Anybody Use Flex Spending Accounts?

Amy, did you get your letter/form from Dr. Garth or your PCP so you can claim your vitamins on your flex account? 

I got it from the flex spending people and had Dr. G sign it and fax it to them.

I love my flex spending account. They take out $400 a month for me (and my family) and we usually run out around 8 or 9 months into the year. Sometimes earlier. Of course we have five in glasses and my husband and youngest son both need extensive dental work. Then there is those pesky $25 office visits and $25 to $50 prescriptions when the kids get sick (two have had the flu already this year). I also use it when I buy things like cough medication, etc. when the kids are sick.

My glasses cost over $400 (2 pairs, both high index, one computer pair, one bifocals with transitions). If my daughter's prescription doesn't change significantly, she's only going to get contact lenses this year. My sons will both be getting new frames and lenses.

Pretty soon I'm going to have a third child in braces, so we'll definitely want to have the tax saver for that though you have to budget for which year the work is actually done in. If the fee is $5000 and the expected treatment time is 2 years, you can only claim $2500 in each year -- even if you pay more in year one. Weird IRS rules!

Susan

I like mine, too because it helps "smooth out" any larger expenses.

My youngest just got his braces off last week - YAY!  Since I paid it out at $150/month over the 2 years I just filed for reimbursement every month.

I hear ya on the glasses - OUCH - mine will be over $200 WITH vision insurance !  But then I am blind as a bat and need progressive bifocals.....

My glasses with vision insurance were over $400. One pair is my computer glasses (high index) single vision. The other pair is my regular pair of bifocals (high index) with Transitions.

I felt good this year. Last year my glasses (different vision insurance) were over $500 for two pairs.

Susan