You must enroll in an FSA during Open Enrollment or during a qualifying life event. The amount you elect is divided equally by the number of pay periods in the year. This is the amount that will be deducted from your paycheck before taxes.
Learn more about Flexible Spending Accounts for Health Care and Dependent Care, including details about eligible expenses and the reimbursement processes in the FSA Simply Beneficial Materials (PDF).
Health Care FSA - Overview
Use an FSA benefits card to pay for eligible healthcare expenses virtually everywhere credit cards are accepted. If you are unable or choose not to use the FSA benefits card to make payments, you can send in a claim form with documentation for reimbursement. In order to be eligible, you must be employed in a benefits eligible position.
Health Care FSA: Using the Flex Spending Portal
First time using your FSA? Check out the these resources:
Health Care FSA - Funding Limits
If you elect a health care FSA during open enrollment, the full amount you elected will be available to use on January 1, 2025 and you can use the EBPA debit card to pay for eligible healthcare expenses or submit receipts to the EBPA portal for reimbursement. You can contribute up to $3,300 for 2025.
NOTE: Employees enrolling in a High Deductible Healthcare Plan cannot elect a healthcare FSA.
Carryover
FSA plans run from January 1 – December 31. You are allowed to carryover up to $640 into 2025. While you may still file expenses for 2024 until March 31, 2025, any unused Flexible Spending Health Care funds greater than $640 will be forfeited. The carryover for 2025-2026 is $660. If you participated in
2024 and do not elect an FSA for 2025, rollover balances will still be available per federal regulations.
Things to know
Flexible Spending Accounts can also help you save money by reducing your taxable income on an annual basis. To estimate your annual contribution and potential savings, use the FSA Tax Savings Calculator, offered by EBPA.
Dependent Care FSA
You can also contribute up to $5,000 per year ($2,500 if married and filing separate tax returns), pretax, to pay for eligible dependent care expenses. A qualifying dependent may be a child under age 13, a disabled spouse, or an older parent in eldercare.
Carryover
There is no rollover for Flexible Spending Dependent Care funds.
Things to know
Unlike the Health Care FSA, Dependent Care FSA funds are not available January 1. You must contribute and have an available balance to be reimbursed for expenses.
What's changing in 2026?
Maximum contributions will increase to $7,500 ($3,650 if married and filing separate tax returns) in 2026.
Health Savings Account (HSA) - Overview
Available only to those enrolled in a high-deductible healthcare plan (only available to non-union employees), an HSA can help cover medical costs including deductibles and let you save for future medical and retirement expenses. You can learn more about HSAs on the Medical Benefits page.
Key Differences between Funding Accounts
| Feature | Medical Flexible Savings Account | Health Savings Account |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | Benefits-eligible employees not enrolled in a HDHP. | Must be enrolled in a HDHP. |
| 2025 IRS Contribution Limits | $3,300 per individual. | $4,300 for individual coverage; $8,550 for family coverage. Additional $1,000 catchup for those aged 55+. |
| 2025 Carryover Rules | Unused funds up to $660 are carried over. Anything above that amount is forfeited. | Unused funds carry over year-to-year with no limits. |
| Investment Options | Not available. Funds do not earn interest or grow. | Can invest funds in stocks, bonds, or other options once a minimum balance is met, allowing for tax-free growth. |
| Account Access | Funds are available as soon as the plan year starts, regardless of how much you’ve contributed. | Only funds that have been contributed so far are available for use. |