Flex Accounts: Use ‘Em or Lose ‘Em

E-readers, iPads and Squinkies aren’t the only hot ticket items right now…so are cold medicines and pregnancy tests, among others.

Anyone with a flexible spending account is well aware of the “use it or lose it” rule, meaning their pre-tax dollars for medical expenses are about to expire at the end of the year.

Contributing to the run on medical supplies is the fact over-the-counter drugs won’t be an eligible expense without a prescription come January 1st.

On average Americans leave $85 in their account, losing that money.

To avoid this experts suggest front loading your 2011 expenses if you can.

Some employees have until March 15th to submit receipts for medical expenses accrued in 2010, so it’s time to book that root canal you’ve been putting off.

Whatever money you don’t use is put into your company’s general fund.