Conference moira::parenting_v3

    
    I have had no problems with my HCRA.   I did call them to find out when
    I'd get my reimbursement and I was told that the checks get mailed on
    the 9th day of the month.
    
    It's a nice benefit, especially if you use all of it before you
    contribute to the account!
    
    
    Good luck and maybe you could speak with the supervisor?!
    
    Debby
    

    I have been having problems too Kristen. This month my forms arrived a
    day late so no check. I attribute that to the fact that I used the new
    form that is postage paid which probably required extra handling in the
    post office.
    
    I have had a "special" check cut for me before when I deliberately sent
    my forms in next-day air and were still not processed by John Hancock.
    It was only after I called and told them that I paid $9 to guarantee it
    would get there in time.
    
    So to solve my problem, my sitter has agreed to pre-sign receipts for
    me.
    
    -Jan

    
    I have only had 1 incidence (this month) where mine didn't make
    the deadline.  
    
    From talking to the JH people, it is my understanding that the
    form has to be to them by the LAST PAYDAY OF THE MONTH, not the
    1st of the month. So, March's receipts should get to them by
    March 28, not April 1 for you to get a check in April.

    Kristen,
    
    I too have consistantly had problems with this process. The school that
    my children now attend has a tuition due date of the fifteenth of the
    month for the entire month (ex: 2/15-3/14). THis is good news as far as
    getting the receipt to John Hancock in time, but is bad news in that we
    often have not received the money from the previous month by the 15th.
    Also, for the longest time last year, the period of service on my
    statements read 4/90, and so it was difficult to figure out how they
    got the amounts they did for my check (no, they were not consistant
    with what I submitted them.....) My husband is sure they still owe us
    money for last year, but the statements they sent us say otherwise....
    
    Also, -1 , what new prepaid envelopes ? Where can we get these ?
    
    Leeann
    

  I haven't really had any problems just some oddities with John Hancock.  

  I noticed that all of my statements had charges for the same date over 
  and over.  I added up the sum of all the money I had received which was 
  correct, I'm just not sure how they figured it out and recorded it.  I 
  think since my receipts are for more money than I have deducted the dates 
  of service on the JH statements are all off.

  Also, I received 3 checks in December when I normally receive 1 check
  for $480.  The 3 checks totalled to that amount but I'm not really sure
  why they came separately.  I guess they were waiting for the December
  contributions to be added so they could pay them out?  Seems strange to
  me.  

  I have also missed the 1st of the month date, but from the previous reply
  I now know it is the last workday of the month.  Thanks!

  Karin "caught in a sea of JH receipts!"

  

    If someone doesn't mind, can you please expalin to me what happens with
    the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account.  I did go to my personal
    person and all she did was give me a bunch of papers to read and a form
    to fill out when the next enrollment period came about and that was
    all.
    
    I would apprcieate any help.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Liz

    We reviewed this program with our accountant.  I'm assuming you are
    asking WHY you'd want to participate, not HOW, since the form is pretty
    explicit and your PSA can help.
    
    WHY:  Like the SAVE plan (401K) the amount you specify for dependent
    care is deducted from your gross pay.  Your reportable income is the
    result.  Your IRS witholding and your SocSec witholding are both based
    on your reportable income, not the gross.  The effect is that your IRS
    and SocSec witholding are both reduced. You thus pay less taxes from
    your paycheck.
    
    The SocSec is never balanced at the end of the year, like the IRS.  So
    you are truly saving money on Socsec.  Considering its such an awful
    investment for young people, its wise to pay as little as possible. 
    (You may actually LOSE money on socsec when you retire.)
    
    As for the IRS, when you deduct for dependent care, you will also be
    taking a dependent care deduction on your tax return, which will reduce
    your final tax burden somewhat.  The dependent care deduction, by
    reducing your IRS witholding, means you pay less all year.  So you
    will get a smaller refund.  This is actually good because the money in
    your hands can earn interest all year, but there is no interest on IRS
    refunds. 
    
    You do lose some money in the plan: the interest on the month you pay
    ahead x 12.  However there is a net savings overall.
    
    Be sure you do not deduct more than you will pay for daycare from the
    date the deduction starts.  I don't think you can get it back
    otherwise. (I may be wrong here.)  EG - your daycare receipts from the
    day you start the plan should equal the total money deducted into the
    plan that year.
    
    Laura

    
    I think that person was asking for general methos of operation
    that weren't on the form, i.e.:
    
    - you have to have your receipt to them before the last payday of 
      the month
    - they mail the checks out once a month on the 9th (is that correct?)
    
    I too would like this basic information as I just got back from
    maternity leave and have started using the account.  I'm not sure what
    exactly to expect.  For instance, if my receipt is for more than I 
    have taken out in a month, are they smart enough to send me the $
    that I ddid have deducted that month?
    
    Thanks for the help,
    Bev (who's still waiting for her first check to be reimbursed, and 
         already had to pay out the second one!)

    Re: .8
    
   > I too would like this basic information as I just got back from
   > maternity leave and have started using the account.  I'm not sure what
   > exactly to expect.  For instance, if my receipt is for more than I 
   > have taken out in a month, are they smart enough to send me the $
   > that I ddid have deducted that month?
    
    They will never send you more than you have in your account (i.e. your
    weekly contributions), so if your receipts are more than your acount
    balance they just send you the entire account balance.
    
    RE: .7  You are correct, you DO NOT get your money back if you
    contribute more than you actually spend on daycare.
    
    Kristen (still waiting for January AND February money, and paid most of
    March already!)

    I am really concerned about the DCRA in which I just started
    participating.  If John Hancock is consistently late in sending out
    checks,  arbitrary in not making payments (such as requiring original
    receipts but not stating so on the form), or otherwise not being
    cooperative, perhaps we should take this up, as a GROUP with our
    employer.  The personnel folks who interface with JH may not be aware
    there are problems.  They may need a nudge to exert pressure on JH to
    improve performance.
    
    Any ideas about how to go about doing this?  Is it necessary?
    
    Laura

    I, too, did not receive my January check in early February.  I was told
    they received my receipts on February 1st, which was one day too late. 
    I have participated in this program since it was started last May, and
    except for the first month, have always gotten checks on time.  It's my
    (optimistic) guess that JH was overloaded in January with new people
    joining the program, and they weren't able to process everyone's
    January receipts on time.  I am hoping this will fix itself next month.
    

    Did anyone receive their January check yet?
    
    I have not received mine yet either.
    
    Donna

    Yep! I received my January check quite a while ago, mid-Feb.  In
    fact I expect my February check this week.  But I usually mail my
    receipt for the month by the middle of the month - if not earlier-
    so I have never missed getting a monthly check.  I have, once if
    I remember correctly, gotten a check for half my usual amount and
    after several phone calls with the attitude "Look I'm not saying 
    that JH is a fault here but if DEC isn't getting the tapes/money 
    to you (JH) on time then I need to know so I can complain to payroll.
    I'm just trying to fully understand your process....." They ended
    up cutting a second check for the month (not just for me but for
    everyone).  I think this was last December or November I'm not sure
    exactly which month.
    
    Kathy

    
    Can I use Dependent Care Reimbursement for preschool (three afternoons
    a week) or is it only for daycare?
    
    Jill
    
    

You can use it for any child care provision which is used so that you
can work.    The provider must give you their tax ID number, though, for
you to receive reimbursement.

			Steve

    
    OK, maybe you've experienced this before, but since I've only
    been enrolled in DCRA since Jan. when I came back to work, this
    was a first for me.
    
    My check came Friday and it was only for 3 weeks of contribution to 
    the account.  Silly me thought that since May had 5 pay periods that
    this check may have even been larger, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
    
    I called John Hancock and their response was that the tape they get
    with account balances on only contained 3 weeks of information, and 
    they can't release any more $ than the tape shows.  Who runs these
    tapes?  Can't we get them to be more consistent?  The rep that I spoke
    with said that it would all even out by the end of the year (gee
    thanks!)  and maybe the extra week (s) would show up next time.
    
    Anyone know the details of how this works, or who I could contact to
    find out why all pay period deductions for the month aren't on that
    stupid tape?
    
    Bev

Bev:

We, too, had trouble with last month's reimbursements!

I submitted five weeks and "somehow" got paid for (I think) two weeks ...
They claim that two weeks were "double remitted" (now, I keep pretty
accurate records, so I'm not convinced this is so!) ... so they paid us
for the two middle weeks ... and then they said that "our account" was
dry and they'd keep the "last week" and process it next month (now, how
can this be when several weeks were in the buffer when we started the
plan and there's several weeks (at the end of the month) from when we 
submit the monthly receiptSSS and JH actually paySSS them?) ...

I'll be calling JH today, TOOO!!!

I think somewhat went whacky this past month (and for a change, it
isn't me!).

    
    Yep, I got only 3 weeks worth and I got the same "song" about DIGITAL
    not "putting" in enough at the "right time". No one there can give me
    an intelligent answer. I think I will have to tally all the payments
    and my contributions and figure this out myself and then call JH.
    
    Shaila

I too got only 3 weeks of pay, and had it on my list to call JH.  No need
now, I guess.

So perhaps it was from an honest error and not someone's oversight.  But why do
we all have to pay for that error?  Do all of those folks who run such programs
have spare change sitting around each month to cover their bills?  What if they
went to withdraw some savings and the bank told them that they only have
partial data and therefore can only distribute 3/5 of the funds until next
month!

This DCRA business is getting very frustrating.  It appears from the outside
that they are a service bureau who does not care much about service, and are
not of the "How can we help you?" frame of mind!

(I feel better now, thank you)

    We had the same problem where we only got 3 week's pay.  My
    husband called John Hancock and they were extremely snotty, saying
    something along the lines of, "It's not our fault, we used the tape
    Digital sent us.  Call your PSA, not us."  So my husband called our 
    PSA who was not at all familiar with what was going on.  Finally 
    someone (?) told my husband that if the PSA didn't know about this
    mix up, the PSA was to call their boss, who would hopefully be able 
    to explain the situation to the PSA.  
    
    What will end up happening is the PSA will call John Hancock and
    tell them that you have $xxx left in your account, and please cut 
    a one time "exemption" check.   
    
    It seems as though it's going to work for us.  
    
    Donna
    

    Assuming everyone has the same DCRA problem this month,  does anyone
    know if we will get caught up automatically next month, or do we ALL
    need to call our PSA's for the special check?
    
    I just returned from three weeks away to find that we also were not
    paid for the full period.
    
    Donna

Assuming that Digital gives them any information at all, you should get caught
up this month.  They compare the receipts you have sent them with the account
balances that Digital gives them, and will reimburse you up to your account
balance, but no more than your outstanding receipts.

Kristen

   Well, I got my check yesterday and it didn't include the 2 weeks from
May.  I just received the 4 weeks from June.  When I called John Hancock 
they said that my balance as of today includes the first 2 weeks of July.  
So it appears that JH hasn't received those weeks from May.  Did anyone 
else get reimbursed for the last 2 weeks of May?

Karen Edwards

    We also got a screwed up check.  We had them cut the special 
    exemption check 2-3 weeks ago, and this month's check was supposed to
    be the normal monthly check.  We only ended up getting 2 weeks
    again.
    
    UNBELIEVABLE!
    
    Donna
    

    I also only received 4 weeks and not the 6 that I expected.  Has
    anyone talked to personnel yet?  I'm not in the office today but plan
    to send mail to my PSA to see if she knows what happened.
    
    Ginny

I talked to personel this morning.  They are checking into this and will
get back to me.  I told them I didn't think I was the only one that was
having this problem.  I'll give an update when I get one.

Karen

    Boy, after reading all of these notes off and on with the saga, I'm
    really glad I *didn't* opt for this route !!!
    
    Sorry you're all having such a tough time !  Hope it straightens out
    soon !!!
    
    :-)
    Debbi

    I spoke with my PSA and with JH.  The usually story from JH - DEC's
    fault we can only pay out what the tape says you have in the account.
    I then called my PSA she read a memo date June 21 stating that the
    tapes went out late again and if people complained and want an
    additional check that the PSA should take the information and contact
    JH to authorize the check.  I had that done,  the office managers name
    as JH is Patty Lee.  I also got the name Debbie Ferus, 223-9192,
    ICS::FERUS, as the person that sent the memo to the PSA's.  I called 
    her to complain, she suggested documenting what happened and any other
    time it has happened and sending a memo to Ed Brady, MS02, node= ICS.
    I think we should all send mail if they don't hear from us payroll will
    never get their act together to get the tape out on time.
    
    I also complained to Patty Lee that I thought the statements sent out
    by JH were next to worthless because they are so criptic.  I suggested
    that they just send out a listing of all the debits and credits to the
    account from Jan 1 forward.  She claimed that they had only had a few
    complaints about the statements.  Maybe if you agree that the
    statements useless we can write to JH too.  I just would like to see
    all my contributions, and all JH's pay-outs for the year.  If they
    showed the date of the last contribution on the statement we could
    better monitor how long it is taking DEC to send out the tapes.
    
    Kathy
    

Debbie:

Actually, after doing "the numbers", the dependent care reimbursement
benefit does benefit us quite a bit ... (under-the-counter homecare vs.
licensed daycare -- difference was only $15/week!!!).   Of course, JH
ties up your first month's investment ... but the tax benefit is worth
it to us.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, however ...

I, too, called JH to question why I'm being denied 1-2 weeks a month.
For "US" the money did balance ... we were just computing it differently,
so the "JH denials" were quite misleading!

Here's a sample:

JENSEN:
June 3-7	pd daycare $133		requested a $96 reimbursement
June 10-14		"			"
June 17-21		"			"
June 24-28		"			"
		total:  $532		requested: $384
                                                    /\
JH:                                                 ||
June 3-7	pd $133                             ||
June 10-14	pd $133                             ||
June 17-21	pd $118  (balance in account)       ||
June 24-28	** no money in Jensen account **    ||
		total pd:  $384  ====================

    Could someone please remind me (or provide a pointer) about the
    method of getting out of the DCRA program in mid-year?  We've
    reworked our books and discovered that we'll be under our
    account balance at the end of the year.  Our job circumstances
    haven't changed, we just started sending kid #2 to first grade and
    the daycare expenses aren't ending up to be as much as we
    expected.
    
    Thanks.
    
    Doug.

    I don't think there's any way.  Any money you don't use by the end of
    the year disappears into a black hole.

I'd definately be talking to my PSA about this!

    No, there is a way.  I recall that according to the official rules you
    "can't" (except for changes in circumstance, etc., etc.), and that
    the money is supposed to go into a black hole (actually the IRS).
    
    However, I also recall that when this all started there were some
    people who chickened out after a few months and were able to get out of
    the program even though their circumstances hadn't changed.  THAT's
    what I'm looking for.  If nobody remembers, I guess I'll have to find
    and look through the old version of the conference.  Please save me
    from that hassle!
    
    Doug.

    I didn't bring in my copy of the benefits, the one we got in the mail
    this week, but... didn't the section on DCRA say something about "if
    you terminate the account you can be fully reimbursed?

    
TAKEN FROM VTX BENEITS_US ... 
              
Chapter 5  - REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNNTS

Changing your contributions

Once you set up your Dependent Care Reimbursement Account, it must stay in
effect until the end of the benefit period. You may begin, stop or change your
contributions only during the annual open enrollment period unless you have
an allowable change in family status as defined by the Internal Revenue Code
(IRC). The following are considered changes in family status by the IRC:

o  You add a dependent through birth, adoption, or marriage.

o  You lose a dependent through death or divorce.

o  Your spouse picks up the coverage from a new employer or loses the coverage
   when leaving a job.

o  You pick up or lose dependent coverage as a result of a change in your
   dependent's eligibility status under the IRC or the medical plan provisions.

o  You or your spouse switch from part-time to full-time status, or vice versa.

o  You or your spouse take an unpaid leave of absence.

o  There has been a significant change in the health coverage due to your
   spouse's employment. For example, if your spouse's employer eliminates
   a particular plan, or if your spouse chooses a different medical plan or
   coverage during the calendar year.

You can also make changes in your contribution amounts if you relocate away
from your current dependent care provider making it impossible to continue
using this care provider.

Any change you make must be consistent with your change in family status.
For example, if your spouse stops working and will be assuming child care or
elder care responsibilities, you can stop contributing to your Dependent Care
Reimbursement Account.

If you qualify for a contribution change, you must contact your local Personnel
office to submit a new Authorization form.


















<-- Previous                   (Screen 34 of 57)                        More -->


    It is now December 2 and I must decide whether to enter this program or
    not.  I understand the financial benefits to this plan, but it
    certainly sounds like an administrative headache.  Are any of you still
    having the same problems with checks being cut and submitting of
    vouchers etc.?  
    
    I also would like clarification on a couple of points:
    
    1) The daycare provider needs to be licensed - true or false?
    2) The daycare provider must provide receipts - meaning no cancelled
    checks will do?  
    3) The daycare provider must sign your voucher before you submit it?
    
    It sounds like most people are submitting reimbursements monthly.  So,
    for the first month I contribute to the reimbursement fund and also
    pay my daycare provider (the amount contributed will be less than what
    I pay her because I am allowing for unpaid vacation time etc.).  At
    the end of that first month I can then submit an expense form for the
    prior month, but must submit receipts????  Is that how this thing
    works?  Also, is the check written out to you or the daycare provider?
    
    Any information would be appreciated.  I am REALLY interested to find
    out if most of the bugs have been worked out of the system by now.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Donna

    It's been working smoothly for me.  I submit monthly. I give 
    them receipts stapled to the completed form.  I supply my
    daycare provider's social security number.  You MUST have the paperwork
    in John Hancock's hands by the first of the month.  They send the
    checks out midmonth.  
    
    No doubt there are financial benefits to participation.  At the
    minimum, you pay less social security witholding taxes; they cannot be
    recovered when you file your IRS forms.  You can also save IRS
    witholding money.
    
    I cannot answer your other questions.  Your PSA will have answers.
    
    Laura

>    I understand the financial benefits to this plan, but it
>    certainly sounds like an administrative headache. 
    
    Well, yes, it is an administrative headache, but I put up with it in
    order to reduce my taxable income by $5000.  It probably saves me $1500
    in taxes.
        
>    I also would like clarification on a couple of points:
>    
>    1) The daycare provider needs to be licensed - true or false?
    
    False.
    
>    2) The daycare provider must provide receipts - meaning no cancelled
>    checks will do?  
    
    True.  But since my family daycare provider didn't have any "official"
    receipts, I made up forms myself, and had her fill them in.  These seem
    to work fine.  I staple them to the John Hancock form and mail the
    whole thing in.
    
>    3) The daycare provider must sign your voucher before you submit it?
    
    False.  You sign it.    
    
>    It sounds like most people are submitting reimbursements monthly.  So,
>    for the first month I contribute to the reimbursement fund and also
>    pay my daycare provider (the amount contributed will be less than what
>    I pay her because I am allowing for unpaid vacation time etc.).  At
>    the end of that first month I can then submit an expense form for the
>    prior month, but must submit receipts????  Is that how this thing
>    works?  
    
    Yup, that's about it.  The first month you're effectively paying
    double.
    
    
    > Also, is the check written out to you or the daycare provider?
    
    To you. You're the one with the expenses.  The provider has already
    gotten paid.  
    
>    Any information would be appreciated.  I am REALLY interested to find
>    out if most of the bugs have been worked out of the system by now.
    
    The main hassle is in getting the receipts in on time (by the end of the
    month).  If you miss by even one day, you have to wait another whole
    month to get reimbursed.  Other than that, it seems to work OK.
    

    >    2) The daycare provider must provide receipts - meaning no
    >       cancelled checks will do?
     
    I submit copies of my cancelled checks as receipts and have never had
    a problem.  fyi - The number printed on the check in the bottom right shows
    the amount that the check cashed for.

    
    How can I find out if the "Montessori School cum daycare center" that
    my 3-yr old goes to is eligible for DCRA?
    
    I need to decide by today evening (DCRA witholding forms are due
    tomorrow morning)!!!

    My boys go to a montessori school 7 am to 6 pm, and I have never had a
    problem with reimbursement. Check with your PSA and the school, but I
    think you'll be ok as long as they have a provider number.
    
    Lee Ann McGonagle Campagna

    There shouldn't be a problem.  My daughter is in full-day kindergarten,
    with an extension for early morning and post-schoo daycare.  We have
    no troubles with getting reimbursement.  You'll just need the school's
    license number and a receipt for your tuition payments.
    
    Diana

    Hi,
    
    Well, it is tax time once again!  I must admit, I am pretty confused
    about how to fill out my forms when I participate in the DCRA.
    I checked the keywords for pointers, but was unsuccessful in locating
    any information.  Could someone either point me to a note, or give me
    information on how they deal with the following?  Thanks! 
    
    1)  When filling out the 1040, how do I indicate that I had money
    	taken out via the DCRA?  Do I enter this amount in part III of
    	form 2441, or does the IRS even care that I participated in DCRA?
    
    2)  If my daycare expenses are greater than the amount I had taken out,
       	but less than the maximum I am allowed for the standard child and
    	dependent care credit (2400 for one child, 4800 for two children),
    	can I claim the difference? (This is my case for 1991)
    
    3)  If my expenses are greater than the maximum allowed for DCRA (5000),
    	is there anyway I can claim the difference? (This is my case for
    	1990 and 1992)
    
    4)  Any tips on filling out the Massachusetts state form? 
    
    Thanks for any advice and/or pointers to other notes for information.
    
    Donna

    
 >   1)  When filling out the 1040, how do I indicate that I had money
 >   	taken out via the DCRA?  Do I enter this amount in part III of
 >   	form 2441, or does the IRS even care that I participated in DCRA?
    

The IRS does care, and there is a section on the back of the form to fill
in that information.

 >   2)  If my daycare expenses are greater than the amount I had taken out,
 >      but less than the maximum I am allowed for the standard child and
 >   	dependent care credit (2400 for one child, 4800 for two children),
 >   	can I claim the difference? (This is my case for 1991)
 
Yes.

    
 >   3)  If my expenses are greater than the maximum allowed for DCRA (5000),
 >   	is there anyway I can claim the difference? (This is my case for
 >  	1990 and 1992)
    
You can't claim more than $2400 or $4800 respectively, so the answer to #2
should apply.

>    4)  Any tips on filling out the Massachusetts state form? 

Sorry........

Good Luck!
Kristen

Has anyone gotten their check yet this month?  It is now 2/21 and the checks
were mailed on 2/10 (in theory) and I don't have mine!

Kristen

    Yep, we got ours last Saturday.

    My day care provider will be claiming the money I pay her on a weekly
    basis $85/week to take care of my son.  Based on this, I will be able
    to take advantage of the tax credit at the end of the year (1992). 
    
    However, I am unclear as to how the current Day Care reimbursement
    program works and the advantages.  It seems to me that the company (if
    I designate) will take $85 out of my salary each week and put it in a
    "bank" which I can then draw on at a later time. However, I still need
    to pay my daycare person $85/week...so it will cost me $170/week. 
    
    Can someone help me understand the pros/cons of this program.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Darlene

    Darlene,
    
    Each week collect a receipt from your daycare provider for
    the amount that you paid her.
    
    Mail it in along with the reimbursement form and you will
    receive back a check in the mail.   If you do this on a 
    weekly basis, you will only be a couple of weeks behind.
    But it will all even up in the end.
    
    The money that is being held in the reimbursment account
    is not taxed.   
    
    Jeanne
    
    

     re: .48
    
     Even if you do send the receipts in each week, you will still be
    more than a couple of weeks behind.  The checks are only drawn once
    per month on the 9th of the month so if you send in the whole month
    of March before the last payday in March to JH, they will cut a check
    for you on April 9 and you should receive it around April 11,12.  That
    means you are SIX weeks paying double.  When we starting using it,
    we put 6 weeks daycare money in an account (tough to do, I know) to
    start.  You never catch up...the six weeks money always is in motion.
    
    Anyway, the program is great and it does save TONS of taxable $$$$$.
    
    

    re: 49
    
    I guess I should have defined "couple".  Is was not mean't
    to mean "two".
    
    We use the my husband's account with a different company.  I
    was not aware that JH's practice was different (slower).  
    
    But it does save more money tax wise in the long run.  
    
    Jeanne
    

I entered this program for 1992.  I received the first month's reimbursement 
in February, not for the amount I had requested (the $80. each week I 
contribute), but for the amount of the receipts.  

On February 25, I submitted my form/receipts for the month of February, but 
did not receive a check in early March.  This is where the fun begins...

JH claims that they did not receive my form until March 3rd.  I have no way to 
disprove this claim, even though the U.S. Postal service assures me that it 
takes no longer than 3 working days for a letter to get from Nashua, NH to 
Braintree, MA.  

This week, I mailed my form from the Milford Post Office, and paid for a 
Certificate of Mailing that proves that the letter was mailed on March 23rd.
JH says that I wasted my money--that this doesn't prove anything! 

JH will also not confirm whether they have received this month's claim.  
They state that "we can't go through all the mail to see if it's arrived".  
They're also suggesting I sent it Return Receipt Requested if I want proof!
So now I have to wait until after April 10th to see if they received it or not?

I'm really fed up with the lack of accountability and the fact that even Digital
as a corporation does not even seem concerned with the ineptitude with which 
this program is being administered.  

(BTW, my PSA thought I was the *only* one having a problem with this program!
I'm relieved, but equally frustrated, to hear that I'm not alone.)

Thanks for letting me *vent*---

ann

Ann:

The only problems I've encountered is understanding their credit/debit process
(since our daycare expenses exceed the $96/wk contribution).  Once I figured
that out, everything's been OK ... other than I didn't realize that you have
to sign up EVERY YEAR (during Open Enrollment) -- this benefit does NOT roll
over year to year.

My rule of thumb is to get receipts BEFORE the 18th of the month, knowing it
takes a day or so for the Director and/or hubby to effect this.  On average,
we mail our receipts around the 20th-22nd (and use the JH expense envelope
... so the envelope gets scanned (via the Post Office) and distributed (by JH)
properly).  We haven't had any problems, other than an occasional contribution
will roll over to the next month (depending on how the payroll cycle is in
relation to the calendar month).  You'll get your reimbursement, but perhaps
a little less than expected this month and then more than expected next month.
We've NEVER missed a payment, though (but we do mail the receipt before the
23rd ... and usually around the 20th ... of the preceding month).

I have found that certain post offices are much slower in moving the mail
than others.  They ALL tell you "no more than 3 working days", HOWEVER, I know
for a fact that mail moves quicker from one PO than from another!  Shrewsbury
and Worcester are "hubs", so their mail moves pretty quick.  Also remember
that mail thrown in a pickup box (outside the PO) will lose a day, too ... 
and weekends will compound the problem, too.

So you might want to use a "hub" PO.

Good luck,
Dottie

Just to add a little infor to the last reply...

The Post office on Central St. in Worcester has a nightly last pickup at 9:00p.m.
This is postmarked the same night and just about guarantees delivery the next day.
What's my source, well it seems (and this fact was verified by the Worcester
postmaster) all mail from the "rural" towns is picked up (you know the routine
throw the letter in your rural box and raise the little red flag for the postman)
It is picked up and NOT brought back to your local post office, but sent to
Worcester for postmarking, and I know from first hand experience that it WILL
get there the next day, with very few exception.  I actually was about to send
two letters by Priority mail one night, one to Newton one to Grafton, and a staff
person happen to walk by and ask why I felt I needed to do that.

So I did a little "unscientific" experiement. I sent one via regular mail (.29)
and the other by Priority mail ($2.90), they BOTH arrived the next day.  I have
also sent several pieces out from home, the kind that "must be postmarked by XXXX
date, and have seen the envelope and it was postmarked on the same day.

Sorry for rambling, I just wish the Post office wouldn't keep it's operations
so secret!!

Lyn

	A word of caution for those who are enrolled in both the HCRA and
	DCRA programs. JH's forms are designed so that you can include both
	of these on the same, and claim a grand total of reimbursement.

	I once did this; they sent me the HCRA payment next month, but had *no*
	record of the DCRA request. Instead of bothering to check their 
	records, they simply asked me to resubmit the DCRA, which I did. 

	Since then, I always send them in separate envelopes. This has worked
	out somewhat better (they still lost a DCRA payment, which I had to 
	resubmit).

	The JH folks seem to have a "paperless" office. They simply lose the
	papers.