Flexible Spending Account

P&A Group will handle all claims for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). This includes both the Health Care Accounts (HCA) and the Dependent Care Accounts (DCA).

For questions regarding your P&A Group account

• Call 716-852-2611 Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. CST
  
• Click / tap to visit padmin.com

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is an employee benefit program that allows you to set aside money, on a pre-tax basis, to help you offset the rising cost of medical and dependent care expenses.

Enrolling in an FSA is like giving yourself a raise because you set aside money for eligible expenses before your employer deducts any taxes from your paycheck.

This means the amount of income your taxes are based on will be lower, and as a result, your tax liability will also be lower.

1. The medical FSA is for eligible out-of-pocket medical, dental, and prescription expenses.
2.  The dependent care FSA is used for child care and/or other dependent care expenses incurred while you (or you and your spouse, if you are married) work. Qualifying dependents are:
   1. A child under age 13 in your custody whom you claim as a dependent on your tax return.
   2. A spouse who is incapable of self-care.
   3. A dependent that lives with you, such as a child over age 13, parent, sibling or in-law who is incapable of self-care and whom you claim as a dependent on your tax return.

With an FSA
$100.00 Monthly FSA deposit for medical care expenses
-$ 0.00 No taxes (FSA contributions are not taxed)
$100.00 Amount left for out-of-pocket medical care expenses

Without an FSA
$100.00 Monthly budget for medical care expenses
-$ 22.00 Taxes on the $100 taken from your paycheck
$ 78.00 Amount left for out-of-pocket medical care expenses

One of the most important rules surrounding FSAs is "use-it-or-lose-it." Money left in your account at the end of the year cannot be rolled over to the next plan year. So plan carefully when deciding how much you want to contribute.

Both calculator links are available to help you estimate how much money to set aside and how much money you may save on taxes.

The maximum contribution for the medical FSA currently is $3200 per employee. The maximum for the dependent care FSA is $5,000 per family, or $2,500 per employee if married filing separately.

Your annual election will be divided among the number of paychecks you get for the year, and that amount will be deducted from your check PRIOR to being taxed.

If you sign up for an FSA, then you will receive a Flex Benefit Card in a few weeks. The Flex Benefit Card is an easy, automatic way to deduct your qualified purchase direct from your FSA account.

If you do not use the benefit card at the time of your purchase, you can pay for the purchase out of pocket. Then, simply fill out a claim form and submit it along with the receipt. Once the claim is approved, the amount is deducted from your FSA and a reimbursement is made to you.