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University faculty and staff holding a 50% time or greater appointment and house staff can designate a portion of earnings, not to exceed $5,000 per calendar year, to be deposited into a dependent care flexible spending account that is then used for reimbursement of eligible dependent care expenses incurred during the year for the custodial care of children or other eligible dependents.

Description of Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Annual Election. Participation in a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account will require an active election each year. If you would like to enroll or continue your enrollment in a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, you must make a flexible spending account election and complete your enrollment by the deadline. Spending account pledges will not roll over from a prior year. If you do not sign up during the annual enrollment, flexible spending account elections can only be changed if you have a qualifying event. 

IRS regulations provide that earnings allocated to a spending account are not subject to federal income taxes, state income taxes, or FICA taxes. If you elect to participate in this plan, you are reimbursed for these eligible expenses with income that is not subject to these taxes.

Your tax filing status limits your contributions. If you file your federal taxes as married filing separately, you may deposit up to a maximum of $2,500 yearly. All other tax filing statuses may deposit up to $5,000 yearly. The combined maximum a couple may contribute to this account is also $5,000 yearly.

Enrollment Instructions

Faculty, Professional & Scientific (P&S), Merit, and SEIU

Irrevocable Election. During any one year, once you elect to participate and designate the amount to be deposited into your spending accounts, you may not stop deposits or change the amount deposited into your account unless you have a qualifying event. A change in your account must be made within 30 days of the event; otherwise, you must wait until the next enrollment period.

Instructions for completing your benefits enrollment for the dependent care flexible spending account

  • Enter your monthly pledge into the "Monthly Dependent Care Contribution" box.
  • If you have not applied all of your general benefits or shared savings credits to the purchase of benefits, any remainder, up to the annual limit of $2,500 or $5,000 (depending on your tax filing status) for the 2024 calendar year, can be allocated into a dependent care flexible spending account. You will enter your remaining credit amount into the monthly pledge box.
  • Read and check the attestation:  "I acknowledge this account is for reimbursement of eligible dependent care expenses associated with the care provided to my eligible dependent. I understand this is not a Health Care Spending Account for my dependents."
    • If the box is not checked, you will receive an error until you either check the box or delete the amount you put in the contribution box. 
  • If you want to see the cost of your benefit selections before deciding on a flexible spending account pledge amount(s), enter "0" in the flexible spending account contribution area(s) and then choose the "recalculate" function/button. You can use this function multiple times to experiment with different choices and spending account(s) pledge amounts.
     

House Staff Residents/Physician Fellows

Irrevocable Election. During any one year, once you elect to participate and designate the amount to be deposited into your spending accounts, you may not stop deposits or change the amount deposited into your account unless you have a qualifying event. A change in your account must be made within 30 days of the event; otherwise, you must wait until the next enrollment period.

Instructions for completing your benefits enrollment for the dependent care flexible spending account 

  • Enter your monthly pledge into the "Monthly Dependent Care Contribution" box.
    • Read and check the attestation:  "I acknowledge this account is for reimbursement of eligible dependent care expenses associated with the care provided to my eligible dependent. I understand this is not a Health Care Spending Account for my dependents."
    • If the box is not checked, you will receive an error until you either check the box or delete the amount you put in the contribution box. 
  • If you do not wish to participate, then leave the box empty.

Changes for 2024:

The annual contribution to a Dependent Care FSA remains at $5,000 in 2024.