NA Dependent Care

Dependent care expenses billed for the care of any of the following are allowable:

● A dependent child under the age of 18.

● An incapacitated adult when the cost is not a medical expense. (See NA Medical Expenses for a list of medical expenses.)

The dependent care expense is only allowable when it is necessary to complete one of the following:

● Seek, accept, or continue employment

● Participate in NA Employment & Training activities

● Attend training or pursue education to prepare for employment

NOTE Attendance in the following is also considered preparation for employment:

● High school

● GED classes

The following are allowable NA dependent care expenses:

● A registration fee that the budgetary unit is required to pay.

NOTE When the registration fee is a one-time fee, the fee is an allowable expense in the month in which it is billed. When the registration fee is a recurring fee, prorate the fee over the period of time it is intended to cover.

● Activity or meal fees that are mandatory and separate from the dependent care expense.

● Fees for care not provided due to illness or vacation but billed by the provider.

● Mandatory fees are billed for shuttle services from the provider to school.

● Alternative types of care are provided, which include any of the following:

After-school care

Special needs care

At-risk youth programs

Informal care arrangements

Adult day care or day services

● Co-payments that the budgetary unit is required to pay, even when waived by the provider.

The following are not allowed as NA dependent care expenses:

● Any portion of an expense that has been allowed as an educational expense. (See Educational Income for a list of educational expenses.)

● Costs paid to a facility or provider to pay for the education of a dependent child.

NOTE FAA contacts the facility or provider to determine whether the fees charged are for dependent care or for the education of a dependent child.

● Costs for care paid by any of the following:

Another participant in the case.

Reimbursements, including reimbursements made by Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program Career Advancement Network (SNAP CAN), Jobs, or Transitional Childcare (TCC).

Vendor Payments.

● Costs for care provided out of the home when one parent of the dependent child is in the home and meets all of the following:

Not working.

Not actively looking for work.

Meets an NA work requirement exemption and is not a work registrant. (See NA Work Requirements for more information.)

Physically capable of caring for the dependent.

● Costs paid in the form of an in-kind benefit, such as food, gas, room.

● Costs paid by a third party.