Can I use my Flex Account to pay for my Daughter's orthodontics?

Edit Subject

You are correct but please keep reading for more details.

Orthodontics is the exception to the rule and has some flexibility around how it is claimed. The general rule (that ONLY applies to orthodontics) is that when you are actually billed for the expense determines what plan year the funds are reimbursed from.

You can pay one time within a given plan year or pay over a multi month period of time, even if it crosses a plan year. For example, if you start orthodontic work on 12/15/2011 and pay a lump sum of $3,000 on 12/15/2011 then that expense is deemed to have incurred in 2011. You could also sign up for a monthly payment plan that charged $83.33 / month over a 3 year period ($3,000 / 36) and could pay the December payment out of the 2011 plan year, make 12 payments out of the 2012 plan year, 12 payments out of the 2013 plan year, etc.

Does that help?