Oh, they're all assholes there.

I got mugged in Nice, France. Still have a wee scar in the middle of my forehead, and that was 14 years ago.

I'm trying to figure out if I should sign up for a health savings account for next year. Between needing new glasses after New Years, finally getting my ass over to the dentist for a long-delayed cleaning, and having surgery, I probably should save at least the tax on those expenses, right?

I probably should save at least the tax on those expenses, right?

I don't see a down side. If it's the sort of savings account that I'm used to it also makes the full amount available to you before you've finished contributing to it even if you never finish contributing to it. Just make sure there's nothing left to roll over.

I probably should save at least the tax on those expenses, right?

Yes. And ita's right about the full amount being available to you even if you change jobs before the end of the year.

And ita's right about the full amount being available to you even if you change jobs before the end of the year

Kind of. The full amount is available as long as the purchases were made prior to your termination date. I left my job this year and the official termination date was 6/8/09. I could make claims on the full amount as long as all the purchases were made on or before 6/8/09.

I think so, Kathy. The pre-tax savings is nice to have in general, and since you know you'll have those expenses, I don't really see a downside.

It took me a few years to get my FSA deduction in line with my actual expenses, but the tax savings are pretty sweet.

If you have expenses whose cost and dates you can predict, do the math and sock away as much as you can afford. I tended to put away my deductibles plus a little more, but you can spend it on pharmacy purchases as well. I never got organised enough to do that, not least of all because it took years for my meds to stabilise.

I swear all that talk of vasovagal episodes in Bitches has made them come back for me. Curses. I just stretched (sitting down!) and got light headed. I've been so much better with them since I started working.

You can adjust the amount deducted later in the year, right? Because most of my expenses are going to be in the first quarter, so I'll be socking it away then, but would like to cut back on the deduction after Easter.

Seeing your father and mother talk in English can't help either.

Yep. That, too.

The native Esperanto speakers I've read about all grew up with it as the primary household tongue, not a unique experiment.