dependent care FSA

The Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (Dependent Care FSA) is a flexible spending account plan that allows you to save and pay for eligible dependent care expenses – like after-school child care, a licensed child care provider, or school tuition up to kindergarten – so you and your spouse can go to work. A flexible spending account plan is a voluntary option that allows you to pay for certain eligible expenses with before-tax dollars. Each month, you contribute a set amount to your account through before-tax payroll deductions. Then you use the funds in your account to pay for eligible expenses. You must re-enroll in this plan every year during open enrollment to continue your participation, even if you're already currently participating.

Your contributions to flexible spending accounts reduce your taxable income. For this reason, federal tax laws require you to follow certain rules when using the funds in your account. Keep these rules in mind as you plan how much to contribute each year:

• Use it or lose it. Meet the plan deadlines. This plan does not typically have a carryover feature. The money in your flexible spending account can be used only for eligible expenses incurred between January 1 and December 31 of each year. You have until June 30 of the following year to submit your claims for expenses, but any remaining balance left in your account after the final claim filing deadline will be forfeited. Note: If you enroll mid-year, you can only claim eligible expenses you incurred after the date your coverage began.
  

• Your Dependent Care FSA contribution is deducted from your pay in equal amounts during the year. Chevron does not prefund this account. Each time you file a claim, you’ll be reimbursed for your qualified expenses, up to the amount of money available in your account. If your expenses are greater than the amount in your account, you’ll be reimbursed for the remaining amount after additional contributions are credited to your account. .   

• Plan your contribution goal carefully. Once you've elected an annual contribution amount, you cannot change it unless you experience certain qualifying life events, for example, you have or adopt a child. 

• Only certain expenses are eligible. The money in your account(s) can be used only for eligible expenses. It's important to make sure that any expenses you've planned are reimbursable.

• Your account has a specific purpose. You cannot use money in a dependent care FSA to pay for health care expenses. Likewise, you cannot use money in a health FSA to pay for dependent day care expenses.

• There are rules regarding your contributions. The IRS limits the amount you can contribute to a flexible spending account, and the limit may change from year-to-year. 

• Be aware of mid-year enrollment. If you enroll, the amount of before-tax contributions you authorize is deducted from your pay in equal amounts throughout the year and credited to your flexible spending account. Keep this in mind if you are enrolling for the first time late in the year because your election will be spread out over fewer pay periods and could be a larger payroll deduction than you planned for. 

employees

• You can enroll in the Dependent Care FSA if you're a U.S.-payroll employee and you're eligible for Chevron's health benefits.

• You can enroll in the Dependent Care FSA if you provide day care for a qualified dependent so you can work and one of the following also applies to you:
  • You’re single or legally separated.
  • You’re married and your spouse also works.
  • You’re married and your spouse attends school full-time outside the home at least five months during the year.
  • You’re married and your spouse is mentally or physically incapable of caring for himself or herself because of a disability.

• You can participate in the Dependent Care FSA regardless of your medical plan enrollment status. Unlike a health FSA, there are no medical plan enrollment restrictions for the Dependent Care FSA.

dependents

• Under the Dependent Care FSA, a qualified dependent is one of the following, provided they share your principal place of residence for more than six months of the calendar year:
  • Your child (or his or her descendant) or sibling (or his or her descendant) under age 13, if the child does not provide over half of his or her own support during the calendar year.
  • Your mentally or physically disabled spouse, if he or she is incapable of caring for himself or herself.
  • Your mentally or physically disabled child, grandchild, sibling, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, if he or she depends on you for at least half of his or her financial support, and is incapable of caring for himself or herself.
  • A mentally or physically disabled individual, if he or she depends on you for at least half of his or her financial support, shares your principal place of abode and is a member of your household for the entire taxable year, and is incapable of caring for himself or herself.

• Federal tax law does not permit you to claim expenses for your domestic partner or your domestic partner’s children, unless they qualify as dependents on your federal income tax return for the year. 

• Your dependent does not have to be enrolled as a dependent under any company-sponsored benefit plan.
  • When you enroll in this plan, you do not make an election to enroll your dependent(s) for coverage.
  • The dependent verification process does not apply to this plan.

Only eligible expenses can be reimbursed under the Dependent Care FSA. These expenses are defined by IRS rules (See IRS Publication 503) and Dependent Care FSA plan rules.

The Dependent Care FSA can reimburse you if you have to pay someone to take care of a qualified dependent so you (or you and your spouse, if you’re married) can work, look for work, or go to school full-time. If your spouse is a stay-at-home parent, you shouldn’t enroll in the Dependent Care FSA. Qualified dependents include children under age 13, a disabled child, or for an adult who lives with you and depends on you financially.

eligible expenses

You can preview a list of expenses that are generally considered an eligible expense in the Dependent Care FSA summary plan description (see Plan Documents section on this page). For a complete list of items that may be considered qualified expenses or exclusions under the plan, access your Dependent Care FSA account online (Navigate to your Spending Account Dashboard, then choose How It All Works from the navigation.)

Here are some examples of covered expenses approved by the IRS:

• Care provided in your home by a baby-sitter or nurse (if a nurse is providing medical services, those expenses would not qualify under the DCSA, but might qualify under the HCSA).
• Care (such as bathing and preparing meals) provided in your home for a disabled person or an elderly dependent living with you.
• Day care given outside your home by a licensed day care provider or a provider that’s exempt from licensing requirements.
• Before-school and after-school care.
• School tuition, up to kindergarten.
• Dependent day care expenses incurred while your spouse either is disabled or is a full-time student, even though your spouse does not work.

ineligible expenses

You can preview a list of expenses that are generally considered an ineligible expense in the Dependent Care FSA summary plan description (see Plan Documents section on this page). For a complete list of items that may be considered qualified expenses or exclusions under the plan, access your Dependent Care FSA account online (Navigate to your Spending Account Dashboard, then choose How It All Works from the navigation.)

Some examples of ineligible DCSA expenses include:

• Charges for nursing-home care.
• Charges for care provided by your child under age 19 or by someone you claim as a dependent for federal income tax purposes.
• Expenses you claim for reimbursement under another similar flexible spending account.
• Medical charges, whether or not the care is covered by a Chevron-sponsored medical plan or another plan to which Chevron contributes, such as a health maintenance organization (HMO).
• Tuition for school from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
• Fees charged by an overnight camp.
• Services that take place before or after your coverage period.

A special purpose debit card is not available for the Chevron Dependent Day Care Spending Account (DCSA).

The IRS limits your annual contributions to a flexible spending account (FSA), and the limit may change from year-to-year.

• You cannot contribute more than the IRS annual limit each year.

• Important note: Employers, like Chevron, are permitted to set an annual limit for their plans that may be less than the IRS annual limit. The IRS typically announces increases to FSA contributions limits (if any) for the new year after Chevron has completed open enrollment-related activities. For this reason, Chevron is unable to increase our plan's contribution limit to align with any new IRS increase until the following year.

• The contribution limit applies to all of the contributions you have made to a dependent care FSA during the current calendar year – including a similar plan through another employer.

• There are additional IRS limitations not listed here. Please reference the Chevron Dependent Care FSA summary plan description for additional details.

2025 contribution limits

Employee contribution limits for the Chevron Dependent Care FSA:

• $120 is the minimum contribution.
• $5,000 if you are single.
• $5,000 if you are married and filing a joint return.
• $2,500 if you are married and filing a separate return.
• There are additional IRS limitations not listed here. Please reference the Chevron Dependent Care FSA summary plan description for additional details.
• Chevron does not contribute to the Dependent Care FSA in 2025.

The contribution limit applies to all of the contributions you have made to a dependent care FSA during the current calendar year – including a similar plan through another employer.

*Employers, like Chevron, are permitted to set an annual limit for their plans that may be less than the IRS annual limit. The IRS typically announces increases to the dependent care flexible spending account limit (if any) for the new year after Chevron has completed open enrollment-related activities. For this reason, should the IRS choose to increase the limit, Chevron is unable to change the HCSA maximum contribution limit for the 2025 plan year to align with any potential new IRS limit increase.

2024 contribution limits

Employee contribution limits for the Chevron Dependent Care FSA:

• $120 is the minimum contribution.
• $5,000 if you are single.
• $5,000 if you are married and filing a joint return.
• $2,500 if you are married and filing a separate return.
• There are additional IRS limitations not listed here. Please reference the Chevron Dependent Care FSA summary plan description for additional details.
• Chevron does not contribute to the Dependent Care FSA in 2024.

The contribution limit applies to all of the contributions you have made to a dependent care FSA during the current calendar year – including a similar plan through another employer.

*Employers, like Chevron, are permitted to set an annual limit for their plans that may be less than the IRS annual limit. The IRS typically announces increases to the dependent care flexible spending account limit (if any) for the new year after Chevron has completed open enrollment-related activities. For this reason, should the IRS choose to increase the limit, Chevron is unable to change the HCSA maximum contribution limit for the 2024 plan year to align with any potential new IRS limit increase.

If you're eligible to participate, enroll:

• On the BenefitConnect website.
• By calling the HR Service Center. Choose the option for Benefits, then Health and Protection coverage.
• You must re-enroll in this plan every year during open enrollment to continue your participation, even if you're already currently participating.

If you’re eligible, you can enroll in the Dependent Care FSA at any of the following times: 

• During open enrollment.
• During the first 31 days after you become an eligible employee.*
• During the first 31 days after a qualifying life event.* 

You enroll in this plan for one calendar year at a time. 

• You must re-enroll in this plan every year to continue your participation, even if you're already currently participating.

* If you are eligible to enroll in a flexible spending account mid-year because of a qualifying life event or you’re newly hired, note that enrollments or changes for the current calendar year cannot be processed after December 1 for administrative reasons.  

Once you've elected an annual contribution amount, you cannot change it unless you experience certain qualifying life event(s). You can make changes to this coverage only under the following circumstances:

Open enrollment

During open enrollment you can re-enroll and elect the amount of your annual contribution election during open enrollment. Changes you elect during open enrollment take effect January 1 of the following year.

Life event

During the first 31 days after a qualifying life event that allows for enrollment or a change in your participation in this plan. Under the Dependent Care FSA, if you have had to change your day care provider, your day care costs have changed, or your eligibility for the Dependent Care FSA has changed because your spouse is no longer working, this a considered a qualifying life event under the plan and you may be eligible to change your Dependent Care FSA contributions.

If you are eligible to make a change, you may be eligible to increase, decrease or stop your Dependent Care FSA contributions for the current calendar year. 

• You must make contribution change requests on or before December 1. Due to the timing of the contribution change process, contribution changes after December 1 cannot be applied to your Dependent Care FSA in the current year.

• Your change must be consistent with the qualifying life event. For example, if you change day care providers and your cost decreases, then you may decrease your contributions. If your spouse stops working, you must stop your contributions.

• The IRS limit for the maximum allowed annual contribution still applies. If you’re already contributing the maximum, you won’t be able to increase your contributions.

• You cannot decrease your contributions below the amount you’ve already contributed year-to date.

• If you stop contributions because your spouse is no longer working, you can restart participation only when your spouse starts working again.

Life event - report & update coverage

To report a life event and understand what changes you may be eligible to make:

• Go to the BenefitConnect website and click the Report a Life Event link just under the main banner on the home page.  Follow the instructions on the screen and select Change(s) related to my children, then Change in Dependent Care Cost or Coverage.

• Call the HR Service Center. Choose the option for Benefits, then Health & Protection coverage.

• Your Dependent Care FSA contribution is deducted from your pay in equal amounts during the year. Chevron does not prefund this account. Each time you file a claim, you’ll be reimbursed for your qualified expenses, up to the amount of money available in your account. If your expenses are greater than the amount in your account, you’ll be reimbursed for the remaining amount after additional contributions are credited to your account.  

• Reimbursement requests must be sent in no later than June 30 of the year after the year in which you incur the expense. Any balance remaining after June 30 will be forfeited. There is no rollover allowed, and this money is not available for future expenses or a refund.  

How to get reimbursed

After you receive eligible dependent care services, you can request reimbursement through any of the following methods:

• Online Website Account*. Access your Dependent Care FSA account online at the claims administrator's website.

• Mobile App*. Use your claims administrator's mobile app to submit a claim with supporting documentation.

• Paper Form*. Fill out a Dependent Care FSA claim form and provide supporting documentation as requested on the form.

*The amount of your reimbursement request must be at least $25. If your qualified expenses are less than $25, wait until you incur additional qualified expenses totaling $25 or more to submit a claim.  

Set up direct deposit

You can set up direct deposit of approved reimbursements to your bank account. Here's how:

• Online Website Account. Access your Dependent Care FSA account online at the claims administrator's website. Navigate to your Spending Account Dashboard. From there, go to the Claims tab, then choose Reimbursement Preference.

• Call Claim Administrator. If you do not have access to the web, you can also call your claim administrator for assistance with this request. (See the contact information at the bottom of this page.)

If enrolled, your participation will end the date your employment ends. This plan is not available through COBRA and it is not available to retirees. 

• You can continue to use your remaining balance by submitting requests for reimbursement of eligible expenses incurred at any time during the calendar year in which your employment ends. 
• You may request reimbursement for eligible expenses by no later than June 30 of the following year.
• You must pay for the expense and submit a claim for reimbursement either by using the form, the online tool, or the mobile app. 

Go to the Leaving Chevron resource on this website for more information about other things you need to do and the choices you need to make regarding your benefits when you leave.