Flexible Spending Accounts

An employee can open a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for work-related, dependent care and/or for medical expenses, which are not reimbursed by insurance. The employee designates how much he or she wants to contribute to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). That amount is automatically deducted from twenty-four of the employee's twenty-six pay periods and deposited to an account. The amount the employee elects to set aside is not subject to federal income tax or social security tax.

A new employee may elect to participate when enrolling for benefits and will be effective the first of the month following one month of employment or any active employee may elect to participate during open enrollment in July, for an effective date of October 1.

When the employee incurs an eligible expense, a request for reimbursement is submitted along with original receipts or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to the third party administrator, TASC.  TASC then mails a reimbursement check directly to the employee's home or direct deposits the reimbursement amount. There is also a flex convenience card that a member can use to pay for expenses. Receipts must be kept in case they are requested by TASC for verification. The convenience card is set up to allow for the card to be used to pay for certain coded expenses, with a pre-determined limit. This will allow participants the benefit of using the medical spending without having to pay the provider and then file for reimbursement. Instead you will just use the convenience card and the money will be deducted from the amount you elected to set aside at the start of the plan year.

The Alachua County Library District's plan year runs from October 1 of each year until September 30 of the following year. A new employee's plan year runs from their effective date of coverage until September 30. Expenses must be incurred during this time-frame in order to be eligible for reimbursement. The employee has until December 31 to file for reimbursement. Flexible spending accounts are governed by Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code and any funds set aside for a plan year must be used during that plan year.

The IRS now allows for $500 of unused funds in your medical spending account to be carried over to the next plan year.   The $500 carry over provision will replace the grace period starting with the October 1, 2014 – September 30, 2015 plan year.  There will no longer be a grace period for either plan.  The $500 carry over applies to the medical spending account only.

Employees must designate a new annual spending amount each year at open enrollment if they wish to continue to participate in the flexible spending program. If a new amount is not designated by the employee, the spending account does not continue into the next benefit year.

A qualified life-style change allows the employee to increase or decrease the designated annual amount or to enroll or discontinue.

The medical spending account is used for medical expenses for you and your dependents that are medically necessary, and not covered by the group health insurance. The maximum amount to be set aside for the medical spending account each fiscal year is $2,500 and the minimum is $240. The medical spending account functions like a line of credit, the entire amount is available at the beginning of the plan year and an employee may file for reimbursement of eligible expenses as soon as the plan year begins. The plan year is October 1 to September 30, expenses must be incurred during this time each year in order to be eligible for reimbursement. A new employee's plan year runs from their effective date of coverage until September 30.

The Alachua County Library District is required to notify a participating employee of his or her rights to continue participation in the Medical Spending Account for the remainder of the plan year.

Some examples of eligible expenses include:

• Doctor co-payments
• Eye exams, eyeglasses, contact lenses and supplies
• Hearing aids
• Prescription drug co-payments,
• Dental work
• Orthodontic work
• Dentures
• Deductibles and coinsurance
• Acupuncture
• Chiropractors

Cosmetic medical procedures are generally not covered. An employee may refer to the Summary Plan Description 2016-17.  You may also refer to IRS publication 502 for additional information. This publication is available at the local Internal Revenue Service office or online at the IRS website.

A dependent care reimbursement account helps pay for child care expenses so that an employee may work. The dependent care account functions like a checking account, you can only claim reimbursement for up to the amount that is deposited in your account. The maximum amount able to be set aside each year is $5,000 and the minimum is $240.

Before enrolling in the Flexible Spending Account for dependent care, an employee needs to compare the income tax credits that are available. An employee will generally reduce the amount of taxes paid by enrolling in the Library District's dependent care reimbursement plan if;

• The enrollee files on income tax form 1040 EZ
• The enrollee and spouse file taxes as "married, filing separately."

Qualifying Dependents for Purpose of a Dependent Care Account

A qualifying dependent is any person who lives in the employee's home and for whom the employee must provide care while the employee is working. Qualifying dependents may be, but are not limited to:

• child under 13 years of age
• a disabled person
• parent

If the employee is divorced or legally separated and the dependent lives with the employee, the employee is entitled to claim work-related child care expenses. This is true even if the employee is not claiming the dependent as an exemption on his or her tax return.

Qualified Expenses

Qualified expenses are expenses for the care of qualifying dependents so the participant and or the spouse can work, look for work, or attend school. The expenses include those paid to:

• a licensed day care center
• after school or summer programs
• an individual who provides care in his or her home
• a licensed practical nurse or assisted-care facility for an adult

An employee may refer to the Summary Plan Description 2016-17.  You may also refer to IRS Publication 503, "Child and Dependent Care Expenses" for additional information. This publication is available at the local Internal Revenue Service office or online at http://www.irs.gov/publications/p503/index.html.