Child Care Plus - Frequently Asked Questions Guide

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1 Program Eligibility 1. What are the eligibility requirements for Child Care Plus? Child Care Plus is available to income-eligible employees who meet all of the following criteria: Be a U.S.-based employee who is full-time, part-time or part-time working less than 20 hours. Temporary employees, contractors and interns are not eligible. Be active or on a paid leave of absence. Have a family household income of $100,000 or less. Total annual family household income is determined by the Adjusted Gross Income from pages 1 and 2 of the employee s most recent federal income tax return Have a child under the age of 13 years of age (or under the age of 21 if incapable of self-care). The employee or employee s spouse/domestic partner must claim the child on his or her federal income tax return and be responsible for costs related to child care for the eligible child. The child care must be to allow the employee to work at Bank of America. 2. Is there a waiting period or length of service requirement for new hires to enroll in the program? No. New hires can enroll in the Child Care Plus program as soon as they begin employment, as long as the eligibility requirements are met. For new hires, reimbursement requests can begin as follows, provided all enrollment materials have been submitted and approved within your month of hire: Hired the 1 st through the 15 th of the month: Eligible child care expenses that are incurred and paid beginning with the 16 th of the month can be submitted for reimbursement request. Hired the 16 th through the end of the month: Eligible child care expenses that are incurred and paid starting on the 1 st of the following month can be submitted for reimbursement request. 3. How do you calculate the total annual family household income amounts at enrollment or reenrollment? Your total family household income is calculated based upon the Adjusted Gross Income amount identified in your most recent federal income tax return. If you are married and file separately, the sum of both adjusted gross income amounts will be used in the calculation. For calculating total annual family household income, all amounts will be rounded down to the next whole dollar. 4. Can I still enroll in Child Care Plus if I did not file a federal income tax return? Yes. You can still enroll in Child Care Plus if you did not file a recent federal income tax return for any of the following reasons: Annual salary was exempt from federal income tax You or your spouse/domestic partner did not earn any income You or your spouse/domestic partner have filed for an extension If you or your spouse/domestic partner filed for an extension, you must provide a copy of the extension confirmation received from the Internal Revenue Service. In order to process your Child Care Plus enrollment without a federal income tax return, please provide a current W2 or pay stub for your spouse/domestic partner that indicates the pay frequency. Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 1

2 If a W2 or pay stub is not available, other substantiating documents like divorce decrees can be provided to support claims of total annual family household income. A Child Care Plus Affidavit Form will also need to be completed to validate your dependents. 5. After enrolling in Child Care Plus, what if I receive an increase in pay that places me over the allowed income threshold? Your total annual family household income, at the time of enrollment for a new enrollee or at the time of the annual reverification for a current participant, will dictate whether you are eligible for the full Child Care Plus program or for the Phase Out Plan (a reduced rate plan) for the next plan year. In-year increases in pay will not impact your eligibility for the current year. 6. Can a change in status allow me to be eligible for Child Care Plus? If you have a change in status event that lowers your total annual family household income, you must submit all required documentation including the Supplemental Enrollment Form pertaining to the appropriate event in order to be eligible for either Child Care Plus benefits for which you were not originally eligible or to be eligible to move from Phase Out back to the full Child Care Plus program. 7. How long after a status change do I have to submit documentation to Bank of America? You have 31 days from the change in status to submit all required documentation. General program guidelines 8. What is the age limit that I can submit a request for reimbursement for child care expense? This program will pay for the care of a child under the age of 13 or under the age of 21 if incapable of self-care. 9. Can I submit a request reimbursement for child care expenses if my child is not living with me? No, the program is to be used to reimburse child care expenses in order for you to be able to come to work. 10. What relationship do I need with the child in order to qualify? The child must be living with you and you must be responsible for the costs of the child s care. You or your spouse/domestic partner must be entitled to claim the child as a dependent on your federal income tax return. 11. If I am currently in the program and change child care providers, what is the timeframe in which a new provider enrollment form must be submitted to Acclaris? You will need to submit a Child Care Plus Provider Enrollment within 31 days of receiving child care services from the new provider. Once the provider has been approved, you may begin submitting reimbursement requests for expenses you incurred and paid to that provider up to one month prior to the approval month. Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 2

3 12. What type of child care facilities are allowed for reimbursement under this program? Both formal and informal day care arrangements are eligible for reimbursement. Formal care: Licensed or registered child care providers include child care centers, before- and afterschool programs, Boys and Girls Club (child care services only), school district/public school programs, military base programs and faith-based programs. If a provider states they are not required to have a license or registration number, a letter from the provider stating they are exempt from having a child care license or registration number is acceptable. In order to be eligible for formal care reimbursement, the letter must be typed on the provider s company letterhead. Informal care: This includes neighbors, babysitters and family friends who are at least 19 years of age. Relatives who are at least 19 years of age and are not the spouse/domestic partner of the employee, foster parent, biological parent or a person assuming the parental role for the child are also eligible. Expenses incurred for extracurricular activities such as dance, tae kwon-do, karate, swim classes, etc., are not eligible child care expenses. Expenses associated with full-time enrollment in school (e.g., elementary school tuition, etc.) are not eligible child care expenses. 13. Is there a limit to the number of children an employee can enroll in the program? There is no limit to the number of children an employee can enroll in the program. However, an employee or the employee s spouse/domestic partner must be able to claim the child as a dependent on his/her most recent federal income tax return and be responsible for the child care costs of the eligible child. 14. Once enrolled in the program, how do I add a new child to be eligible for reimbursement? You will need to complete a new enrollment form to add a child to the program. You must receive confirmation that the addition has been approved prior to requesting reimbursement. If the child is not listed on your most recent federal income tax return, the Child Care Plus Affidavit Form will need to be completed. All participants are required to submit a copy of the birth certificate for each new dependent added. Enrollment requests submitted without birth certificate(s) will be denied. 15. Why am I required to submit my dependent s birth certificate? The birth certificate is required to validate the dependent is age-appropriate to participate in the program. Only copies of the birth certificate should be provided. Birth certificates must be in English to enable validation. If the certificate needs to be translated, please provide a certified translation, notarized by a public notary or lawyer. Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 3

4 Initial enrollment information 16. Where can I find enrollment forms? Enrollment forms can be accessed via Flagscape or downloaded directly from the Acclaris website: Flagscape (HR, Benefits, & Career >Compensation & Benefits > Life Management > Family Care > Child care reimbursement. Acclaris: If you do not have Internet access, you can call the Acclaris Reimbursement Center toll-free at , Monday through Friday (excluding certain holidays) between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern to speak with a customer service representative. 17. What forms do I need to complete in order to enroll in Child Care Plus for the first time? To enroll in the Child Care Plus program, you will need to complete the following forms: Employee Enrollment Form Provider Enrollment Form Over Age Dependent Child Validation Form (if applicable) Supplemental Enrollment Form (if applicable) Child Care Plus Affidavit Form (if applicable) All Child Care Plus enrollees will be required to submit a birth certificate for each new dependent enrolled. Enrollment requests submitted without birth certificate(s) will be denied. 18. How can I elect to receive communications via instead of paper? Your default method of communication from Acclaris is by U.S. mail. You can change your primary means of communication to electronic by logging on to your account at From the home screen, find the Alerts and Notifications in the middle of the page. Click on Go Paperless and change your communication preference to electronic. 19. Once I have completed the enrollment forms, how do I submit them to Acclaris? Enrollment and re-enrollment forms (along with associated documentation) can be submitted to Acclaris by: Fax to Mail to PO Box 25124, Lehigh Valley, PA Enrollment forms cannot be uploaded using the Upload Document Feature. Note: Faxing forms and documents will expedite processing of your requests. To confirm claim status, log on to your account at Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 4

5 20. How can I confirm the status of my enrollment? What is the timeframe for me to find out if my enrollment or re-enrollment was approved? Enrollment and claim statuses can be confirmed by logging into your account at clicking on Claims found at the top of the homepage, and find the claim line with account type CCPENROLL. Your status will be viewable in your account within 3-5 business days of submission. You will also receive your enrollment status form in the mail within 7-10 days of submission. The enrollment status will contain information about which of your dependents and child care providers are approved and which are denied. The details section will tell you why they were denied so that you can resubmit the necessary documentation to complete that portion of the enrollment or re-enrollment, as applicable. 21. Why do I have to submit a copy of my most recent federal income tax return(s)? In order to complete the enrollment process, Acclaris must validate your total annual family household income and the children that you are able to claim as dependents. This information will be found on your most recent federal income tax return. 22. My spouse and I file federal income tax returns separately; do I need to send a copy of my spouse/domestic partner s most recent federal income tax return as well? Yes, your total annual family household income must be verified during the income verification process. 23. Why can't I enroll in Child Care Plus by phone? Your signature on your enrollment form indicates that all information you provide is correct and in good order. Therefore, because your signature is required, enrollment by phone is not available. Re-enrollment information 24. I am already a member of the Child Care Plus program. How do I ensure that I ll be able to utilize the program next year? Each year, current members of the Child Care Plus program are required to re-enroll by providing updated eligibility information to Acclaris. You should receive a re-enrollment letter at your home address in the October timeframe. If you haven t received your letter by late-october, you can still reenroll by submitting and completing the Enrollment Verification Letter Template. Copies of a birth certificate are required for any new dependents that are enrolled in the program. If you miss the re-enrollment deadline for the upcoming year, you will be required to enroll in Child Care Plus as a new participant and will need to provide a birth certificate for each enrolled dependent. Enrollment requests submitted without birth certificate(s) will be denied. You also need to indicate your current marital status on the form. Note: Please see the Initial enrollment information section for answers to questions regarding federal income tax returns and enrollment form signatures. Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 5

6 Reimbursement process 25. What forms do I need to submit to complete a reimbursement request? Once your enrollment has been approved, you should receive a pre-populated Request for Reimbursement form. Complete this form and submit to Acclaris by: Upload documents using the Upload Document Feature at Fax to Mail to PO Box 25124, Lehigh Valley, PA You must pay for the child care expenses before submitting a reimbursement request. You may not request reimbursement for child care services that have not been paid for, even if the services have already been provided and you have received a bill. 26. What documentation is required to get reimbursed? Along with the Request for Reimbursement form, receipts for the child care expenses must also be provided. All providers designated as Formal will be required to provide a valid receipt. You must submit a valid receipt each time you request reimbursement for ongoing participation in the program. A valid receipt must have all of the following: Provider s Name Child s Name Dates of Service Cost of Services Amount Paid Date Paid by Employee Be sure to keep all copies of all receipts for your records. Bank of America periodically audits the Child Care Plus program. Your child care providers may be contacted as part of an audit. If your child care provider does not provide satisfactory documentation, you may be permanently suspended from the program. If you provide false or incomplete information, you will be subject to disciplinary actions by Bank of America, up to and including termination of employment. You are required to repay any Child Care Plus reimbursements that you were not eligible to receive. 27. If I didn t receive my pre-populated Request for Reimbursement form, how do I get a new prepopulated form? Pre-populated forms are generated at the time of enrollment and reimbursement. If you did not receive your pre-populated Request for Reimbursement form, you can simply print the Reimbursement blank form off the Acclaris or Flagscape websites, complete it and fax it in. Be sure your home address is current with Bank of America so that new pre-populated forms can be sent directly to your new/correct home address. Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 6

7 28. What is the deadline for submitting Child Care Plus expenses? You have until March 31 of the following year to submit any expenses incurred during the previous year provided your enrollment was approved in the previous year. For example, you have until March 31 of the upcoming year, to submit a reimbursement request for expenses incurred and paid in this calendar year. Terminated employees, including those severed or divested, have 60 calendar days from their termination date/last day worked to submit reimbursement request for expenses incurred while eligible for the program. See the Termination section of these FAQs for more information. Reimbursement rates 29. What are the maximum reimbursement rates under the Child Care Plus program? Type of care Licensed/Registered care (formal) Informal care Child age as of Jan. 1 of current plan year Under 5 years of age 5 years to under age 13 (under 21 if incapable of self-care) Under 5 years of age 5 years to under age 13 (under 21 if incapable self-care) Maximum benefit amount per child Up to $240/calendar month Up to $205/calendar month Up to $135/calendar month Up to $120/calendar month 30. How much would I be reimbursed for the month in which my child turns 13 years of age (or 21 years of age if incapable of self-care)? If the child s birthday falls within the 1 st through the 15 th of the month, then no reimbursement will be paid for that child for that month or thereafter. If the child s birthday falls within the 16 th through the 31 st of the month, reimbursements will be paid for the first half of the month and no further payments will be approved or made for the second half or thereafter. 31. Are there any tax implications for participating in the program? Per IRS guidelines, dependent care assistance either elected by you as an employee through a bank program or contributed by the bank must be reported to payroll. Child Care Plus reimbursements up to $5,000 per year are not taxable. However, any dependent care assistance, including Child Care Plus reimbursements, employee contributions to the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account and the bank s portion of the cost of care for the Back-Up Care Advantage Program, that exceeds $5,000 a year will be reported as taxable income. Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 7

8 32. If I enroll in Child Care Plus, can I also contribute to a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? Yes. Employees can enroll in Child Care Plus and contribute to a Dependent Care FSA. However, the IRS limits tax-advantaged dependent care assistance programs like the Dependent Care FSA and Child Care Plus. If you participate in both, your total tax-advantaged benefit is subject to a $5,000 limit each year (or $2,500 if you are married and filing separate tax returns). The bank s portion of the cost of care for the Back-Up Care Advantage Program also counts towards the total. Phase out process & reimbursement rates 33. What is Phase Out? Phase Out allows employees to continue using Child Care Plus once they have reached the total annual family household income maximums for the program. Once an employee moves into Phase Out, he/she will only qualify for a reduced reimbursement amount. 34. What are the requirements to qualify for Phase Out? You must have been in the standard Child Care Plus program or Phase Out program the prior plan year. You cannot move between reimbursement bands (as shown in the chart below) during the plan year of Phase Out. If you have a decrease in total annual family household income, or a change in eligibility event occurs, you are eligible to move out of Phase Out back to the full Child Care Plus program as long as all other eligibility requirements for the full Child Care Plus program are met. You will need to complete the Supplemental Enrollment form found on the Acclaris website. 35. Can I move between Phase Out bands (as shown in the chart below) during the year? No, you cannot move between reimbursement bands during the plan year of Phase Out. If a child is added or removed, you will receive reimbursement based on the corresponding reimbursement percentage applied to the program s monthly reimbursement maximums. Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 8

9 36. In the Phase Out program, how much will I receive? Annual income Total annual family household income Reimbursement % for one child Reimbursement % for two more children $100,001 $101,999 50% 50% $102,000 $102,999 30% 35% $103,000 $103,999 10% 20% $104,000 $104,999 0% 10% $105,000+ 0% 0% Termination 37. What if I currently receive child care reimbursement and then leave the bank, can I file a claim for reimbursement during the time I was employed? Child Care Plus eligibility ends as of the date of termination/last day worked for employees who terminate their employment with Bank of America, voluntarily or involuntarily, including those severed or divested from the bank. Terminated employees can receive Child Care Plus reimbursement payments for any child care expenses incurred and paid prior to their termination date/last day worked if severed or divested. Employees have 60 calendar days from their termination date/last day worked to submit a reimbursement request for expenses incurred while eligible for the program. For example: If a Child Care Plus-eligible employee is terminated from the bank and the last day worked is on June 5, he/she can submit a reimbursement request for eligible child care expenses incurred and paid through June 5. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this document. However, if there is any discrepancy between it and the official plan documents, the plan documents will always govern. Bank of America retains the right to modify, suspend or terminate any benefit plan at any time and for any reason. For convenience, we use the name Bank of America because it is used at companies with different names within the Bank of America Corporation family of companies. However, by using the terms Bank of America or bank, it does not mean that you are employed by Bank of America Corporation; you are employed by the entity that directly pays your wages. Bank of America, N.A Bank of America Corporation Page 9