Dependent care assistance programs
Exclusion
In general
Limitation of exclusion
In general
Year of inclusion
Marital status
Special rule for 2021
Earned income limitation
In general
The amount excluded from the income of an employee under subsection (a) for any taxable year shall not exceed—
in the case of an employee who is not married at the close of such taxable year, the earned income of such employee for such taxable year, or
in the case of an employee who is married at the close of such taxable year, the lesser of—
the earned income of such employee for such taxable year, or
the earned income of the spouse of such employee for such taxable year.
Special rule for certain spouses
Payments to related individuals
No amount paid or incurred during the taxable year of an employee by an employer in providing dependent care assistance to such employee shall be excluded under subsection (a) if such amount was paid or incurred to an individual—
with respect to whom, for such taxable year, a deduction is allowable under section 151(c) (relating to personal exemptions for dependents) to such employee or the spouse of such employee, or
who is a child of such employee (within the meaning of section 152(f)(1)) under the age of 19 at the close of such taxable year.
Dependent care assistance program
In general
Discrimination
Eligibility
Principal shareholders or owners
No funding required
Notification of eligible employees
Statement of expenses
Benefits
In general
Salary reduction agreements
Excluded employees
For purposes of paragraphs (3) and (8), there shall be excluded from consideration—
subject to rules similar to the rules of section 410(b)(4), employees who have not attained the age of 21 and completed 1 year of service (as defined in section 410(a)(3)), and
employees not included in a dependent care assistance program who are included in a unit of employees covered by an agreement which the Secretary finds to be a collective bargaining agreement between employee representatives and 1 or more employees, if there is evidence that dependent care benefits were the subject of good faith bargaining between such employee representatives and such employer or employers.
Definitions and special rules
For purposes of this section—
Dependent care assistance
Earned income
Employee
Employer
Attribution rules
Ownership of stock
Interest in unincorporated trade or business
Utilization test not applicable
Disallowance of excluded amounts as credit or deduction
Treatment of onsite facilities
In the case of an onsite facility maintained by an employer, except to the extent provided in regulations, the amount of dependent care assistance provided to an employee excluded with respect to any dependent shall be based on—
utilization of the facility by a dependent of the employee, and
the value of the services provided with respect to such dependent.
Identifying information required with respect to service provider
No amount paid or incurred by an employer for dependent care assistance provided to an employee shall be excluded from the gross income of such employee unless—
the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of the person performing the services are included on the return to which the exclusion relates, or
if such person is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) and exempt from tax under section 501(a), the name and address of such person are included on the return to which the exclusion relates.
In the case of a failure to provide the information required under the preceding sentence, the preceding sentence shall not apply if it is shown that the taxpayer exercised due diligence in attempting to provide the information so required.
Source
(Added Pub. L. 97–34, title I, § 124(e)(1),Notes
Editorial Notes
Codification
Prior Provisions
Amendments
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2025 Amendment
Effective Date of 2021 Amendment
Effective Date of 2004 Amendment
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Effective Date of 1989 Amendment
The amendments made by subsections (a)(1), (a)(2), and (b)(2) [amending this section and section 414 of this title] shall apply to years beginning after
The amendments made by subsection (a)(3) [amending this section] shall apply to plan years beginning after
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Except as provided in this subparagraph, the amendments made by this paragraph [amending this section and section 6051 of this title] shall apply to taxable years beginning after
A taxpayer may elect to have the amendment made by subparagraph (A) [amending this section] apply to taxable years beginning in 1987.
In the case of a taxpayer not making an election under clause (ii), any dependent care assistance provided in a taxable year beginning in 1987 with respect to which reimbursement was not received in such taxable year shall be treated as provided in the taxpayer’s first taxable year beginning after
Subsection (a).—
The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section and sections 89, 410, 4976, 6039D, and 6652 of this title] shall take effect as if included in the amendments made by section 1151 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 [Pub. L. 99–514, see Effective Date note below]; except that the amendment made by subsection (a)(8) [amending section 89 of this title] shall apply to testing years beginning after
Subsection (b).—
The amendments made by subsection (b) [amending sections 89 and 414 of this title] shall apply to years beginning after
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Effective Date of 1983 Amendment
Effective Date
Regulations
Retroactive Plan Amendments
such amendment is adopted no later than the last day of the plan year in which the amendment is effective, and
the plan is operated consistent with the terms of such amendment during the period beginning on the effective date of the amendment and ending on the date the amendment is adopted.”