DTA Connect: Updating Dependent Care Expenses
Active clients of any DTA program can use the DTA Connect My Info page to update and self-declare dependent care costs.
DTA Connect will display the dependent care section and existing expenses on record in BEACON, including the type, amount, and frequency of the dependent care cost(s) on record. Active clients can edit, delete, or add new entries.
Rules/Procedures for TAFDC, EAEDC, or Combo Cases
At any time, if a TAFDC, EAEDC, or combo client appears on the Client Info Update DTA Connect view (My Office > Views > Daily Priority Actions) due to updating dependent care costs in order to maximize their SNAP benefits, their case manager must review and address these expenses.
If the expenses entered in DTA Connect are not considered questionable or contradictory, are clear, and they make sense with the case as a whole, you must visit the required BEACON windows and consider the update(s) self-declared. Then, mark the update(s) as verified in the verification tab, and wrap-up the case.
If the information is considered questionable or contradictory, is unclear or does not makes sense with the case as a whole, you must follow these steps:
Attempt two cold calls to the client.
- If one of the calls is successful, confirm the questionable information, consider the update(s) self-declared, verify the information in the verification tab and wrap up the case.
- If both cold calls are unsuccessful, send an optional VC-1 for the updated information. If the client does not follow up with verification, the record cannot be updated. The case manager must document in the narrative that the client did not follow-up.
Note: It is important to emphasize to all combo clients that even if they have a child care voucher, reporting any out of pocket or additional dependent care expenses they have, including mileage, may result in higher SNAP benefits if they are not already receiving the maximum SNAP benefit for their household.
Rules/Procedures for SNAP-Only Cases
During case maintenance, if an active SNAP-only client in the FAW model uses DTA Connect to add or edit their dependent care costs, then BEACON will autowrap the self-declared changes and recalculate the case if:
- the dependent care expenses do not include the cost of mileage; and
- the client provided the reason for the dependent care costs
If one of the conditions above is missing, BEACON will create at least one of the following Actions for a FAW to review the client’s case:
| Action | Reason | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| DTA Connect – Dependent Care Mileage | The client reports dependent care costs that include the cost of mileage. | Follow the procedures detailed in Dependent Care Expenses Deduction. |
| DTA Connect – Dependent Care Reason | The client reports dependent care expenses but does not indicate why they must pay for them. | Follow the procedures detailed in Dependent Care Expenses Deduction. |
After applying the appropriate procedures, you must complete or dismiss the Action.
Reporting Dependent Care-Related Travel (Unrelated to Mileage) on DTA Connect
Dependent care travel-related costs reported by clients via DTA Connect include:
- Parking/tolls
- Any other transportation (public, Uber/Lyft, The Ride)
These changes are autowrapped in BEACON after an overnight processing batch (given that any other changes the client made via DTA Connect that day also met autowrap conditions). These travel-related expenses are automatically calculated, entered as a dependent care record, and autowrapped in BEACON based on the client’s responses to the prompted DTA Connect travel questions (e.g., if travel was roundtrip, the number and frequency of trips taken).
As it takes a batch job for BEACON to perform any necessary calculation for travel expenses reported via DTA Connect, always refer to the Dependent Care record(s) in BEACON to see the fully calculated dependent care expense/deduction factored in the case.
The client’s travel expense indicated on the Dependent care web form/datasheet and on the client’s initial Dependent Care Expense summary on DTA Connect will resemble the way the client initially reported the expense via DTA Connect.
Example
Lisa (she/her) reported that she orders an Uber for her mom to help transport her daughter Bella to and from their day care center while Lisa is working. Lisa indicated paying $10 for each one-way trip, taking a roundtrip, and ordering the Uber 2 trips monthly.
BEACON will perform the following calculation for the entered dependent care “Any other transportation (public, ride)” record as:
$10 (each one-way trip) x 2 (roundtrips) x 2 (trips monthly) = $40 = Prospective Amount.
Lisa’s dependent care “Any other transportation (public, Uber/Lyft, The Ride” record would be initially included on the datasheet as $10 Monthly. However, after the batch run, the client’s Dependent Care Expense will change and display accurately as $40 Monthly on DTA Connect and on the Dependent Care Expenses page in BEACON.
Last Update: September 11, 2025