You cannot change your FSA contribution at any time — only during open enrollment or after a may have access to life event

FSA contributions are locked in for the entire plan year unless something specific happens in your life. Your employer sets the plan year (usually January through December, but sometimes different dates), and you choose your contribution amount during open enrollment, which typically lasts a few weeks in the fall. Once that window closes, you are stuck with that amount until the next open enrollment arrives — unless you experience a may have access to life event that lets you make a mid-year change.

The IRS calls this the "use-it-or-lose-it" rule combined with the "change-in-status" rule. Together, they mean your FSA is designed to be stable for the employer and predictable for payroll, but they also give you a narrow window to adjust if your circumstances shift.

Key Takeaways

  • FSA contributions lock in for the entire plan year and cannot be changed except during open enrollment or after a may have access to life event.
  • may have access to life events include marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, loss of other health coverage, and significant changes in dependent care costs.
  • You typically have 30 to 60 days after a may have access to event to notify your employer and request a change, depending on your plan.
  • Changes made mid-year usually take effect in the next pay period or the following month, not retroactively.
  • If you do not use the money in your FSA by the end of the plan year, you lose it — there is no carryover to the next year.

What counts as a may have access to life event

The IRS has a specific list of events that let you change your FSA contribution mid-year. The most common ones are marriage, divorce, birth of a child, adoption, death of a spouse or dependent, and a significant change in your dependent care costs (for example, your child ages out of daycare or you move to a new school district with higher tuition). Loss of health coverage through a spouse's job also qualifies.

Less obvious but still valid: a change in your work schedule that affects your dependent care needs, a change in your spouse's work schedule, or a significant change in the cost of care you use. Some plans also allow changes if you switch from self-only to family coverage or vice versa, or if your employer changes the FSA plan itself.

What does not count: a straightforward change of mind, wanting to save more money, or deciding you do not need as much coverage. Routine life decisions, even sensible ones, are not enough. The event has to be something that genuinely changes your need for FSA funds.

How to request a mid-year change

Contact your employer's benefits department or HR office as soon as the may have access to event happens. Do not wait. Most plans give you 30 to 60 days from the date of the event to report it and request a change — the exact window depends on your employer's plan document. If you miss that window, you are locked back in until the next open enrollment.

You will need to document the event. For a birth, bring a birth certificate or hospital paperwork. For marriage, a marriage license. For divorce, the final decree. For a change in dependent care costs, you may need a letter from your daycare provider or school showing the new cost. Your HR department can tell you exactly what they need before you submit anything.

Once you submit the request with documentation, your employer will review it. If it qualifies, they will process the change, usually effective the first of the next month or the next pay period. The change is not retroactive — you cannot adjust contributions for pay periods that already happened.

The timing of changes and when they take effect

If your may have access to event happens on June 15 and you report it by July 15, your new contribution amount typically starts on August 1 or with your next paycheck after approval. The money you already contributed in June and July stays in your FSA at the old contribution level — you cannot get that back or redirect it.

This matters because FSA funds are "use-it-or-lose-it." If you lower your contribution mid-year because you realized you will not spend as much, the money you already set aside is still yours to use, but only by the end of the plan year. If you do not spend it, it vanishes. Some employers offer a grace period of up to 2.5 months into the next year to spend remaining funds, but most do not — check your plan document or ask HR.

Open enrollment is your main window to change

Even if you cannot make a mid-year change, open enrollment is coming. Most employers hold open enrollment in October or November for a plan year starting January 1. During those few weeks, you can change your FSA contribution to any amount you want, increase it, decrease it, or drop it entirely.

This is the time to look at what you actually spent in the current year and adjust accordingly. If you had $2,500 in your FSA and spent only $1,200, you are leaving money on the table. Lower your contribution next year. If you spent it all and wished you had more, increase it — the IRS limit for 2024 is $3,300 per person per year, though that limit changes annually.

What happens if you leave your job

If you quit or are laid off, your FSA contributions stop when ready, but you keep the money already in your account through the end of the plan year. You can continue to submit claims for expenses you incurred while you were employed, as long as you submit them before the plan year ends. After that, any unused balance is forfeited.

Some employers offer COBRA continuation for FSA, which lets you keep the account going for a limited time after you leave, but COBRA for FSA is rare and expensive. More commonly, you lose access to the FSA when you leave. If you move to a new job with an FSA, you start fresh with a new account and a new contribution amount — the old account does not transfer.

Dependent care FSA has slightly different rules

A dependent care FSA (used for daycare, after-school programs, and summer camps) follows the same contribution-lock rules as a medical FSA, but the may have access to events are narrower. Changes in dependent care costs are the main reason to adjust mid-year — for example, if your daycare provider raises tuition, if your child starts kindergarten and you no longer need full-time care, or if you move and your new childcare is more expensive.

A change in your work schedule or your spouse's work schedule also qualifies if it changes how much dependent care you actually need. But a straightforward decision to use less care does not may have access to, even if it is financially smart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my FSA contribution if I get a raise?

No. A raise is not a may have access to life event. You have to wait for open enrollment to increase your contribution. The exception: if your employer changes the FSA plan itself — for example, raising the annual limit — that may trigger a change window, but ask HR to be sure.

What if I realize mid-year I chose the wrong amount?

You are locked in unless a may have access to event happens. If you contributed too much and will not spend it, you lose the remainder at the end of the year. If you contributed too little, you cannot add more until open enrollment. This is why it helps to track your medical and dependent care spending before open enrollment and use that to set next year's amount.

Do I lose my FSA money if I change jobs?

You keep the money already in your account through the end of the current plan year, but you cannot add to it after you leave. Any unused balance at the end of the plan year is forfeited. Your new employer's FSA is a separate account with its own contribution amount.

Can I change my FSA if my spouse loses their job?

Yes, if your spouse loses coverage through their employer, that is a may have access to event. You have 30 to 60 days to report it and request a change. You might increase your FSA contribution if your spouse was using their own FSA, or you might not change it at all — it depends on your situation.

What if I have a baby mid-year?

Birth of a child is a may have access to event. You have 30 to 60 days from the birth to notify HR and request a change. You can increase your medical FSA if you expect higher out-of-pocket costs, or increase your dependent care FSA if you will need childcare. The change takes effect in the next pay period or month, not retroactively.