NC State preferred vendor
NC State is proud to again announce an extended partnership with Bright Horizons, our valued childcare provider for more than 12 years.
NC State and Bright Horizons have negotiated to extend its contract to June 30, 2024 (subject to annual renewal), so that our enrolled families and other eligible employees can continue to receive the NC State Child Care Tuition Rate at Bright Horizons’ nine Triangle area locations.
Eligible faculty and staff will continue to have priority access to approximately 100 total child care slots at Bright Horizons Triangle area locations.
See Map & Contact InformationBenefits of this extended partnership:
- NC State has negotiated to continue offering approximately 100 discounted spaces at the Triangle-area Bright Horizons centers
- Eligible faculty, staff and postdoctoral employees can enroll their children in one of the Bright Horizons centers and receive the NC State child care tuition rate or the center’s childcare tuition rate, whichever is lower. Please note tuition rates will vary at each location
- Each of the nine facilities offer high-quality infant, toddler, preschool, and kindergarten prep programs. Four of the centers also offer school-age programs. All of these facilities are rated as five-star centers
- Bright Horizons will give eligible NC State families priority consideration for current and future child care openings when slots become available
How to Apply and/or Receive These Benefits?
Eligible NC State families should contact the Bright Horizons child care center of their choice to inquire about space availability and the center’s child care tuition rates.
- An application form should be completed at the family’s center of choice.
Eligibility
- Full-time Faculty, Staff, and PostDoc Employees are eligible for this benefit.
- An employee’s classification must be EHRA, SHRA, or PostDoc and the employee must be at .75FTE or greater equivalency on a 9-month or greater reoccurring contract basis.
- Students, including graduate students, are not eligible for this benefit but may participate in our discount providers program.
Rates
Eligible faculty, staff, and postdoctoral employees can enroll their children in one of the Bright Horizons centers and receive the NC State child care tuition rate or the center’s childcare tuition rate, whichever is lower.
- Please note tuition rates will vary at each location, eligible NC State families should contact the Bright Horizons child care center of their choice to inquire about the center’s childcare tuition rates.
- NC State will provide an 11% subsidy on Bright Horizons tuition rates for eligible families with a total household income of $70,000 or more per year and a 35% subsidy on Bright Horizon tuition rates for families with a household income less than $70,000 per year. Income is verified at the Bright Horizons center upon application.
Taxation
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limits employer-provided, tax-free childcare benefits to $5,000 per family per year. If you file your taxes as “Married Filing Separately,” you and your spouse may each claim $2,500. NC State University provides two types of pre-tax childcare benefits, both of which are subject to the $5,000 total:
- A Sliding-Scale subsidy for all program participants (at nine Triangle area Bright Horizon locations), based on family income;
- A voluntary Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program allows employees to be reimbursed with pre-tax payroll contributions for qualified child and/or dependent adult care expenses. Because the money is deducted from your pay before taxes are calculated, and because it’s not taxed when it is reimbursed, this money becomes tax-free income. For example, if someone would otherwise pay 30% in taxes (including federal income and FICA taxes) but they contribute $5,000 a year to a dependent care FSA, they could possibly avoid paying $1,500 in taxes.
The $5,000 annual maximum includes all sources, such as a previous employer within the same calendar year or the employer of your child’s other parent. The $5,000 is a per-family (not per-child) maximum.
Take the time to review and understand the advantages and tax consequences of the University’s employer-provided childcare benefits. If you receive over $5,000 in employer-sponsored childcare benefits, then you will be charged taxes on the amount in excess of the limit.