Paying for Child Care

Some child care programs offer adjustable rates dependent upon the income of the family and/or the number of children enrolled in the program. Check with your child care provider to see what is available–ask if they offer a multi-child discount for enrolling more than one child per family. They may also offer a sliding fee scale based upon income, and/or scholarships for families that exceed the income requirements of programs like CCDF.

Some employers offers discounts to their employees for choosing preferred child care programs. Check with your employer to see if any discounts are available. Connect with our Relationship Growth Specialist if you employer is interested in supporting more family-friendly policies like this!

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
EITC is a benefit for certain people who work and have low-to-moderate wages. A tax credit reduces the amount of tax you owe, which may lead to a bigger tax refund.

Dependent Care Flex Spending Account (FSA)
With a Dependent Care FSA, your employer takes contributions out of your paycheck before taxes and places them in your account. You then use the money in the account to pay for child care expenses. This allows you to save money that you would have otherwise been taxed. Check with your employer’s Human Resources department for more details.

If your family’s monthly gross income meets certain criteria you may be eligible for assistance in areas beyond child care. Our Family Assistance Guide provides additional information about programs for which you might quality, including WIC, SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, free-or-low-cost health care, among others.