Where is the amount leftover in a day care FSA recorded? TT is including this number in its calculations, but I am unsure how or where it is getting, or calculating it.

[jpetersen619]

I am unable to preview Form 2441 to determine what specifically is being entered there.

[MaryM428]

 Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) put aside pretax dollars for certain expenses—in this case qualified child-care and elder-care costs. These accounts are use-it-or-lose-it, so unless you find expenses to claim, you'll forfeit the balance to your employer.

While unused amounts cannot be refunded, the existing regulations do permit Dependent Care FSAs to offer a grace period. A grace period allows participants to spend unused funds during the 2.5 month (75 day) period following the end of the plan year.

Many employers suspended day care FSA amounts when day care facilities closed last year. 

You cannot view the forms unless you are using a paid version of TurboTax.  That is either desktop or paid online.

You can contact us for further assistance with this issue.

[jpetersen619]

Hi, understood. Can you simply tell me where in the guided interview process TT asks about how much money is left unused in the FSA account at the end of the year? I found the question for how much you carried over from the previous year, but not how much was left unused at end of 2020. Thanks!

[BillM223]

To find the question about how much you had left over from the Dependent Care FSA, please revisit your W-2 interview, for the W-2 interview that had the entry in box 10 (for the FSA).

Once you enter the box 10 amount, TurboTax will wonder if you had an FSA, and so in the screens subsequent to the actual W-2 data entry screen, you will be asked if you had a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

When you answer YES, the next question will be "Any leftover money in your Flexible Spending Account?" - this is the question you are looking for.

This is correct for the desktop software. The Online software is not always the same, but in any case, go back through the W-2 interview and see if the question pops up as I described.

[jpetersen619]

That was it. I thought I had remembered entering it somewhere but it seemed strange it wasn't in the "Child and Dependent Care Credit" section along with the rest of the related numbers. The mystery is now solved though. Thank you very much!

[Hannahbeau]

I am super irritated at turbotax right now. No mention about how to answer this question if you spend the funds within the Grace Period. Lots of discussion about Carry Over, nothing regarding grace period. Add in COVID - nightmare. If I spent my 2021 plan funds by now, some during the 2021 year and some during the Grace Period that started in 2022, what do I put in this field? $0 or what was actually still there as of 12/31/21. I'm showing that I owe a ton of money when I enter that I have leftover funds.

[Cynthiad66]

$0.  You should enter $0 leftover if you spent it all during the grace period.   A grace period allows participants to spend unused funds during the 2.5 month (75 day) period following the end of the plan year.

@Hannahbeau