because my employer doesn't reimburse me and this is the amount i put in, do i still have to populate this amount on my taxes for box 10 as my W-2 is showing?
Enter your W-2 just as you see it. Amount in box 20 generally represents amount for child care.
Yes, enter your W-2 exactly as you see it. Box 10 of your W-2 shows the total amount of dependent care benefits that your employer paid to you or incurred on your behalf. Amounts over $5,000 are also included in box 1. You must complete Part III of Form 2441, Child and Dependent Care Expenses to figure out the amount if any, that you can exclude from your income. TurboTax will complete this form as you enter your expenses.
When you enter the amount from box 10, it will be included in your taxable income. But when you go through the Child and Dependent Care Credit section and enter your qualifying expenses, those amounts will be removed from taxable income.
If you are paying someone to take care of your children or another person in your household while you work, you might be eligible for the child and dependent care credit. Click on that link for more details on the credit.
not box 10. that's an id number only used by the employer. it can be left blank
Thank you for taking the time to try and help,, and Yes, however the TurboTax guidance on this box states:
If this doesn't apply to you, this box shouldn't have an amount and you can leave it blank.
I meet none of these requirements and my employer does NOT re-imburse me and does NOT pay for my dependent care benefits, this is money taken out of my paycheck towards my FSA to pay for child care expenses, so i'm still unclear based on this criteria. TurboTax needs to do a better job explaining this W-2 box and how it relates to the IRS requirements.