Many military families soon will be able to sign up for flexible spending accounts that allow them to use pre-tax money for dependent care, such as child care, preschool, day camps and adult day care, as Military.com reported.

“This is a tool to help families find affordable child care, and it’s vital for maintaining overall military readiness,” said Jennifer Walker, executive director of the DOD Office of Financial Readiness, which has information about the program on its website.

DOD estimates that about 400,000 service members will be eligible for the program, which will start in January. Families can begin signing up in November.

Air Force photo by Craig Z. Rodarte