Employers choose different "Run-Out" dates to finalize plan years. Understanding these windows is the only way to protect your salary.
Most employers use a calendar year (Jan 1 – Dec 31) for benefits. If you have remaining funds, your company will designate one of the four dates below as your final "Run-Out" deadline. Check your Summary Plan Description (SPD) to confirm your specific date.
The IRS allows employers to offer two different types of extensions. Knowing which one you have determines whether you can still spend money or just file for it.
An extension of the "Spending Clock." This gives you approximately 2.5 months after the plan year ends to actually purchase new medical items.
An extension of the "Filing Clock." This gives you time to submit receipts for items you already bought during the active plan year.
While dates vary by company, these are the four most frequent "cutoff" points used by plan administrators to close out the previous year's accounts:
| Date | Standard Designation | Typical Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| March 15 | Grace Period Deadline | Final day to spend funds for calendar-year plans. |
| March 31 | 90-Day Run-Out | Final day to file claims for items bought by Dec 31. |
| April 15 | Mid-Month Run-Out | A secondary filing deadline chosen by many mid-sized employers. |
| April 30 | Late Admin Run-Out | Final administrative "sweep" to close all prior year data. |
If your company's benefits do not follow the Jan-to-Dec calendar (e.g., a July 1 start date), your deadlines shift accordingly.
The Universal Calculation:
If you have passed your "Spending" deadline but still have a balance, look back at your receipts from the previous year. You can often find "forgotten" eligible expenses (like contact lens solution, sunscreen, or co-pays) that were purchased months ago but never filed.
As long as the purchase date was during the plan year, you can submit those receipts up until your employer's specific Run-Out Date.
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