Signing up for flexible spending accounts
The county offers several types of flexible spending accounts. You can sign up during open enrollment.
Flexible spending accounts start the first of the month after your first day of work or after the first day you start earning benefits (for example, if your first day of work is February 15, your insurance starts March 1).
Health care expense account
- You can set aside money pre-tax for medical, dental or vision expenses
- You can cover expenses for yourself and any dependent listed on your taxes
- You must enroll during open enrollment each year for the following year
- You choose an amount to set aside for the year and the entire amount is available to you January 1
- You can set aside up to $2,700 per year, per employee
- You don’t have to take part in the county's medical, dental or vision plan to have a health care expense account
- If you have a life event mid-year (like a marriage, birth, death, etc.) you can change the amount you set aside
If your spouse has a Health Savings Account (HSA) with another employer
- You cannot choose the health care expense account
- Because both plans save on taxes, the IRS prevents married couples from using both
List of eligible expenses
List of expenses you can cover with a health care expense account (PDF)
Using your account
Keep all your receipts. If asked, you must turn in your receipts by November 30. If you don’t, the amount of money represented by the receipts will become taxable income on your December paycheck.
Using the money in your account:
- Use a pre-paid debit card. Save your receipts.
- Electronic claim upload from your computer or Smartphone or by downloading the P&A mobile app.
- Pay out of pocket and submit a reimbursement form (PDF).
You must submit your claims for the current year by March 31 the following year. If you have leftover money, you can use up to $500 of it the next year. You lose any unused money over $500.
Learn more about using your debit card and submitting claims (PDF)
Changing the amount you set aside
Change the amount (PDF)
Contact
P&A Group
1-833-752-9413
Mon-Fri 7:30am – 9:00pm CST
https://www.padmin.com/hennepin/
Dependent care assistance
- You can set aside pre-tax dollars for certain day care and elder care costs
- If you’re married, you and your spouse must be working, attending school full time or looking for work
- A family can set aside up to $5,000 per year
- If you’re married and filing taxes separately, you can set aside up to $2,500 per year
Eligible expenses
- Care for a child under age 13
- Care for someone who can’t care for themselves and who lives with you more than half the year
- In-home child care
- Licensed day care
- Preschool
- Before- and after-school care
- Elder care
Kindergarten fees aren’t covered.
Enrollment and changes
You can enroll during open enrollment. If you have a life event mid-year, you can enroll mid-year or make changes. Mid-year change form (PDF)
You can make changes within 30 days of:
- Date your daycare began or ended
- Date your daycare began with a new provider
- Change in cost or coverage with your previous provider
Reimbursement
- You can turn in claims for expenses you had from January 1 to December 31
- You have until March 15 of the next year to incur claims. You have until March 31 to turn in claims for the previous year.
- You give up any unused funds
- Reimbursement form (PDF)
Contact
P&A Group
1-833-752-9413 Mon-Fri 7:30am – 9:00pm CST
https://www.padmin.com/hennepin/
Adoption assistance
- You can set aside pre-tax dollars for certain adoption costs
- You can set aside up to $12,000 per year
Eligible expenses
- Attorney fees
- Court costs
- Counseling fees
- Travel fees
For questions, contact P&A Group 1-833-752-9413.
U.S. adoptions
If the child is a U.S. citizen or resident of the U.S., you can be reimbursed even if the adoption never becomes final.
Foreign adoptions
If the child is not a U.S. citizen or resident, you can’t be reimbursed unless the adoption becomes final.
Enrollment and changes
- You can enroll during open enrollment
- If you have a life event mid-year, you can enroll mid-year or make changes
- Mid-year change form (PDF)
You can make changes at these times:
- Start or end of the adoption process
- Increase in the number of children you intend to adopt
Reimbursement
- You can turn in claims for expenses you had from January 1 to December 31
- You have until March 15 of the next year to incur claims. You have until March 31 to turn in claims for the previous year.
- You give up any unused funds
- Reimbursement form (PDF)
Contact
P&A Group
1-833-752-9413 Mon-Fri 7:30am – 9:00pm CST
https://www.padmin.com/hennepin/