FAQs

A qualifying life event (PDF) (QLE) allows you to enroll or change your FSA election. These events are defined by the IRS and include:

• Change in your legal marital status (i.e., marriage, legal separation, divorce, or death of your spouse)
• Change in employment status (for you, your spouse, or dependent) that affects eligibility for health insurance benefits
• Change in your number of tax dependents
• Birth or date you adopt a child, or placement for adoption
• Death of your spouse or dependent
• Change in your dependent's eligibility (for example, your child reaches age 13 and is no longer eligible under a DCFSA)
• Change in your child care/elder care provider or cost or coverage, such as a significant cost increase charged by your current daycare provider, or a change in your daycare provider. This applies to a DCFSA only. It does NOT apply to a HCFSA or LEX HCFSA.

Please note: A dependent is anyone you claim on your federal income tax return or someone claimed on a joint return you file with another.

If you or your dependents experience a QLE, you may enroll or change your current election(s) in the FSAFEDS program. You may do this through your online account. Log in then select Qualifying Life Event.

Keep in mind that your requested change must be consistent with the event that prompted the election change. For example, if you adopt a baby, you may want to increase your HCFSA and/or DCFSA elections to accommodate the added medical expenses and/or daycare costs you may incur for this adopted child.
You may wish to decrease your DCFSA if your spouse decides to stay home with your child and you no longer have eligible daycare costs.

If your requested change is due to the birth or adoption of a child, the change will be retroactive to the child's date of birth, date of adoption, or placement for adoption, consistent with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

If you are a federal employee and experience a QLE, such as the death of your spouse, you may enroll in the FSAFEDS Program.

Additionally, you cannot reduce your HCFSA, LEX HCFSA or DCFSA election(s) below the amount already reimbursed or already in your account.

After September 30 of any benefit period, only those QLEs resulting in a decrease in the annual election will be considered. QLEs resulting in an increase in the annual election or a first time enrollment will not be accepted due to the limited number of pay periods remaining in the calendar year. See the Qualifying Life Events Quick Reference Guide (PDF) for more information.