FSA question

[puppylove64]

I have rarely used FSAs but dh has the opportunity this year. His son is in braces and we have $200/mo payment. Dh’s Name is listed on the account and he is responsible for payments. We pay $200/mo directly to the orthodontist. He is reimbursed by baby momma $100 a month. Should we put in his fsa $2400 or $1200? We rarely have any other significant medical so I don’t want to put any excess at all.

[whitemerlot]

I would only do the part you are actually responsible for.

[goldengirlz]

I would do the full thing. Even if he gets reimbursed, why not get the tax advantage?

[simpsongal]

I would verify that you can make the payments. Generally the expense needs to be incurred or the service rendered in the same year, and maybe after you open/fund the fsa. [someone please jump in if I’m off or braces are special]. I gather some fsa have different rules- just something to consider.

But if it’s all clear, fully find for the tax benefit

[AdaraMarie]

I would recommend doing $1200. Whenever I submit an fsa or hsa claim I have to check a box signing/certifying that I haven't recieved any other reimbursement for the same expense.

[puppylove64]

May 9, 2019 22:37:15 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

I would verify that you can make the payments. Generally the expense needs to be incurred or the service rendered in the same year, and maybe after you open/fund the fsa. [someone please jump in if I’m off or braces are special]. I gather some fsa have different rules- just something to consider.

But if it’s all clear, fully find for the tax benefit

That is something I didn’t even realize until I started researching! Luckily orthodontics is a special situation and is allowed to be “incurred when paid” in regards to fsa. Whew!

[Susie]

I would probably only do the $1200 that I'm actually OOP in the end.

I recently finished doing Invisalign myself, and had no problems using FSA funds to pay either the down payment or the monthly amount to the orthodontist until it was paid off.  We used some funds from my FSA and some funds from MH's.  MH's was a little more strict in that they wanted a copy of my original contract submitted every time with the monthly statement while mine did not require copies of the contract every time, the monthly statement was sufficient.

ETA:  I was paying over the period of Jan 2018 to Jan 2019.  I paid the down payment in Jan 2018 with FSA $, and then as many of my $195 monthly payments after that as I could until I ran out of FSA funds, then of course I was just OOP.  When Jan 2019 came around and I had a full FSA again, I just paid off the balance.  No problem doing it in two different years.

[puppylove64]

May 10, 2019 9:23:28 GMT -5 Susie said:

I would probably only do the $1200 that I'm actually OOP in the end.

I recently finished doing Invisalign myself, and had no problems using FSA funds to pay either the down payment or the monthly amount to the orthodontist until it was paid off.  We used some funds from my FSA and some funds from MH's.  MH's was a little more strict in that they wanted a copy of my original contract submitted every time with the monthly statement while mine did not require copies of the contract every time, the monthly statement was sufficient.

ETA:  I was paying over the period of Jan 2018 to Jan 2019.  I paid the down payment in Jan 2018 with FSA $, and then as many of my $195 monthly payments after that as I could until I ran out of FSA funds, then of course I was just OOP.  When Jan 2019 came around and I had a full FSA again, I just paid off the balance.  No problem doing it in two different years.

This is good info! Braces have already begun and we made 2 payments. The fsa won’t be available until June 1 and we have 2 years of payments.

[sadlebred]

I agree with what others have said. You cannot put money into the FSA that you get reimburse for another way--even if it's a family member/ex family member. You can only pay your actual OOP costs with the FSA. To be sure, you/your DH can contact his HR department for your FSA rules.

[ohgillian]

May 9, 2019 23:14:41 GMT -5 AdaraMarie said:

I would recommend doing $1200. Whenever I submit an fsa or hsa claim I have to check a box signing/certifying that I haven't recieved any other reimbursement for the same expense.

At least on my plan, I'm only asked to verify that the claim hasn't been or won't be reimbursed by any other benefit plan. Not that it hasn't been reimbursed by any person. 

[goldengirlz]

May 10, 2019 15:01:03 GMT -5 ohgillian said:

May 9, 2019 23:14:41 GMT -5 AdaraMarie said:

I would recommend doing $1200. Whenever I submit an fsa or hsa claim I have to check a box signing/certifying that I haven't recieved any other reimbursement for the same expense.

At least on my plan, I'm only asked to verify that the claim hasn't been or won't be reimbursed by any other benefit plan. Not that it hasn't been reimbursed by any person. 

Yes, same.

I mean, I can see how it might be a bit of an ethical gray area, but no one is going to check to see whether that $1200 from the kid’s mom is going to the braces or the dozens of other costs associated with raising a kid — only that you’re not double-claiming the expense for tax/insurance purposes. It’s not like she’s ALSO claiming a tax benefit.

That said, let your conscience be your guide and all that.