Aetna spending accounts are a great way to save on qualified:

• Health care expenses
• Dependent care expenses
• Work-related parking and transit costs

Spending accounts offer tax breaks that feel like a boost to your take-home pay. Here's how they work:

• You direct a part of your pre-tax pay into a spending account. Your contributions are taken out of your paycheck through regular, equal payroll deductions.
• You can use your spending account throughout the year to reimburse yourself or help pay for certain eligible expenses. Your annual election amount is yours to use on the first day of the plan year.
• The portion of your paycheck you put into your spending account is taken out before you pay federal income taxes, Social Security and most state taxes. The amount available to spend during the year is based on the yearly amount you elected, minus any reimbursements already made.

Just remember this: Your health care and dependent care spending account dollars are "use-it-or-lose-it" funds.  Account balances are not carried over from year to year.  This means that if you have any unused funds at the end of the plan year (or at the end of the grace period if applicable) those funds will be forfeited. So estimate what you want to direct to your spending account carefully.

Types of spending accounts:

• Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - For health-related, out-of-pocket expenses
• Limited Health Care FSA - For health care expenses when you are an HSA member
• Dependent Care FSA - For work-related child and adult day care
• Aetna Commuter Benefits^SM - For work-related parking and transit costs