The Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account is a plan that allows you to get an immediate tax savings on your eligible dependent care expenses. Th rough this plan, you can contribute to an account on a before-tax basis. You may contribute up to $5,000 per year. To be eligible to participate, the IRS requires that if you are married, both you and your spouse be employed, or your spouse be enrolled in school full-time. Before deciding to participate in the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, you may want to speak to a tax advisor to see if it would be to your financial advantage to take the federal child care tax credit. When you have eligible dependent care expenses, you must submit a claim along with your documentation. You will receive a tax-free reimbursement up to the amount of your claim or the amount in your account, whichever is less. When you submit a claim for more than you have in your account, your claim will be pended until you have enough in your account to pay the claim. When documenting your claim, you must provide a receipt from your provider showing the organization’s tax ID number or the individual's Social Security number, the date when services were rendered, the eligible dependents for whom the care was provided, and the amount of the charge. Eligible Dependent Care Expenses Eligible expenses include: day care center fees charges for care provided in your home or in someone else's home (the care cannot be provided by one of your dependents) before- and after-school programs costs for nursery school or a summer day care program (if not overnight) adult day care for an incapacitated adult dependent (spouse or other qualifying dependent) who lives in your home