claims yet.
The other option is electing COBRA continuation coverage for your FSA. COBRA lets you keep contributing to and spending from the account after you leave, which can help you use up a large remaining balance. The contributions you make under COBRA are no longer pre-tax, so you lose the tax advantage, but you do retain access to the funds already in the account. You’ll receive COBRA election paperwork shortly after your coverage ends, and you typically have 60 days to decide whether to enroll.