Dependent Care Assistance Program
Overview
The dependent care assistance program (DCAP) is an employee benefit plan – or a flexible spending plan – that helps employees pay for the care of a qualifying dependent.
The program provides reimbursements for up to $5,000 annually ($2,500 each for married couples filing separately) to employees who pay for dependent care. Employees are then allowed to deduct these dependent care expenses from their paycheck on a pre-tax basis, which can include an employer contribution.
DCAP helps parents afford child care by offseting the costs of going to work and providing for their families. It is critical that Congress expand this tax provision to support businesses and parents.
Top
Resources
FFYF Capsule Collection: Tax Policy and Child Care
With two-thirds of children ages five and under living in homes where all available parents are working, child care is not optional for most families – it’s essential. Child care-related …
Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP): Overview
Millions of American families are struggling to find quality, reliable, affordable child care they can depend on. This is having a devastating impact on our youngest learners, working families, and …
TOPLINES: Child Care in the Senate Tax Package
The Senate tax package contains updates to tax policy which could help make child care more affordable for more working families with young children. With two-thirds of children ages five …
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Two Bipartisan Bills to Address Quality, Affordability of Child Care introduced in Congress
Last week, Iowa’s Congressional leaders introduced two bipartisan bills, the ACCESS Act and the Improving Child Care for Working Families Act, to address the quality and affordability of child care. …
STATEMENT: FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on proposed expansion of child care tax credits
On Monday afternoon, the Senate released the text of their bill to reauthorize the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This version contains updates to tax credits which will …
What You Can Do
about DCAP
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