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Dependent care flexible spending account (DepCare FSA)
Dependent care flexible spending account (DepCare FSA)
Administered by WEX Health
You set aside money for your dependent care flexible spending account (DepCare FSA) from your paycheck before taxes are taken out and use the funds for caregiving expenses for your child (up to age 13) or eligible adult dependent.
In addition to UC faculty and staff, Academic Student Employees and Graduate Student Researchers are eligible for the DepCare FSA.
Interested in setting aside money for health care expenses for you and your family? Learn more about the health flexible spending account.
- Full Full eligibility available
- Mid Mid eligibility available
- Core Core eligibility available
- Retirees Retirees eligibility available
How to enroll
Newly hired employees, newly benefit-eligible employees and those experiencing a qualifying life event can enroll through their UCPath online account during their Period of Initial Eligibility.
You must re-enroll annually during Open Enrollment if you want to continue participating. Enrollment does not continue automatically into the next plan year.
How the plan works
You contribute up to the IRS limit each year (in 2024, that’s $5,000 for most people) to use for qualifying dependent care expenses. Your FSA contributions are deducted from your paycheck before taxes are withheld, which reduces your taxable income and saves you money on taxes (depending on your situation).
The IRS defines employees who earned $150,000 or more in 2023 as “highly compensated,” and limits their 2024 DepCare FSA contributions to $3,000.
The Dependent Care FSA is a use-it-or-lose-it plan, with a grace period for using the funds in your account. You’ll lose any money over the carryover amount that you haven’t spent on eligible expenses by the end of the grace period, and claimed by the deadline.
For 2024, the grace period is March 15, 2025, and the deadline to submit claims is April 15, 2025.
- The DepCare FSA is used to pay eligible expenses for the care of an eligible child or adult dependent who is incapable of self-care. You may not use it to pay for health care expenses (see Health FSA).
- You can pay for eligible expenses with your WEX Health debit card. (If you also have a health FSA, you can use the same card for both accounts.) In many cases, you won’t be required to submit additional documentation.
- If you pay eligible expenses out of pocket, you can submit your claim and appropriate documentation online or through the WEX app and you’ll be reimbursed.
- Generally, FSA contributions cannot be changed during the year unless you experience a qualifying event. See the plan booklet for information on qualifying events and allowed changes as defined by the IRS.
- You must re-enroll annually during Open Enrollment to continue participating the following plan year.
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- A new employee
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