UW System offers three types of special accounts, which allow employees to set aside money, to pay for certain expenses:
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
- Parking and Transit Accounts
On this page, please find brief descriptions of these accounts, and links to the UW System webpages that describe in greater detail how each type of account works.
Spending and Savings Accounts Topics:
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Flexible spending accounts allow you to set aside money on a pretax basis to pay for certain eligible expenses. If you contribute money to a flexible spending account you should plan to spend that money within the current year. Flexible spending accounts are not intended to accumulate money over a long period of time. Flexible spending accounts limit the amount of money that can be carried over from one year to the next.
There are three different types of flexible spending accounts.
- Health Care FSA
- Limited Purpose FSA
- Dependent Day Care Account
Optum Financial is the administrator of the flexible spending accounts for UW System.
For more detail on flexible spending accounts, including eligibility requirements, carryover limits, how to enroll, and terms and conditions, please see the UW System Flexible Spending Accounts Overview below.
The Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) also provides more information about flexible spending accounts for plan year 2023.
Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Health savings accounts allow you to set aside money on a pretax basis to pay for certain eligible expenses. The money contributed to a health savings account can be carried over from one year to the next.
Optum Financial is the administrator of the health savings accounts for UW System.
For information on which types of expenses can be paid for with HSA funds please see the websites below:
For more detail on health savings accounts, including eligibility requirements, contribution limits, how to enroll, and terms and conditions, please see the UW System Health Savings Accounts Overview below.
Parking and Transit Accounts
A parking account, or a transit account, allows you to set aside money on a pretax basis to pay for certain work-related parking or transit expenses. The money contributed to a parking account, or a transit account, may be carried over from one year to the next if the eligibility criteria are met.
Carryover Eligibility Criteria:
- Balances may be carried over as long as you remain an active employee on December 31st.
- To be eligible for carryover from 2023 to 2024, you must have a minimum balance of $50 in your account at the end of the run-out period (March 31, 2024), or re-enroll for the 2024 plan year.
For more detail on parking and transit accounts, including eligibility requirements, contribution limits, how to enroll, and terms and conditions, please see the UW System Parking and Transit Accounts Overview below.
UW-Milwaukee’s Transportation Services provides information on parking and transit options available to UWM employees.
Optum Financial is the administrator of the parking and transit accounts for UW System.