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HomeWork Solutions

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About the Nanny Salary or Wage Review

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 5/10/16 8:00 AM

Nanny Wage Reviews

Your nanny is a childcare professional - and should be treated as one. That means as a nanny employer, you need to consider things like:

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Topics: nanny salary, nanny wage

A Nanny Background Screening You Can Trust!

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 5/5/16 8:36 PM

HomeWork Solutions has facilitated caregiver and nanny background check services for families through its website and sister site NannyVerify.com for nearly two decades. HWS was exceptionally choosy when selecting a background screening partner - we know that the caregivers and nannies will be caring for your children and loved ones and recognize the importance of having a thorough, ethical partner.

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Topics: household employee background check, caregiver background screening, nanny background screening

The Nanny or Senior Caregiver Independent Contractor Myth

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 5/3/16 7:00 AM

Did you know that if you pay a senior caregiver or nanny directly that it’s likely that the law considers your caregiver an employee?

As an employer, you have the responsibility to understand and follow pertinent labor regulations and laws. This includes tracking hours worked each week, paying FICA and overtime, and getting insurance for workers compensation, which will help protect you and the caregiver in case an injury occurs on the job. If you don’t adhere to these laws and instead classify your employee as an independent contractor, you could be liable for misclassification. It could be an incredibly costly mistake that leads to back tax payments and other expensive penalties.

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Topics: independent contractor, 1099 v w-2

Top 5 Interview Questions To Ask Your Potential Nanny

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 4/26/16 7:00 AM

 

Hiring a nanny is one of the most important things you will ever do and making sure you hire the right person is an incredibly big decision. Here are some of the top interview questions that you should ask a prospective nanny, and if you listen carefully for thoughtful and complete answers, you’ll likely come away with a good idea of who the person is and if they are a good fit for your family. Here are the top 5 childcare job interview questions.

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Topics: interview a nanny

5 Essentials Of a Nanny Work Agreement

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 4/19/16 7:00 AM
When you hire a nanny, creating a work agreement for you and your nanny is incredibly important. A written agreement establishes a professional relationship from the get go and it will reduce problems, questions, or other misunderstandings that can arise during employment. Wondering what the essentials of a nanny work agreement are? Here are the fundamentals of what should be included:
  1. Compensation: Clearly outline what your nanny will be paid including gross wages (amount paid before taxes), net wages (amount of the actual paycheck), employment taxes (legal tax obligations such as medicare, social security, etc.), and income taxes. In addition, be sure to outline the overtime pay policy, what the exact hourly pay rate is, and establish a pay day schedule that is clearly outlined on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Many states require that the household employer provide a written Pay Rate Notice to the employee at the time of hire.  Overtime pay can be an especially sticky situation so Bob King of Legally Nanny recommends, “Employment agreements should list the regular and overtime rates of pay on a per hour basis. Additionally, the agreements can list when overtime applies under applicable state and federal laws.”
  2. Benefits: Most benefits are negotiable, unless they are established by state law. Define paid time off carefully, as well as paid holidays, indicate which paid holidays the nanny gets and which ones are not included. If you are going to provide health insurance or mileage reimbursement, you will need to explain this carefully in the agreement.
  3. Confidentiality agreement: This is a big one and is something you should be very clear about with your employee. Carefully consider how you will address the topic of social media postings and publishing photos online. In addition, be sure that there is a portion of the contract dedicated to what is considered confidential information so there is no confusion down the road.
  4. Job duties: Details count and clearly outlining what you expect your nanny to do is important. Will you require the nanny to offer help/assistance with homework, do housework, or prepare meals? Will she be required to provide transportation for the children or bring them to medical appointments? Spell out exactly what your requirements are.
  5. Separation planning: Termination clauses will help protect both you and the nanny, so it’s important to establish clear ground rules with this. If the nanny wants to quit work, include a clause of notice that she must give, or if you want to have the ability to terminate the nanny at any time, outline an “at will” clause that gives you the ability to terminate the employee for any reason.

If you have never developed a nanny work agreement and feel overwhelmed at the prospect of sitting down and writing one, our team of experienced professionals can help. We’ll walk you through the process and be sure that everything you need is included in there. Contact us today for advice!

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Topics: nanny work agreement

Your Millennial Guide to Childcare [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 4/14/16 9:00 AM

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Millennials, as a whole, are starting to have children, and since raising a child can be expensive, many Millennials choose to work and use childcare services for help. If you’re a Millennial and you’re interested in learning more about childcare services, then check out some of our thoughts below.

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Topics: nanny tax, nanny taxes, childcare, millennial

Elder Care: When is it Time to Find Help?

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 4/12/16 9:00 AM

When you notice that an elderly loved one has become less self-reliant, you may start to wonder if they need help. When your dad stops shaving or your mother continues to let the mail pile up, you may offer to help out with household duties. However, as your loved ones continue to forget or simply aren’t mobile enough to do things they used to, it can put a lot of strain on your daily life.

But, you don’t have to care for your loved ones by yourself: It’s okay to ask for help. This doesn’t necessarily mean sending them to a nursing home, but it can mean hiring someone to help in running errands, doing the dishes, paying the bills, and performing other tasks that you may not have the time or capacity to help with. Here are five signs it’s time to find professional help for your elderly loved ones.

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Topics: elder care, senior care

Nanny Tax - A Breakdown

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 4/7/16 9:00 AM

Do you have a nanny and pay him or her over $2,000 in wages? Congratulations! Now you’re considered a household employer and must file Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes. You will have to report your nanny’s income and taxes paid for the year as well as file report and pay employment taxes on your federal income tax return. There are several forms you need to understand if you employ a nanny in the home. Read on to learn more about these tax forms.

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Topics: nanny tax, nanny taxes

Helping Seniors Avoid Being Victims of Fraud

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 4/5/16 7:00 AM

Being a victim of fraud can be an incredibly unnerving and stressful time, but when it happens to a senior citizen, it can be even more devastating. Senior scams are on the rise and can result in billions of dollars for thieves, simply because seniors are often trusting and the scams usually apply directly to them. In addition, crooks tend to target the elderly because these people generally have a lifetime of saved income, pensions, or Social Security checks that they can tap into. Seniors may be easily fooled or confused by a smooth talking thief. Fifteen years ago, the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging reported that there was $40 billion in losses in telemarketing fraud alone, a number that has steadily climbed over the years according to a recent article in US News and World Report. In fact, there are now elder crime units in various police departments in parts of the country in the effort to protect senior citizens from mistreatment, including fraudulent scams. So, how can you protect senior citizens from becoming a victim of fraud?

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Topics: senior home care

Paperwork Your Domestic Worker Will Need for Tax Season

Posted by HomeWork Solutions on 3/31/16 9:00 AM

If you hire people to work in your home -- such as nannies, private nurses, or housecleaners -- then you’re a household employer. You’re responsible for filing the proper taxes and getting the right paperwork to your employees if you pay them over $2,000 for the year (as of 2016).

Now that it’s tax season, be sure you’re providing your domestic workers with the proper paperwork. Start with the following information to ensure a stress-free tax season.

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Topics: household employer, nanny tax, nanny taxes, domestic worker

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