No, car seats are not eligible for reimbursement with a Flexible Savings Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (FSA).
Why Are Car Seats Not FSA/HSA Eligible?
Car seats are not eligible for reimbursement through a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) because they are considered general safety items rather than medical necessities. According to IRS guidelines and SIGIS standards, FSA and HSA funds can only be used for products that directly address a medical condition, are prescribed by a healthcare professional, or serve a specific medical purpose.
While car seats provide essential safety for children during travel and may even be legally required, their primary purpose is to protect against potential injury rather than to treat, diagnose, or manage a health condition. This categorization excludes them from FSA/HSA eligibility. Items that are general household or personal safety purchases, such as car seats, fall outside the scope of what FSAs and HSAs are designed to cover.
Even if a car seat is recommended for a child with specific medical needs, the product itself does not fulfill the criteria of being used exclusively for a medical purpose, which is a requirement for FSA/HSA reimbursement. As such, car seats are classified alongside other safety-related items that, while important, do not meet the eligibility requirements under IRS and SIGIS guidelines.
