Flex/Dependent Care Plan
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is an account established by your employer to allow you, the employee, to set aside pre-tax payroll dollars for IRS-Approved medical, dental, vision and dependent care expenses not otherwise reimbursable through another source (i.e. insurance company).
​
Money set aside in the Flexible Spending Account is deducted in equal increments from your payroll check throughout the plan year before taxes are calculated (24 pays). This plan lets you use some of the money that Uncle Sam would otherwise take to pay for your healthcare and dependent care expenses. In addition, by setting aside these dollars you reduce your taxable income resulting in more take-home pay. The plan year is a calendar year from January 1st to December 31st.
You must be over 50% and 1000 hours annually to qualify.
​Type of Expenses Paid on a Pre-Tax Basis
-
Dental care
-
Vision care
-
Orthodontia
-
Child care
-
Pre-school
-
Elder care
​
Common Questions
Do I need to be enrolled in my employer's medical plan to be eligible for FSA?
No. You can still pay your out of pocket expenses for you and your dependents with the FSA as long as you meet the requirements.
How much of my pre-tax income can I allocate to the FSA?
For the 2023 plan year, the amount you can allocate for Dependent Care FSA is limited to $5,000 by the IRS. This amount will reduce to $2,500 if you are married and filing separate returns (other limitations may apply). You can allocate up to a maximum $3,050.00 of your salary annually for the healthcare FSA
What happens if I have unused dollars left in the account at the end of the plan year?
Currently the IRS has a “use it or lose it” rule for Dependent Care FSA. This means you will forfeit any balances left in the account at the end of the plan year.
​
There is a 75 day "grace" period, which means you have until Nov. 13 to incur expenses and until Nov. 30 to submit your receipts.
Reimbursement
When you incur expenses that are eligible for reimbursement, the simplest way to request reimbursement is through the Member Portal. If you do not request reimbursement online, you may complete a Request for Reimbursement form and mail or FAX to EHIM at #248-204-6350 with the following documents:
-
Copy of the receipt or statement for your dependent care expenses.
-
Copy of the Explanation of Benefits or itemized bill.
-
Proof of payment for healthcare expenses.