---
title: "Dependent care flexible spending account: Definition"
description: "A dependent care flexible spending account is an employer plan that lets an employee set aside pre-tax pay for care costs so the employee can work. A..."
url: https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/dependent-care-flexible-spending-account/
publisher: HomeCare.com
phone: 800-974-3458
start: https://care.homecare.com/?source=homecare.com
---

Paying for care

# Dependent care flexible spending account

A dependent care flexible spending account is an employer plan that lets an employee set aside pre-tax pay for care costs so the employee can work. A qualifying person can be a disabled spouse or another disabled person who lives with the employee for more than half the year.

## Why it matters for your family

This account can apply to adult care, not only child care. The IRS says a disabled person who cannot dress, clean, or feed themselves due to a physical or mental disability may be a qualifying person. The care must allow the employee to work or look for work, and the person must live with the employee more than half the year. A common mistake is to assume a parent living elsewhere qualifies. Employer plans set their own deadlines and limits. Check with your benefits office and ask a tax professional about Form 2441.

Source: [irs.gov](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p503)

[Read more: Paying for care](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/paying-for-care/)

## Related terms

-   [**Health savings account (HSA)**A health savings account is a tax-favored account for people with a qualifying high-deductible health plan.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/health-savings-account/)
-   [**Medical expense tax deduction**The medical expense tax deduction lets people who itemize deduct medical and dental costs above 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/medical-expense-tax-deduction/)
-   [**Adult day care**Adult day care is a community program that gives adults supervised daytime care outside the home.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/adult-day-care/)
-   [**Household employer and nanny tax**A household employer is a person who pays someone to work in or around their home and controls how the work is done.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/household-employer-and-nanny-tax/)
-   [**Private pay**Private pay means a family pays for care directly from its own money.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/private-pay/)
-   [**Family caregiver**A family caregiver is a relative, partner, friend, or neighbor who gives unpaid help to someone with an illness, disability, or age-related needs.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/family-caregiver/)

[All glossary terms](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/)

## Talk to a care advisor today.

Free consultation. No minimums, no contracts.

[800-974-3458](tel:+18009743458)

[Call a care advisor](tel:+18009743458)[Find a caregiver online](https://care.homecare.com/?source=homecare.com)

![A caregiver and an older woman sharing a laugh at home](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/_astro/companionship.Cj0N08Ks_1FwPmX.webp)