Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got questions, and we’ve got the answers.
Participants may pay for certain parking, mass transit and/or vanpooling expenses with pre-tax dollars. Each dollar that goes into the plan is free from federal, state and (in most cases) Social Security taxes.
Participants can fax, email or mail claims and supporting documentation for their parking expenses directly to NueSynergy. You may also submit claims online through the participant online portal. Supporting documentation can be a receipt, a bill, and/or a signed affidavit validating the submitted expense. After the claim has been reviewed and the expense approved, payment is then issued to the participant via direct deposit or a check. Claims are processed daily and payments are issued at least once per week. Mass transit expenses must be paid for using the NueSynergy benefits card.
Eligible expenses are parking, mass transit and/or vanpooling expenses incurred by a participant for the purpose of commuting to and from a place of work. Spouse and/or dependent commuter expenses are not eligible. Expenses submitted through this benefit cannot be resubmitted through an income tax return.
Parking must be on or near the premises of the participant’s employer or on or near a location from which the participant commutes. Parking on or near property used by the participant for residential purposes is not permitted. Metered parking is permitted. Mass transit/vanpooling expenses must be incurred through public transportation or by a carpool or vanpool service.
Tolls
Taxis
Gas/fuel
Mileage
Business trip costs
Airport parking fees
Parking fees at your home
If a participant terminates employment, participation in the plan will also terminate.
Commuter benefits help you to pay for the public transportation, vanpool, or parking that you need to get to and from work with pre-tax money – money you deduct from your paycheck before you pay taxes. Vanpool applies to transit with more than five passengers and parking benefits must be used for parking at or near work, or at or near a place where you take public transportation to work (such as at a Park and Ride).
In most cases, you can sign up any time—the benefit will be effective for the first month possible after you make your election.
No. You can be reimbursed for expenses provided by an individual providing care for your dependent in your home as long as the expenses are incurred for you and your spouse (if married), to work, look for work or attend school full-time.
Yes, you may be reimbursed for expenses incurred for you, your spouse and any IRS dependents, regardless of where you are insured. For example, you might have coverage through your spouse’s employer’s plan (rather than your employer’s) and you may still submit your family out-of-pocket expenses to be reimbursed under the Health FSA.
Yes, an adult may qualify as a dependent provided that the employee is providing more than half of that individuals support for the year, and the dependent lives with the employee and is physically and/or mentally incapable of caring for him/herself.
Once you make an election, you may not change your election unless you experience an IRS “Change in Status” or “qualified life event.” If you do experience a qualified life event or change in status (such as marriage, adoption, divorce, etc.) your election change must be consistent with the Change in Status event. For example, if you adopt a child then you may increase your Dependent Care FSA election due to the newly eligible dependent.
No. Each year you will have to re-enroll before the beginning of the Plan Year. At that time, you will have the opportunity to evaluate the need to participate in the Plan as well as budget for all health care and/or dependent care expenses. You may decide to keep the same election, change your election or in some cases waive participation.
No. However, you are required to submit his/her Tax Identification Number or Social Security Number when filing your Federal Income Tax return.
No. Participants can still choose to contribute the full FSA annual maximum allowed for that plan year, even if they carry over $500 from the previous plan year.
Generally, no; however, if the camp is day camp and your dependent attends to allow you and your spouse (if married), to work, look for work or attend school full-time, then yes this would be an eligible expense. Overnight camps are specifically excluded.
To enroll in the Health and/or Dependent Care FSA, you simply need to fill out the Enrollment Form or enroll online, if available, before the beginning of each Plan Year.
Once you make your annual election, your employer will deduct this amount from your paycheck in equal amounts throughout the year, before taxes are taken out.
It would not. Carryover allows amounts in a healthcare FSA – limited purpose or otherwise – to carry over into the next plan year. The Carryover option will follow the participant’s choice. If a participant elects a limited purpose FSA for the current plan year, and has a carryover, the carryover will follow them into the limited purpose FSA for the new plan year. Similarly, if the participant elects a healthcare FSA in the current plan year and has a carryover, the carryover will follow them into a healthcare FSA for the new plan year.
However, if a participant elects to participate in an HSA for the new plan year, and currently has a healthcare FSA, the participant should either spend all amounts in the healthcare FSA before the plan year ends, or enroll in a limited purpose FSA for the new plan year so they can contribute to the new HSA on the first day of the following plan year.
If year-to-date contributions exceed the amount of reimbursements and there is a remaining balance, the employee has a COBRA election available for the remainder of the plan year. If they do not elect COBRA, then expenses can only be submitted up to the end of their termination run-out period after which and funds remaining would be forfeited.
No. Any funds remaining in an individual’s current plan year FSA will be automatically rolled into the new plan year even if the employee didn’t elect to participate in a new plan year FSA. The participant now has the chance to spend up to $500 of his/her carryover money on out-of-pocket healthcare expenses in the following year.
No. In order to be considered an eligible expense, the expense must be incurred prior to your termination date. However, you may be able to continue your Health FSA coverage under COBRA.
Employers can choose to allow a carryover of any amount up to $500 per participant per plan year. NueSynergy encourages employers to allow the full carryover amount.
No. The carryover funds can be used anytime for expenses incurred in the new plan year in addition to any new elections. If any funds remain at the end of the current plan year, up to $500 is carried over into each new plan year as long as the participant remains an active employee.
No. However, you can continue to submit claims incurred prior to your termination date before the end of the run-out period (defined in your Summary Plan Description).
For example: Your plan has a 90-day run-out period following termination. Your termination date is September 13th. Your physician sees you on September 12th, but you do not receive the Explanation of Benefits from your insurance carrier until October 31st. You can still submit this expense as it was incurred prior to your termination date, and prior to the end of the 90-day run-out period following your date of termination. Any expense incurred after September 13 is not eligible.
Request for Reimbursement Form: Complete the Dependent Care section of the Request for Reimbursement Form and have your daycare provider sign and date.
– Receipt: The receipt must include the following information:
– Name, address and Tax Identification # of provider
– From/through dates of service
– Amount of charge