Sam's Club + Helpr

Each calendar year, Sam's Club helps cover the cost of up to 80 hours of backup care to fill in care gaps and support you in getting to work. These hours last all year and refresh on January 1.

Booking and reimbursement requests should be made through the Helpr app to apply Sam's Club's contribution.

A dependent is an adult or child, other than yourself or your spouse, who qualifies to be claimed on your tax returns and lives with you.

A dependent family member or someone who is your “qualifying dependent”

• who is 13 years old or older qualifies if they are physically or mentally incapable of self-care
• who regularly spend at least eight hours a day in your home and you provide over half of their support for the year.

Children who are not considered eligible dependents include:

• Children who do not live with you. Non-custodial parents (i.e., parents of children living in a home different from the parents) do not qualify for this benefit.  

You can book backup care for any qualified dependent, which may include:

• Children
• Step-children
• Foster children
• Elderly parents
• Adult family members with disabilities

Here are the definitions of dependents for whom you can receive backup care financial support:

• A child who
  
  • Is 12 years old or younger; and
  • Is your “qualifying child” under the Internal Revenue Code. In general, a child will be your qualifying child if they live with you for more than half the year, are your child, stepchild, foster child, sibling, step sibling or a descendent of one of them, and you provide over half of their support for the year.
• Another individual who
  
  • Is your “qualifying relative” under the Internal Revenue Code. In general, an individual will be your qualifying relative if they live with you for more than half the year and if you provide over half of their support for the year;
  • Is physically or mentally incapable of self-care; and
  • Spends at least eight hours a day in your home
• A spouse who
  
  • Is physically or mentally incapable of self-care;
  • Lives with you for more than half the year; and
  • Spends at least eight hours a day in your home

If you are unsure whether your dependent is qualified for this program, you should consult with your tax advisor.

Care Finder sourcing and screening can be used for yourself and your family members, they don’t need to be your dependent.

• Friends, in-home care providers, sitters, and family who live outside of your home
• Those legally able to work
• Not your full-time employees
• Not your co-parent or spouse (even if they live in a different household)
• Associates who do not report directly to you at Sam’s Club

If you don’t have a personal in-home care provider, we can find one for you through Care Finder.

For residents in U.S. States, excluding New Jersey

Helpr is designed to be a tax-free program and is not reported as wages for federal income tax or payroll taxes in Boxes 1, 3, and 5 of your W-2.

New Jersey

The program is not, however, entirely tax-free in New Jersey.  This is because New Jersey taxes the amount Sam’s Club pays for back-up daycare you receive through Helpr.  

• As a result, if you are an associate in New Jersey you will owe state income tax on the amount of the Helpr benefit you use, and the amount of the Helper benefit you use will be included in Box 16 on the W-2 issued by your employer each year.
• To help offset your additional state tax liability, Sam’s Club pays the required income tax withholding to the state on your behalf at the time you use the Helpr benefit. 
• The amount Sam’s Club pays to the state for you is taxable income to you and will be included as wages in Boxes 1, 3, 5, and 16 wages of your W-2. 
• It will also be included in the amount reported in Box 17 as state income tax paid.  
• If New Jersey’s tax rules change Sam’s Club will adjust the withholding and reporting process accordingly. 

You should consult with your accountant or tax advisor with any questions about your taxes.