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Health care flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are a great way to use pre-tax dollars to pay for medical costs. The catch is that you set contributions for the year before you know exactly what you'll spend on eligible expenses, and you may forfeit unused health care FSA funds.
Now is the time to use up leftover FSA money. You can pay for qualifying FSA expenses directly from your account or submit receipts for reimbursement, which allows you to pay for eligible purchases with a rewards credit card.
If you want to ensure you're making the most of what your credit card offers while using up your use-it-or-lose-it money, here's what you need to know.
FSA eligible credit card benefits
How do FSAs work?
Flexible spending accounts are offered through your employer and funded with pre-tax dollars, which means you won't pay federal taxes on the money you deposit in these accounts. There are several different types of FSAs, including:
- Health care FSA: There is a wide range of medical expenses you can pay for with funds from this type of account, including copayments, deductibles, prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and much more.
- Limited-purpose FSA: This type of account may be available to you alongside an HSA (health savings account), and you can only use the funds for dental and vision expenses.
- Dependent care FSA: You can pay for daycare, preschool, before- or after-school programs and more with this type of FSA.
- Commuter FSA: These funds can be used to pay for qualified parking and public transit costs for commuting to work.
As you're making end-of-year FSA plans, keep in mind that you may not have to spend all of your leftover funds, and you may have longer to spend your money than you realize.
For health care FSAs and limited-purpose FSAs, you normally have to make eligible purchases by Dec. 31, and you have three months after that deadline to submit receipts for reimbursement for that plan year. Some employers may offer a 2.5-month grace period to apply new qualified expenses to your previous year's FSA or allow you to rollover an amount set by the IRS (up to $660 into your 2026 FSA).
Earn bonus rewards
There are lots of everyday items you can stock up on if you have FSA money you don't want to lose. Always consult your FSA account administrator or tax professional if you have questions about what qualifies, but you can be reimbursed for bandages, aspirin, sunscreen, feminine hygiene products, cough drops and much more.
You can purchase most of these items at drugstores, so peek in your wallet to find the credit card that earns the highest return. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) and the Chase Freedom Flex® are both great options because they earn 3% cash back at drugstores. The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® from Barclays also offers 3% cash back at drugstores and 2% cash back on eligible medical expenses.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-annual-fee card that earns generous cash-back on everyday purchases and a lucrative welcome bonus. Plus, if you pair it with a premium Chase credit card that allows point transfers, you can convert your cash back into flexible travel rewards.
- Users get a high rewards rate and strong welcome bonus
- Purchases and balance transfers receive an intro APR
- No annual fee
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Few rewarding ongoing benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% - 27.74%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
FSA-eligible items are also available through popular retailers like Amazon and other online stores. With the Prime Visa (see rates and fees), you'll be able to earn 5% cash back on FSA-eligible purchases you make on Amazon.com (with an eligible Prime membership). Outside of special offers, you'll have a hard time finding a higher return for your FSA expenses.
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases
- Offers an automatic gift card welcome bonus after card approval
- Option to earn rewards or take advantage of 0% promo APRs
- Includes a wealth of travel insurance protections
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership for approval
- If you choose the promo APR, you won't earn rewards on those purchases
- Rewards can't be pooled with other Chase credit cards
Rewards
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Use statement credits
Most premium credit cards are loaded with benefits, and you can use certain perks to offset FSA-eligible purchases.
For example, the American Express Platinum Card® comes with an annual $200 statement credit when you purchase an Oura Ring at Ouraring.com (enrollment required). Oura Rings and Oura Ring subscriptions are FSA-eligible expenses.
You could purchase an Oura Ring with your Amex Platinum Card and get up to $200 back while earning 1X Membership Rewards® points. Then you can submit your receipt to your FSA and get reimbursed for the purchase price (up to the amount of funds in your account).
This is a very specific benefit for a somewhat niche purchase, but the Amex Platinum — and many similar cards — have other perks that can overlap with FSA-eligible expenses.
The American Express Platinum Card® is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Access to 1,550+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
- Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs
- Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High annual fee
- Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases
- Not as rewarding for purchases as other lower-fee travel cards
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
- $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
- $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
- $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM late check-out.
- $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
None
Delivery services
Delivery service benefits are a staple of top-tier travel credit cards, and you can offset purchases from DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub and Instacart. These services offer delivery from drugstores, grocery stores and superstores like Target, all of which sell FSA-qualifying items.
A few of the best options for delivery service credits include:
- American Express Platinum Card®: Receive up to $200 in Uber Cash per year to use on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction ($15 in Uber Cash per month and $35 in Uber Cash every December). You can also enroll to receive up to $120 in Uber One credits per calendar year for an auto-renewing subscription. Terms apply and enrollment is required.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): Get one complimentary year of DoorDash DashPass when you activate by Dec. 31, 2027. Plus, get up to $25 in monthly DoorDash credits (up to $10 in credit for non-restaurant orders twice per month and one $5 restaurant credit per month).
- *Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard®: Get up to $120 in annual Grubhub credits (up to $10 per monthly billing statement).
You can receive Instacart benefits with a slew of Chase co-branded credit cards, including The World of Hyatt Credit Card, Disney® Premier Visa® Card and many more. Simply enroll to receive three months of complimentary Instacart+ and $10 in monthly credits through Dec. 31, 2027.
These credits are trickier to use because they're doled out in such small increments, and paying delivery fees can jack up the cost of your end-of-the-year Band-Aid haul. But you may be able to skirt the bulk of the fees with a pickup order or by taking advantage of a complimentary premium subscription to reduce fees (i.e., DashPass, Instacart+, UberOne, etc.), which is a benefit of several of these cards.
Don't forget, you can submit receipts from the entire calendar year for reimbursement, and you'll typically have three months after the end of the year to submit them. If you used your delivery service credits for FSA-eligible items in January 2025, you normally have until the end of March 2026 to submit them for reimbursement.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® is one of the best ways to get access to American Airlines' network of Admirals Club® airport lounges.
- Access to nearly 100 Admirals Club® and partner airport lounges
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit
- High annual fee
- Additional fee for authorized users
- No bonus rewards outside of American Airlines purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- For a limited time, earn 125,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $15,000 in purchases in the first 5 months of account opening.
- The only card with Admirals Club® membership. Membership includes access for you and up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you.
- Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit of up to $120 every 4 years.
- Earn a 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 50,000, 90,000, 165,000 and 240,000 Loyalty Points in the same status qualification year.
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation.
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
Fitness expenses
Fitness equipment, personal trainers and gym memberships aren't typically eligible for FSA reimbursement. However, if you receive a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) from your licensed health-care provider detailing what items or services are required and why, these expenses can be FSA eligible. If you qualify, you may be able to utilize the Amex Platinum's Equinox benefits or the Sapphire Reserve's Peloton perks to double dip with your FSA.
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card also has a credit you may be able to use for FSA spending. The card offers up to $200 in annual Splurge credits that apply to your choice of up to two of the following brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training and Live Nation. Depending on your circumstances, Future Personal Training could be FSA eligible, and Best Buy sells a handful of FSA-eligible devices, such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors.
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card offers luxury travel benefits and heightened rewards on travel and restaurant purchases — while still earning 1.5X points on all other purchases.
- Exceptional rewards rate on travel booked through cititravel.com
- Earns flexible points that transfer to popular airline and hotel partners, like American Airlines
- Features roughly $1,500 in value through statement credits, airport lounge access and more
- High $595 annual fee
- $75 annual fee for each authorized user
- Limited rewards categories
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Travel credits
Certain expenses you incur while traveling for medical care can be covered by your health care or limited-purpose FSA. You can be reimbursed for medical care travel costs, such as parking, tolls and mileage when driving your vehicle. Even lodging (up to a limited amount) could be covered with a letter from a licensed health-care provider.
Travel benefits and credits are the bread and butter of top credit cards, but they can be restrictive and only apply to specific purchases from a single company or a small list of companies. That said, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has perhaps the most straightforward annual travel credit of any card. Every year, you're reimbursed for the first $300 in travel purchases made with your card, including tolls, parking, hotels and other FSA-qualifying travel expenses.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with luxury perks including, hotel credits, complimentary hotel elite status, travel credits, dining credits, rideshare and delivery benefits and much more.
- Access Priority Pass lounges, including unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club locations.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
- Complicated list of benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Music for a minimum of one year when activated by June 22, 2027, a value of $288 annually.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
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For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, click here.
*We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through Amazon links.
Information about the World of Hyatt Credit Card, Premier Visa® Card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
