Benepass benefits are set up to be used independently for different categories of purchases. In most cases, each benefit will serve a different purpose, so what's eligible under one benefit will normally not be eligible under a different benefit, therefore, benefits can't be combined to make a larger purchase.
This is true even if your employer provides you with a very flexible or broad benefit such as a bonus, incentive or holiday gift through Benepass, meaning that your purchase may be eligible under multiple benefits in this scenario.
In summary, each benefit balance must be used individually, regardless of whether the purchase is eligible under more than one category.
Here is an example:
- Mary's employer provided her with a Holiday Gift of $50
- Mary also has a Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) of $100
- Mary swipes her card to buy something that costs $150. The result? The card declines because the balances shouldn't be combined.
- In this case, Mary would need to use her holiday gift and LSA balance separately by purchasing something for $50 or under, and another purchase for $100 or under.
Alternatively, here are some additional options so that you can make the best use of your funds in this situation:
- Split Payments: Check with the merchant to see if they allow split payments. If so, ask them to divide the total purchase into smaller amounts that can be covered by each benefit separately or a combination of Benepass and personal payment methods.
- Expense Reimbursement: If your benefits program allows it, make the purchase with a personal payment method and submit an expense for reimbursement under each eligible benefit using the same receipt. Remember, you can only claim the amount available under each benefit.
Questions? We are happy to help! Please reach out to Benepass Support for any assistance.