Quick - anybody know about Flex spending accounts and childcare?

[Barb D]

DH has to put his Flex Spending amount in today, and we're not sure if we can put DD's preschool in for next year. She'll be old enough for Kindergarten, but we're delaying her for a year. The class she'll be in is a "Transitional K"; the school still considers it preschool and she'll be in K the following year. It's at a school that also has K-2. Does anybody know if that still qualifies as "childcare?"

 

[ripleysmom]

Yes, it is still childcare. Anyone you pay to take care of your children is considered childcare.

 

[CEDmom]

You can use a daycare spending account for any paid care up to age 12. It's worth keeping in mind if you'll need before and/or aftercare and summer camp after your DD starts kindergarten.

 

[SC Minnie]

Also keep in mind how much you will need and not OVER commit to the flex account-- I don't know about yours but we don't get any money back that is not used. I usually figure about 1 month less than what I think we are going to need.

 

[Christine]

I used the flexcare account for ALL of my expenses until my kids went to traditional school. Both my kids attended private kindergarten which was conducted at a pre-school (not a formal school). I just sent it in as daycare. Not sure if it was truly legal since they were in *school* for 6 hours and daycare for 3 hours.

 

[Barb D]

Originally posted by CEDmom
You can use a daycare spending account for any paid care up to age 12. It's worth keeping in mind if you'll need before and/or aftercare and summer camp after your DD starts kindergarten.

I know you CAN'T use it for private school tuition, though. We checked into that last year (for the big kids' two-day-a-week school). I'm hoping the fact that it's still officially preschool will override the fact that she's old enough for school and that it is at a private school.

DH is supposed to be getting info from his HR dept, but I haven't heard anything from him yet. And I haven't found anything definitive while looking at MULTIPLE web pages on the issue.

In good news, the school says we can delay her first tuition payment until after the flex spending year starts on July 1.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I agree with the others, if it is Preschool then you can count it as childcare.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Originally posted by Barb D
I know you CAN'T use it for private school tuition, though. We checked into that last year (for the big kids' two-day-a-week school). I'm hoping the fact that it's still officially preschool will override the fact that she's old enough for school and that it is at a private school.

DS' preschool is considered private, but we've been able to use the expenses in DW's flex spending account.

 

[aprilgail2]

Private preschool is fine, you can use it for that...I also can use mine for summer camp since I work its considered child care.

 

[snoopy]

Yup, another person who used flex spending dollars on private Pre-K. I also use it for my kids before and after care. I love having that benefit, I wait until Christmas to get reimbursed -- probably not the smartest way to do it, but its nice because its like money I forgot about.