Commuter Benefits FAQ

Commuter Benefits allow you to set aside pre-tax dollars from your paycheck to pay for qualified commuting expenses, such as a monthly train pass and parking at the station. Because contributions are deducted from payroll on a pre-tax basis they are not subject to income tax withholding¹, or payroll taxes such as Social Security and Medicare (FICA), so you can keep more of your hard-earned money in your pocket.

There are two types of accounts: Transit and parking. With a transit account, you can pay for expenses such as bus, train, ferry, subway or van pool when traveling between your home and workplace. With a parking account, you can pay for parking expenses at or near your workplace, or near whichever form of public transportation you use to get to work.

Contributions to your commuter benefits accounts are made through payroll deductions.

Contribution limits for Commuter Benefits generally change each year. View the current contribution limits in the How do health and benefit accounts compare article.

Commuter Benefits are for your work-related travel expenses only, and accounts cannot be used to cover expenses incurred by your spouse or dependents.

Any unused funds roll over from month to month. If you leave your employer, you will have an employer-defined run-out period to submit any expenses incurred during active employment. Any remaining funds will be forfeited. If you are not spending your full contribution each month, you may want to reduce or stop your contributions.

You can only use your Bank of America health and benefit account debit card to pay for transit expenses.

Transit expenses can only be paid using your Bank of America health and benefit account debit card; you cannot be reimbursed for transit-related claims that are paid out of pocket.

Using your Bank of America health and benefit account debit card can help streamline payment for parking expenses, since transactions are automatically substantiated as commuter-related expenses based upon the merchant code; therefore, bypassing the need to submit claims or receipts. You can also submit a claim to reimburse yourself via the member website or MyHealth mobile app.

On the member website:

• From the Home screen select "Reimburse Myself" and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the submission process.

When you swipe your card to pay for a qualified transit or parking expense, it will automatically determine to which account the charge will be applied. It's important to ensure you have funds available in your commuter accounts to cover your expenses.

Yes, you will receive a quarterly statement for your Commuter Benefits accounts.

No, you are responsible for knowing when recurring payments are due.