Spending Accounts
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Flexible Spending Accounts help you save money by allowing you to deduct tax-free dollars from your pay to cover certain health and dependent care expenses that you incur during the year. WEX maintains a list of eligible expenses.
Note: The IRS may increase the maximum contribution amounts shown here (usually in the fall).
Health Care FSA
If you enroll in the Core PPO Plan or the Enhanced PPO Plan, you can participate in the Health Care FSA.
You can use the Health Care FSA for qualified health care expenses, such as copays and coinsurance, contact lenses, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications.
If you enroll in the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and open a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can enroll in the Limited Purpose FSA for dental and vision expenses only.
You can elect to set aside up to $3,200 in the Health Care FSA for 2025.
If you currently participate in the Health Care FSA, up to $640 (minimum $30) of your remaining 2024 account balance will automatically roll over to your 2025 Health Care or Limited Purpose FSA with WEX. The rollover amount will be deposited into your FSA before May 30 (after the April 30 deadline for 2024 claims). Any remaining funds over $640 in your Health Care FSA will be forfeited.
Keep in mind: If you have FSA expenses that have not been validated with receipts in 2024, your card will not be activated for 2025. Log in to your WEX account to check your balance and to see if you have any messages requiring action on your part.
Dependent Care FSA
Don’t be fooled by its name! A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) has nothing to do with health care expenses, and you don’t need to be enrolled in any of JHU’s medical plan options to select this benefit. The DCFSA allows you to use pretax dollars to pay for things like after-school care, summer day camp, backup and emergency care, elder care, adult day care, and more.
You can use the account to reimburse yourself for qualified dependent care expenses that enable you and your spouse (if married) to work or attend school full time.
You can elect to set aside up to $5,000 in the Dependent Care FSA for 2025 (up to $2,500 if married and filing separate federal tax returns).
Plan your contributions carefully: Any unused funds remaining in your Dependent Care FSA at the end of the plan year are forfeited.
Child Care Voucher and Scholarship Programs
The Child Care Voucher program offers qualifying families $5,000, $2,500, or $1,000 tax-free vouchers to assist with paying for care for your dependent children under age 6, who are not yet in kindergarten. You must apply (or reapply) for the program each year to receive up to $5,000 annually. For voucher details and eligibility criteria, visit hr.jhu.edu/ccv.
In addition, JHU Scholarships to Partner Centers are available for:
- The Homewood Early Learning Center
- The Johns Hopkins Child Care and Early Learning Center (Bright Horizons at 98 N. Broadway)
- The Weinberg Early Childhood Center
- The Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Child Care Center
These scholarships can be used in addition to vouchers. To learn more about JHU Partner Centers, visit hr.jhu.edu/center-partners. For scholarship details and eligibility criteria, visit hr.jhu.edu/ccs.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
If you enroll in the high-deductible health plan (HDHP), you can contribute to an HSA on a pretax basis, and, unlike the FSA, the funds roll over from year to year. You own the funds forever and decide when you want to use them.
For those making $60,000 per year or less, JHU will also make a contribution to your HSA to help offset your higher deductible. The amount of JHU’s annual contribution will depend on your pay band:
- $40,000 or less band: $500 single / $1,000 family*
- $40,001–$60,000 band: $250 single / $500 family*
*Family includes two or more individuals.
You can use your HSA funds to pay for eligible medical, prescription, dental, vision, and other health care expenses that you incur today or later in life. WEX maintains a list of eligible expenses.
In 2025, the total maximum contribution amount for HSA is increasing. You can contribute an additional $1,000 if you’ll be age 55 or older in 2025.
| Coverage | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Individual coverage | $4,150 | $4,300 |
| Family coverage | $8,300 | $8,550 |
These are maximum total contribution amounts and include JHU’s contribution.
Remember: Due to IRS rules, you cannot participate in the Health Care FSA if you elect an HDHP with an HSA. However, you can participate in a Limited Purpose FSA (LPFSA) offered exclusively for HDHP participants. The Limited Purpose FSA can be used only for eligible dental and vision expenses. If you’re enrolling in the HDHP and currently participate in the Health Care FSA, you can roll over a minimum of $30, up to $640 of your unused balance at year-end to your 2025 Limited Purpose FSA.
Commuter Benefits
Commuter assistance program
JHU’s commuter assistance program allows you to have pretax deductions taken from your pay to cover eligible expenses associated with your commute to work, such as public transportation and non-JHU parking. You may elect a transit account, parking account, or both.
You elect a contribution amount to help cover monthly commuting expenses, but if your commuting needs change, you can make changes to your elections every month. New elections take effect the month after they are submitted and are managed by WEX, our commuter assistance program administrator.
For 2025 you’ll continue to make your monthly commuter benefit elections in the JHU Benefits & Worklife myChoices enrollment website.
Mass-transit subsidy
In addition to any pretax money you set aside for commuting expenses, JHU provides a subsidy to eligible employees who work in Maryland and Washington, D.C., to help lessen the cost of commuting, support the University’s sustainability initiatives, and encourage vital in-person interactions. Subsidy amounts are determined by an eligible employee’s work location (Maryland or D.C.), the employee’s annual JHU gross salary, and the number of days the employee works on campus or on-site.
Based also on regional differences in commuting costs, eligible employees who work in Maryland can receive up to $60 per month, and eligible employees who work in Washington, D.C., can receive up to $150 per month.
If you’re eligible, you will have the option to select the JHU subsidy and/or elect your own pretax contribution. You do not need to make employee contributions to your commuter assistance account to receive the JHU-paid subsidy. The current limit for your and JHU’s combined contributions is $315 per month and is subject to change.
Employer funds will be added to your account the first pay of each month. Unused funds will roll over month to month and year to year.
If you already have a WEX debit card for your Health Care FSA, simply use the card you already have for your transit or parking expenses. Otherwise, check your mail for your new WEX debit card. You can also request reimbursement from WEX (online or app) if you pay out of pocket for any of your transit costs.