This article by Jonathan Snyder originally appeared on Stripes.com. Stars and Stripes serves the U.S. military community by providing editorially independent news and information around the world.

National Guard troops on full-time active duty are now eligible to enroll in a tax-advantaged, health care flexible spending account, according to a spokesman for the Department of Defense.

Guard members on Title 32 duty became eligible for the health care accounts on Nov. 24 for the 2025 plan, spokesperson Joshua Wick wrote in an email this month to Stars and Stripes.

“A Health Care Flexible Spending Account is an optional benefit that enables service members to set aside up to $3,300 in pre-tax earnings to pay for health expenses such as co-pays and cost shares, vision, dental, and drug store items,” he said.

[FEB. 12 MOAA VIRTUAL CLASSROOM: Understanding Your Guard and Reserve Benefits] 

Title 32 orders are issued by the states, typically in the event of natural disasters, such as the approximately 2,500 California National Guard members called up Sunday to help fight wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Title 10 orders are federal orders calling Guard troops to duty for national defense.

The recent update also includes all active-duty members of the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard reservists on active duty for more than 180 days and Reserve component managers, Coast Guard Headquarters spokesperson Lt. Krystal Wolfe told Stars and Stripes by email Jan. 9.

“U.S. Coast Guard Reserve Members not on Active-duty orders for more than 180 days are not eligible,” Wolfe said.

Active duty service members along with Guard and Reserve members on Title 10 orders are also eligible to participate in the Health Care Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account programs, according to the fsafeds.gov website.

[LEARN MORE: FSAFEDS.gov]

“Reserve members not performing [Active Guard Reserve] duty are not eligible for either program,” Wick said.

The fsafeds.gov website as of Wednesday has been updated to include the recent changes of eligibility for Title 32 and Coast Guard members for the 2025 enrollment season.

A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account is also a pre-tax benefit account used to pay for eligible dependent care services, such as preschool, summer day camp, before or after school programs and child or adult daycare, according to fsafeds.gov website.

Uniformed service members may enroll in the health care flexible spending account during a special period March 3 to 31.

Afterward, first-year service members may enroll during the normal Federal Benefits Open Season that occurs mid-November to mid-December, Wick said.