Be Cautious When Funding FSAs

Flexible spending accounts might not be such a good idea for people who aren't prepared to claim all their contributions back over the course of the year.

Many prudent people put money aside all year into employers' FSAs for health care, using it to help defray the costs of medical bills.

There are even handy debit-type cards given out by health-plan providers such as Aetna (AET Quote), UnitedHealth Group (UNH Quote) or even a specialist benefits company.

But many people don't manage the plan thoroughly, and end up forgetting to claim some amount of money. ...