Dependent Care Assistance Program

Trinity University recognizes that many employees are responsible for the care of children up to age 13 or dependents who are no longer capable of caring for themselves. The Dependent Care Assistance Program is designed to assist with the expenses you must pay so that you can work. You may use your TFBP allowance and/or "pre-tax" dollars for this program.

Eligible dependents for the program are your children under the age of 13 and any other person incapable of self-care and whom you may claim as an IRS dependent.

The amount of dependent care expenses which may be used for this program is limited to the following:

$5,000 per year or $2,500 if you are married filing separately.

The lesser of your income or your spouse's income.

If your spouse is not employed, you would be excluded from using the Dependent Care Assistance program.

For the purpose of this program you may use either a dependent care center or private home care. Your spouse or another child under the age of 19, however, cannot provide in-home assistance. Overnight childcare is also excluded from eligible expenses.

Eligible expenses are housekeeper costs, baby-sitter costs, licensed day-care center costs and schooling costs for children below first grade. Transportation costs are not eligible expenses, nor are schooling costs for children in the first grade or above, other than after school care.

The program will operate according to the following steps:

At the beginning of each plan year, you will estimate your dependent care expenses for the next 12 months. It is important that you underestimate. DO NOT OVERESTIMATE HOW MUCH YOU WILL SPEND FOR DEPENDENT CARE EXPENSES.

Overestimating expenses will result in forfeiture of the amount remaining in your spending account.

The amount of your annual estimate will be divided by the number of times you are paid each year (i.e., 9, 12, or 24). This amount will be deducted from your paycheck on a "pre-tax" basis and will be placed into a dependent care spending account. If you elect to use TFBP allowance for dependent care expenses, the amount of the allowance will also be placed into a spending account available for reimbursement to you.

You will then be reimbursed the tax-free dollars placed in your spending account by a separate check after you submit receipts verifying your dependent care expenses. The minimum amount of the check to be disbursed is $50.00.

A dependent care reimbursement form must be completed in order to receive a reimbursement check. This form requires that a Social Security number be provided for children age 2 and over, the name, address and tax payer ID# of the dependent care provider be included, and that original receipts be attached. Should receipts submitted exceed account deposits, they will be suspended for reimbursement when there is a sufficient balance in the account.

Reimbursement checks are issued weekly on Thursdays for receipts/requests for reimbursement submitted by 10 a.m. on Tuesdays.

You may only change your annual estimate if you have a valid family status change (e.g. marriage, birth, death, adoption, divorce, commencement or termination of spouse's employment, switching from part-time to full-time status or full-time to part-time status by the employee or the employee's spouse, or taking a leave of absence).

If, at the end of the plan year, Dec 31, there is a balance in your spending account for which you have not incurred expenses, the balance will be forfeited. You have 90 days to claim your expenses after the fiscal year.

You also have a 2 1/2 month grace period (January 1 to March 15) to "spend down" any unused funds in the previous year's account.

You may also want to consider the option of a federal income tax allowance (credit) for dependent care. It may be more advantageous for you to pay for dependent care expenses with after-tax dollars and claim a credit on your tax return. You are advised to consult with your tax advisor prior to selecting your option.

Amendment Number 3 (pdf)

to Trinity University Cafeteria Plan

Dependent Care Assistance Plan (pdf)

Amendment Number 2 (PDF)

to the Dependent Care Assistance Plan

Medical Spending Account/Dependent Care Reimbursement Form

To be completed and sent or faxed to GPA by the participating employee for reimbursement. Please attach a copy of your receipt.

GPA Direct Deposit Authorization Form

To be completed and returned to Human Resources for authorization of direct deposit of reimbursements.