If you're a federal employee with money left in your 2025 FSAFEDS Health Care Flexible Spending Account, the clock is ticking. April 30, 2026 is the absolute last day to file claims for eligible expenses incurred during the 2025 plan year (January 1 – December 31, 2025) or the grace period (January 1 – March 15, 2026).
After April 30, any remaining balance is forfeited — gone, no exceptions, no appeals. Here's exactly what you need to know and do.
Key Dates for Federal Employees
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2025 | 2025 FSAFEDS plan year ends |
| Mar 15, 2026 | Grace period ends — last day to incur eligible expenses using 2025 funds |
| Apr 30, 2026 | Claims filing deadline — last day to submit claims for 2025/grace period expenses |
These are two different deadlines and confusing them is a common, expensive mistake:
- The grace period deadline (March 15) is the last day you can incur an expense and charge it to 2025 funds.
- The claims deadline (April 30) is the last day you can submit paperwork for those expenses.
If you had an eligible expense on March 10, 2026, you still have until April 30 to file the claim. But you cannot incur a new expense on March 20 and charge it to 2025 funds — the grace period has closed.
What Claims Can You Still File?
You can file claims for any eligible medical expense that was incurred between January 1, 2025 and March 15, 2026. "Incurred" means the date you received the service or purchased the item — not the date you were billed or paid.
Common expenses to check:
- Doctor visit copays — check your insurance EOBs for any visits you forgot to claim
- Prescription copays — your pharmacy can print a year-end summary
- Dental work — cleanings, fillings, orthodontia payments
- Vision expenses — eye exams, glasses, contacts purchased in 2025
- OTC medications — allergy meds, pain relievers, cold medicine (keep receipts!)
- Menstrual products — pads, tampons, cups purchased in 2025
- Sunscreen — SPF 15+ purchased in 2025
- COVID tests — at-home test kits purchased in 2025
Step-by-Step: How to File on FSAFEDS
Follow these steps to file a claim before the April 30 deadline:
Step 1: Gather your documentation
For each expense, you need:
- An itemized receipt or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurance
- The receipt must show: provider name, date of service, description of service/item, and amount
- Credit card statements alone are not sufficient — you need itemized proof
Step 2: Log in to FSAFEDS.gov
Go to fsafeds.gov and log in with your FSAFEDS credentials. If you've forgotten your login, use the password recovery tool — don't wait until April 29 to figure this out.
Step 3: Submit your claim
- Click "Submit a Claim" from your dashboard
- Select "Health Care FSA" as the account type
- Enter the date of service, provider name, and amount
- Upload your documentation (receipt or EOB)
- Review and submit
Step 4: Confirm submission
After submitting, check your claims history to confirm the claim shows as "Submitted" or "Pending." Save your confirmation number. Claims typically process within 5-10 business days.
Step 5: Check for reimbursement
Once approved, reimbursement is deposited into your bank account on file. If you haven't set up direct deposit, do it now at fsafeds.gov under account settings — otherwise you'll receive a paper check, which takes longer.
What If You've Already Spent Everything?
If your 2025 HCFSA balance is $0, you're in the clear — nothing to worry about. But double-check: many federal employees have small remaining balances they've forgotten about. Log in to FSAFEDS and check your "Account Summary" page.
DCFSA (Dependent Care) Deadline
The same April 30 deadline applies to the Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA). If you had dependent care expenses (daycare, after-school care, elder care) in 2025 that you haven't claimed, file them before April 30.
Tips to Avoid This Stress Next Year
The reason most federal employees lose FSA money isn't that they don't have eligible expenses — it's that they forget to track their balance and file on time. Here are three ways to prevent it:
- Set up SpendRebel for federal employees — it's pre-configured for FSAFEDS plan years and sends escalating reminders as your deadlines approach.
- File claims monthly — don't let receipts pile up. Submit each expense shortly after it's incurred.
- Use the FSAFEDS debit card — the FSAFEDS-issued debit card automatically submits many claims at the point of sale, reducing manual filing.
The April 30 deadline is less than five weeks away. Don't be one of the thousands of federal employees who forfeit money every year. Check your balance, gather your receipts, and file today.
Sign up for SpendRebel to make sure you never miss another deadline. It takes two minutes and it's completely free.