Qualified Fringe Benefits
Reference Number: NFC-24-1704306088
Published: January 3, 2024
Effective: Pay Period 01, 2024
Summary
The monthly limitation for the qualified transportation fringe benefit and the monthly limitation for qualified parking will increase to $315 for tax year 2024.
Implementation
Agency Paid Subsidies
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations state that employee parking subsidies over $315 and transit subsidies over $315 are considered taxable fringe benefits. An Agency’s Time and Attendance (T&A) reporting system can be used to record a parking or subsidy fringe benefit in excess of the IRS limit. This is done via Transaction Code (TC) 17, Suffix 09, Parking/Taxable Fringe; TC 17, Prefix 10, Transit Subsidy; or TC 17, Suffix 08, Chauffeur Driven Auto. When entering employee parking/taxable fringe, transit subsidies, or chauffeur-driven auto on the T&A, the benefits may be recorded biweekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually (in accordance with Agency policy) and must be reported by the end of the tax year.
In addition to the T&A option, some Agencies utilize the reporting of the parking fringe benefit in excess of the IRS limit of $315 (e.g., taxable portion) via Allowance Type 179, Parking Fringe. When using the Web-based Entry, Processing, Inquiry, and Correction System (EPIC Web), EmpowHR, or Agency Front-End System Interface (FESI) to record the taxable portion of this fringe benefit, the amount entered in the Allowance Rate field will be reported each pay period until deleted. The allowance record can be processed via one of the following methods:
- EPIC Web, Payroll Document, Allowances
- EmpowHR, Payroll Document Menu Group, Allowances Component
- FESI, Allowance Document 127, Data Record Layout
Note: Agencies should not enter employee parking or transit subsidies using both the T&A and Allowance Type 179 (EPIC Web, EmpowHR, or FESI) processes. If more than one method is used, the T&A will be suspended. Therefore, timekeepers should check with their servicing personnel office before this information is entered on the employee’s T&A.
Employee Paid Subsidies
In situations where the Agency does not pay the employee’s transit or parking subsidy, the employee can report his/her payment of that transit or parking expense as pre-tax on his/her taxes. This is handled via the processing of an allowance record with Allowance Type 525, Transit Benefits (Non Taxable), and Allowance Type 526, Parking Benefits (Non Taxable). When using EPIC Web, EmpowHR, or FESI to enter these benefits, the amount entered in the Allowance Rate field will be reported each pay period until deleted. The allowance record(s) can be processed via one of the following methods:
- EPIC Web, Payroll Document, Allowances
- EmpowHR, Payroll Document Menu Group, Allowances Component
- FESI, Allowance Document 127, Data Record Layout
Inquiries
For questions about National Finance Center (NFC) processing, authorized Servicing Personnel Office representatives should contact the NFC Contact Center at 1-855-NFC-4GOV (1-855-632-4468) or via the customer service portal at ServiceNow for Federated Users and at ServiceNow for Non-Federated Users.