Author Topic: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?  (Read 4301 times)

jeromedawg

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Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« on: September 14, 2015, 06:49:27 PM »
Hey guys,

So we recently had our baby and I kinda jumped the gun on submitting the benefits enrollment changes per declaration of life event. I basically messed up and filed to contribute to a dependent care FSA - I called the benefits line and was seemingly misinformed that I could correct this by simply going through the process again, declaring the life event, and that it would just 'overwrite' what I already had entered. Thing is, I tried that today and it says I cannot declare the same life event twice. Furthermore, before I filed for dependent care, I actually called the benefits line and they told me that's the option I needed to select in the event of a birth to cover any associated hospital fees, etc. It seems I should have just increased whatever was in our regular FSA instead. Misinformation all around...

I'm planning to contact my benefits dept tomorrow but does it sound like I'm screwed? Or should they be able to amend the benefits (especially since they're the ones who misinformed me) and fix this?

Anyone go through anything similar or work on the other side who might be able to explain?

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2015, 08:15:01 PM »
I did this exact thing. My benefits department let me stop contributing to the FSA, but the money was stuck. Paid MIL for some babysitting while wife checked in at her now part-time job and we at least used it.

jeromedawg

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2015, 09:43:15 PM »
I did this exact thing. My benefits department let me stop contributing to the FSA, but the money was stuck. Paid MIL for some babysitting while wife checked in at her now part-time job and we at least used it.

Crap... what could I even use the money up on? I'm assuming it'll expire? I'm pretty upset right now with the benefits hotline - they're the ones who gave me directions towards doing all this and it's all wrong!

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2015, 11:40:29 AM »
If you don't have a use for a dependent care FSA, I assume your wife (guessing not you since it's your benefits we're talking about) is staying home? Spouse's change in job is a qualifying life event so you can run that one through. The money already contributed may be gone if there's nothing you can manage to spend it on before the end of the year. It's incredibly hard to figure out all the paperwork when you're also figuring out your newborn.

AZDude

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2015, 11:44:33 AM »
Don't you have a certain amount of time to fix it. Like 30 days or something from the life event? Has that already passed? Otherwise call HR again and have them change it. Remember, HR is incompetent, so make sure you look into stuff yourself. Also remember that HR works for the company, trying to minimize risk and cost. They do not work for you.

Always remember those two things when talking to HR.

jeromedawg

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2015, 04:04:34 PM »
Don't you have a certain amount of time to fix it. Like 30 days or something from the life event? Has that already passed? Otherwise call HR again and have them change it. Remember, HR is incompetent, so make sure you look into stuff yourself. Also remember that HR works for the company, trying to minimize risk and cost. They do not work for you.

Always remember those two things when talking to HR.

LOL I ended up calling HR earlier this morning and sorting it out. Supposedly, I'm able to cancel the dependent care FSA even though I already contributed to it. And I'm *supposed* to the money back in 2-3 pay cycles. I'm not gonna bank on it, given the world of misinformation they already gave me, but we'll see what happens. The guy I spoke with says he's never dealt with an issue like mine before. I don't know who they outsource HR to but it's not very good...

charis

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2015, 12:24:42 PM »
I did this exact thing. My benefits department let me stop contributing to the FSA, but the money was stuck. Paid MIL for some babysitting while wife checked in at her now part-time job and we at least used it.

How does that work - did your MIL write you a receipt?  We may have over contributed for the year so I am thinking of ways to use it.

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2015, 12:30:50 PM »
I did this exact thing. My benefits department let me stop contributing to the FSA, but the money was stuck. Paid MIL for some babysitting while wife checked in at her now part-time job and we at least used it.

How does that work - did your MIL write you a receipt?  We may have over contributed for the year so I am thinking of ways to use it.

Yep. We wrote her a check for it, she deposited it, we submitted it for reimbursement.

maricela

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2015, 11:38:43 AM »

I did this exact thing. My benefits department let me stop contributing to the FSA, but the money was stuck. Paid MIL for some babysitting while wife checked in at her now part-time job and we at least used it.

How does that work - did your MIL write you a receipt?  We may have over contributed for the year so I am thinking of ways to use it.
be very careful with that and check the laws on family members providing care

charis

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Re: Benefits Enrollment change for life event - mistake?
« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2015, 01:41:08 PM »

I did this exact thing. My benefits department let me stop contributing to the FSA, but the money was stuck. Paid MIL for some babysitting while wife checked in at her now part-time job and we at least used it.

How does that work - did your MIL write you a receipt?  We may have over contributed for the year so I am thinking of ways to use it.
be very careful with that and check the laws on family members providing care

I wasn't referring to family care specifically, which we wouldn't be paying for anyway.  But we may want to get a babysitter.