total budget buster - I really messed up!

[tres besitos]

Well I have had my fingers crossed, but the denial letter just came in the mail. Our flexible spending account reimbursement from 2010 - $750, was just officially denied. I totally messed this up! I have had in the back of my mind that this and our gym reimbursement of $150 from health insurance had to be submitted by 3/31. We have had a crazy 6 weeks of sick kids, 3 cases of back to back strep throat and a recurrent stomach flu that has hit all 5 of us (my 6 year old had it 3 times and missed 8 days of school!) This is not an excuse, but my mind has been else where. The last week in March as I was getting all the necessary paperwork together, I went to print out the flexible spending account info and saw that the deadline was 3/15 - I missed it by 9 days. I was so sure that the deadline for both was the 31st, as it had been in years past. I crossed my fingers back dated the form and faxed it in. But the official denial of claim letter came today!

I know it is my fault, I shouldn't have procrastinated, but I am feeling so bad about this. I just basically threw away $750. That money was going into our disney fund! I am so upset! I was hoping for a trip next year, but there is no way I can make up that much money clipping coupons! Thanks for letting me vent. I just opened the mail and freaked out - I am not looking forward to telling my husband this one!

 

[LoriKutchey]

It was an honest mistake under extenuating circumstances! I'm sure it hurts though, that is alot of money to make-up. So Sorry!

 

[JosieGirl71]

Have you tried calling and explaining your circumstances? Is there an appeal process? That's a lot of money to forfeit. I'm sorry too.

 

[GinnyEmma]

I am so sorry!! I hate when I screw up like that! I dont know if it can be fixed, but if not, please try not to be horribly harsh on yourself.

 

[Sandi]

I'm sorry you missed the deadline. Last year the grace period expired on March 15, too. There isn't much anyone can do because these plans have to follow the federal guidelines.

 

[ilovemk76]

Well I have had my fingers crossed, but the denial letter just came in the mail. Our flexible spending account reimbursement from 2010 - $750, was just officially denied. I totally messed this up! I have had in the back of my mind that this and our gym reimbursement of $150 from health insurance had to be submitted by 3/31. We have had a crazy 6 weeks of sick kids, 3 cases of back to back strep throat and a recurrent stomach flu that has hit all 5 of us (my 6 year old had it 3 times and missed 8 days of school!) This is not an excuse, but my mind has been else where. The last week in March as I was getting all the necessary paperwork together, I went to print out the flexible spending account info and saw that the deadline was 3/15 - I missed it by 9 days. I was so sure that the deadline for both was the 31st, as it had been in years past. I crossed my fingers back dated the form and faxed it in. But the official denial of claim letter came today!

I know it is my fault, I shouldn't have procrastinated, but I am feeling so bad about this. I just basically threw away $750. That money was going into our disney fund! I am so upset! I was hoping for a trip next year, but there is no way I can make up that much money clipping coupons! Thanks for letting me vent. I just opened the mail and freaked out - I am not looking forward to telling my husband this one!

That sucks.

 

[Marionnette]

Well I have had my fingers crossed, but the denial letter just came in the mail. Our flexible spending account reimbursement from 2010 - $750, was just officially denied. I totally messed this up! I have had in the back of my mind that this and our gym reimbursement of $150 from health insurance had to be submitted by 3/31. We have had a crazy 6 weeks of sick kids, 3 cases of back to back strep throat and a recurrent stomach flu that has hit all 5 of us (my 6 year old had it 3 times and missed 8 days of school!) This is not an excuse, but my mind has been else where. The last week in March as I was getting all the necessary paperwork together, I went to print out the flexible spending account info and saw that the deadline was 3/15 - I missed it by 9 days. I was so sure that the deadline for both was the 31st, as it had been in years past. I crossed my fingers back dated the form and faxed it in. But the official denial of claim letter came today!

I know it is my fault, I shouldn't have procrastinated, but I am feeling so bad about this. I just basically threw away $750. That money was going into our disney fund! I am so upset! I was hoping for a trip next year, but there is no way I can make up that much money clipping coupons! Thanks for letting me vent. I just opened the mail and freaked out - I am not looking forward to telling my husband this one!

Ouch!

I've missed deadlines before but I don't think I've ever missed one that cost me that much! I can't imagine how awful you must feel! Is there no hope for an appeal? Obviously the money was spent in 2010. To lose that much money over being just a little late due to illness really hurts. Maybe someone in your HR dept. can help you out.

Here's hoping that you can get it ironed out.

 

[HamTown]

Last year we didn't have enough expenses to get fully reimbursed so I feel your pain.

Can you submit it quarterly? That way if you forget at the end, you won't have lost the whole thing.

 

[LEXAVE]

My face is in the dictionary for procrastination! That said, I am always scrambling to fix my boo-boos.

My husband handles flex spending, so I am not sure how it works, so forgive my ignorance.

But I say call, beg, plead, cry ask for a manager and do it again if you have to. Explain the craziness that went on in your house.

Hey anything is possible. Good luck.
(Sending you some pixie dust.)

 

[robinb]

Bummer . I'm sorry .

 

[mjkacmom]

I almost had a blunder. We put too much in ($5000 - we thought we could pay off dd's braces all at once, but you can only do that if you do it right at the beginning). On the last day of December, I put in a drugstore.com order for about $500 (stuff we use a lot, and some wish-lists, like a portable nebulizer). Well, even though I placed the order in December, the receipt said 1/1/12 (and OTC medications no longer apply in 2012). Fortunately, there was a grace period, and ds needed a root canal and a crown, so it all worked out (well, not for him). I did sent back a lot of the fluff stuff back...

I felt sick to my stomach.

 

[figment3258]

Bummer

 

[tres besitos]

I'm sorry you missed the deadline. Last year the grace period expired on March 15, too. There isn't much anyone can do because these plans have to follow the federal guidelines.

Yes, this is what I am worried about. There is an appeal process and I will try, but as the initial claim was denied because I missed the deadline, I don't know that there is any wiggle room. I usually submit the FSA in December and use the money for Christmas, this year we decided to put it into our vacation fund, and without verifying it I assumed that it followed the same IRS deadline as the IRA contribution 3/31.

I use to work for a life insurance co. and I know that there can be a certain amount of wiggle room with dates, so i tried to back date the initial claim, hoping that whoever handled the paperwork, would just let it squeak by, but no such luck.

It just totally stinks, because we have been trying so hard to save money, no extras, cutback wherever possible,etc, and in trying to talk my husband into another WDW vacation before the kids are teenagers it is up to me to find the money from the household budget. Since I pay for the prescriptions, dr's visits copays, dentist appointments etc. this FSA money was a huge jump start to the vacation fund.

Maybe I will submit 2011 FSA, quarterly, although I can't imagine this would be a mistake I will ever repeat!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

I almost had a blunder. We put too much in ($5000 - we thought we could pay off dd's braces all at once, but you can only do that if you do it right at the beginning). On the last day of December, I put in a drugstore.com order for about $500 (stuff we use a lot, and some wish-lists, like a portable nebulizer). Well, even though I placed the order in December, the receipt said 1/1/12 (and OTC medications no longer apply in 2012). Fortunately, there was a grace period, and ds needed a root canal and a crown, so it all worked out (well, not for him). I did sent back a lot of the fluff stuff back...

I felt sick to my stomach.

You mean 2011 right?

OP I'm sorry....I never used the flex spending acct when I was working...I knew it would never work out right for me so I just skipped it. I wonder if you can appeal it?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Yikes hate to tell you this but you did not loose $750 you lost $1500! First your company with held $750 from your pay check to be put into your FSA then you spent $750 out of you pocket to pay for your FSA expenses. So add the $750 withheld from your paycheck plus the $750 you paid out of your pocket and you have a total of $1500.

I would try to appeal! Call and talk to a supervisor ASAP.

 

[tavettava]

I would call too. Our flex plan we have to have everything in by April 15. We can get reimbersed for everything from last year plus up until March 15th of this year.

 

[singleinthe city]

Last year we didn't have enough expenses to get fully reimbursed so I feel your pain.

Can you submit it quarterly? That way if you forget at the end, you won't have lost the whole thing.

I agree why did you wait to file the whole shebang at once. Every plan I have ever been in lets you file as claims come in. Most plans even let you get reimbursed up to your expected annual contribution at the beginning of the year. So if you are expected to contribute $1,000 over the year and you have $1,200 root canal on Jan 15th then you submit your claim that day. As someone who had just that, I can attest that it does happen.

 

[alwaysmom]

Yikes hate to tell you this but you did not loose $750 you lost $1500! First your company with held $750 from your pay check to be put into your FSA then you spent $750 out of you pocket to pay for your FSA expenses. So add the $750 withheld from your paycheck plus the $750 you paid out of your pocket and you have a total of $1500.

Oh my!!! I'd be on the phone immediately killing them with kindness, shedding tears and probably begging.

 

[TifffanyD]

Yikes hate to tell you this but you did not loose $750 you lost $1500! First your company with held $750 from your pay check to be put into your FSA then you spent $750 out of you pocket to pay for your FSA expenses. So add the $750 withheld from your paycheck plus the $750 you paid out of your pocket and you have a total of $1500.

I would try to appeal! Call and talk to a supervisor ASAP.

No she only lost $750. She had $750 worth of medical expenses for which her cost is now $1500 (that is the $1500 you refer to). She still had to pay for the $750 worth of expenses, either way. It's not like she would have gotten that stuff for free.

Don't want you to feel any worse than you already do, OP!

 

[DipsyDoodles]

Well I have had my fingers crossed, but the denial letter just came in the mail. Our flexible spending account reimbursement from 2010 - $750, was just officially denied. I totally messed this up! I have had in the back of my mind that this and our gym reimbursement of $150 from health insurance had to be submitted by 3/31. We have had a crazy 6 weeks of sick kids, 3 cases of back to back strep throat and a recurrent stomach flu that has hit all 5 of us (my 6 year old had it 3 times and missed 8 days of school!) This is not an excuse, but my mind has been else where. The last week in March as I was getting all the necessary paperwork together, I went to print out the flexible spending account info and saw that the deadline was 3/15 - I missed it by 9 days. I was so sure that the deadline for both was the 31st, as it had been in years past. I crossed my fingers back dated the form and faxed it in. But the official denial of claim letter came today!

I know it is my fault, I shouldn't have procrastinated, but I am feeling so bad about this. I just basically threw away $750. That money was going into our disney fund! I am so upset! I was hoping for a trip next year, but there is no way I can make up that much money clipping coupons! Thanks for letting me vent. I just opened the mail and freaked out - I am not looking forward to telling my husband this one!

Get notes from your kid's doctors about the strep throat, you must have brought them to the doctors right? Use whatever you can and appeal. Good luck!