If you have money sitting in an FSA, the clock is real: most balances vanish on December 31. A qualifying water filter is one of the best ways to turn that expiring money into something durable. Here is how to do it in time.
The deadline
Most FSA balances expire December 31. A qualifying water filter — bought with a Letter of Medical Necessity — converts money you would otherwise forfeit into a lasting home upgrade. Start early; the letter takes time.
Flexible Spending Accounts are "use it or lose it": funds you do not spend by your plan's deadline are generally forfeited. For most plans that deadline is December 31, though some employers offer a short grace period (often into mid-March) or a small carryover of unused funds. Check which your plan has — but never assume; many plans have neither.
Faced with forfeiting money, people often buy random eligible odds and ends. A qualifying water filter is different: it is durable, genuinely useful, and (with documentation) addresses a real health concern. Instead of spending the balance on things you do not need, you convert it into cleaner water for years — effectively a 100% "discount" on funds that would otherwise vanish, on top of the usual pre-tax saving. See end-of-year spending ideas.
This is the part people get wrong. A filter needs a Letter of Medical Necessity dated on or before purchase, and the survey-and-review step takes a little time. Do not wait until December 31 — start in early December so the letter is issued and the purchase clears before your deadline.
Log in to your FSA portal; note the exact cutoff and any grace period or carryover.
Match it to your water concern — see the best eligible systems.
The TrueMed flow handles the Letter of Medical Necessity at purchase.
Save the letter and itemized receipt for your administrator.
SpringWell's eligible systems issue the Letter of Medical Necessity at checkout — start now so it clears before December 31.
Shop eligible systems →Tip: if your balance is larger than a single year's filter purchase, remember replacement filters and combos can use eligible funds too — see how to buy with HSA/FSA.
Most FSA balances expire December 31, though some plans offer a short grace period or a small carryover. Check your specific plan, and do not assume you have either.
Yes, with a Letter of Medical Necessity. Start in early December so the letter is issued and the purchase clears before your deadline.
Almost always. You convert money you would lose into a durable, eligible purchase, on top of the usual pre-tax saving.
