Commuter Reimbursement Account (CRA)
Help make your employees’ commute worth their while.
Your employees likely spend hours of their personal time every month commuting to work.
Help make their journey more convenient and affordable, and realize major tax savings in the process, by implementing a commuter reimbursement account (CRA) program.
When an employee participates in a CRA, he/she is able to set aside pre-tax dollars to put towards eligible transportation and parking expenses, helping them save up to 30% on everyday commuting expenses. As a result of contributing, the employee’s taxable income decreases and you, as the employer, experience a decrease in taxes paid. Click here to try out our FSA Employer Savings Calculator, where you can calculate potential savings specific to your group.
In some cities, CRAs are government-mandated and you may be required to provide this benefit.
- If you are an employer in New York City with 20+ full-time employees, learn more about your requirements here.
- If you are an employer in San Francisco with 50+ full-time employees, learn more about your requirements here.
- If you are an employer in Washington D.C. with 20+ full-time employees, learn more about your requirements here.
- If you are an employer in Seattle with 20+ full-time employees, learn more about your requirements here.
- If you are an employer in Los Angeles with 50+ full-time employees, learn more about your requirements here.
- If you are an employer in the state of New Jersey with 20+ full-time employees, learn more about your requirements here.
How does it work?
Items to note:
- Should an employee quit or be terminated from his/her job, they will immediately lose access to their Transit account funds. Parking account claims may be submitted during the group's run out period for expenses incurred prior to termination.
- As long as an employee is enrolled in a CRA, his/her unused funds will roll over from month to month and will not expire at the end of the plan year.
What expenses are eligible under a CRA?
Eligible expenses include:
Parking expenses
Mass transit pass expenses
Commuter highway vehicle (vanpool) expenses -- now including uberPOOL and Lyft Line!
How much are employees allowed to contribute?
While each employer may exercise the right to establish their own maximum contribution levels, they may not exceed the following maximums set by the IRS for 2021:
$270/month for transit expenses
$270/month for parking expenses
Introducing uberPOOL and Lyft Line for CRA: More comfortable, productive alternatives to public transportation.
Help your employees bid farewell to the days of missing the subway or sitting idly in morning traffic. Thanks to our new partnerships with Uber and Lyft, employees can now use their pre-tax dollars to pay for daily rides using their low-cost ride-share services.*
UberPOOL and Lyft Line both allow employees to share a ride (and split the cost!) with other riders, while still experiencing the comfort and convenience of traditional car services. Please refer to the map below for the most up-to-date list of eligible cities. If you don’t see your city, don’t worry — we’re working hard to bring this benefit to commuters and providers coast to coast.
Already an Ameriflex client, and want to get access to this great perk? Let us know you want to opt in to either uberPOOL or Lyft Line. From there, set-up is a breeze! Following a quick 24-hour implementation period, your employees can load their MyAmeriflex Card information into the relevant app as a payment option. When they’re ready to commute, they simply select the rideshare option from the vehicle selection slider and select their MyAmeriflex Card as the payment option for their trip.
*All claims for uberPOOL and Lyft Line expenses are subject to federal rules regarding qualified transportation benefits (Consult Treas. Reg. 1.132-9 for more information.)
Multiple, easy-to-use options for access and management of your employees’ CRA funds.
With the MyAmeriflex Card, participants can access their CRA funds instantly when they swipe their card at eligible merchants.
Convenience and award winning customer-service – right at their fingertips! With the MyAmeriflex Mobile App, participants can access their account and check their account balance from anywhere using their mobile phone.
Account management just got easier. Participants can log in to MyAmeriflex to browse resources aimed at helping maximize the value of his/her CRA plan. In addition to managing all aspects of their account, they can also access interactive how-to’s, spending calculators, and more.