WOHM Moms ??

happ17

If you use flex spending for child care, can you only do it through 1 parent? Both DH and my jobs offer it?wondering if we can do both.

And yes, sadly, childcare exceeds the max on both accounts. 

katie277s

I don't see why you couldn't.  I personally don't use it, because I am afraid of the commitment (even though I know I spend more than that in DC a year) but I would think that because it would come from 2 different companies it would be ok.

Starr_Mom

I would think that you can.

heyitsme

No, the federal maximum per family is 5000/year. So you COULD do 2500/parent for the year, but you can't do 5000 per parent.

 

mikeandmonica

You can do it through both if you want , but the max can only be $5,000.  So you could do $2500 and he could do $2500 if you wanted.  Sucks, doesn't it?  I hate that it isn't a higher level.

REOM

No, the Federal Max is 5k per year per household, I believe.

And sadly, we exceeded the max by May

ccm1203

I would check the tax laws on this.  I would think it is ok as long as you submit to your respective for different times it should be ok.

happ17

hmmm...worth chatting with Hr about. DH's job kicks in 1K for the max DH puts in. We'd hit 5K by mid-May. So maybe mine would take over.

YellowBride

You definitely can't. its 5k total for both parents.

carlab44

I'd check with your HR department. Since the program is established by the IRS, the limit may be per household (or per dependent).

Flem052204

As everyone else said, you can contribute a total of $5k per couple per IRS regulations.  You can divide that between you any way you want, if it makes a difference which paycheck it comes out of.

The only way each of you would be able to contribute $5K to separate accounts is if you were filing as a single person (ie divorced)  In that case, you would EACH have to be custodial parents and responsible for childcare.  So it would be a scenario where you and DH were not married and you had custody of DC#1 and he had custody of DC#2 and you both paid for child care.

So yeah, there's pretty much no way at all that you could both contibute more than a combined $5k.