Dependent Care FSA Calculator: how much should I put in?
Type what you pay for childcare. We'll tell you the exact number to put in the Dependent Care FSA box at work, what it saves, and how much smaller each paycheck deposit will look. Thirty seconds, no email.
Show the work: FSA vs. the tax credit
| FSA + credit on the rest | Credit only | |
|---|---|---|
| Dependent Care FSA (elect , saves ¢/$ federal) | — | |
| State income tax skipped () | — | |
| Child & Dependent Care Credit | ||
| Back in your pocket |
The credit can't count dollars the FSA already covered, and it can only cancel federal income tax you owe.
Free. Your answers carry over — nothing to retype. We email you a 6-digit code to save it; no password, no card, no bank login.
The catch — read before you sign up
- Use it or lose it. Money you put in but don't claim by the plan's deadline is gone. If your care costs might drop (grandma moves in, kindergarten starts in August), elect the amount you're sure to spend.
- Your deposit looks smaller. The money comes out before taxes and goes to your daycare bill through the FSA. Nothing ever "shows up" — it's simply less tax taken out over the year.
- Both parents must work (or be full-time students or disabled). A stay-at-home spouse means no FSA and no credit.
- Kids under 13, and the care has to be so you can work: daycare, preschool, nanny, after-school, summer day camp. Overnight camp and kindergarten tuition don't count.
- You'll need your provider's tax ID. Cash to a relative only counts if they report it as income and give you their number — for most families that's not worth it, and we'd rather say so.
- Married filing separately: the limit is half ($3,750 or $2,500).
How the math works
Every dollar you run through the FSA skips federal income tax and the 7.65% Social Security and Medicare tax. At a 22% bracket that's about 30 cents saved per dollar; at 12%, about 20 cents. Almost every state skips its income tax on those dollars too (Pennsylvania is the known exception), which adds another 3–7 cents. The childcare credit works differently: you pay for care with taxed money, then get 20–50% of up to $3,000 (one child) or $6,000 (two or more) back at tax time. The same dollar can't get both — the credit only counts costs the FSA didn't cover — so the "show the work" table above runs both routes on your numbers and picks the bigger one.
Your job may cap the account at the old $5,000 even though the law now allows $7,500. If you're not sure, elect $5,000 and ask HR the one question above — it's the difference of about $500–$750 a year.
Quick answers
How much should I put in my Dependent Care FSA?
The smaller of two numbers: what you'll actually spend on childcare this year, or your plan's limit ($7,500 for 2026 if your employer adopted the new limit; $5,000 if not; $3,750 married filing separately). Never more than you'll spend — unused money is forfeited.
What is the Dependent Care FSA limit for 2026?
$7,500 per household ($3,750 if married filing separately), up from $5,000. The new limit started January 1, 2026, but your employer's plan has to adopt it — ask HR which limit yours uses.
How much does a Dependent Care FSA actually save?
Roughly 20–30 cents per dollar for most families: your federal income tax rate plus 7.65% Social Security and Medicare tax. On a full $5,000 that's about $1,000–$1,500 a year; on $7,500, about $1,450–$2,200.
Does the FSA make my paycheck smaller?
Your deposit looks smaller, because the FSA money comes out before taxes. But you stop paying that much for daycare from your bank account, and you skip the tax on it. Over the year you come out ahead by the tax you didn't pay.
Dependent Care FSA or the childcare tax credit — which is better?
The same dollar can't get both. For most families above roughly $45,000 of income the FSA saves more per dollar; for lower incomes the credit's 35–50% rate can win — but the credit can only cancel tax you owe. The tool above runs both routes on your numbers.
When can I sign up for a Dependent Care FSA?
During your job's yearly benefits window (often Oct 15 – Nov 30) or within about 30 days of a life event like a new baby or a new job. Miss the window and you wait a year.
Want the whole picture? — free 3-minute check. No card, no SSN, no bank login needed.
Find my childcare money