Ava and her husband, Leo, file a joint return and are in the 24% tax bracket in 2022. Ava’s employer offers a child and dependent care reimbursement plan that allows up to $5,000 of qualifying expenses to be reimbursed in exchange for a $5,000 reduction in the employee’s salary (Ava’s salary is $75,000). Because Ava and Leo have two minor children requiring child care that costs $5,800 each year, Ava is wondering if she should sign up for the program instead of taking advantage of the credit for child and dependent care expenses.

Analyze the effect of the two alternatives. How would your answer differ if Ava’s salary was $30,000, their AGI was $25,000, and their marginal tax rate was 10%?