Going on vacation?  Visiting the family?  If you are ready to hit the road with your child and you are taking you nanny with you, allow us to share these helpful tips to avoid any misunderstanding, uncomfortable situations and make your trip a complete success!

Topics: nanny employment practices, nanny, nanny payroll, nanny job description

Today I woke up with the song “I believe I could fly” in my head.  I could not associate this phrase with anything other than the feeling a child has for their dad, their first super hero.  That person who makes the impossible … possible!  When talking about dad, I don’t just refer to our biological dad; but to all male figures that influence and make a difference in a child’s life.  Father figures can include fathers, step-fathers, fathers-in-law, grandfathers and great-grandfathers and even other male relatives.  I am talking about that powerful man, able to solve and fix every broken thing around the house, and even, the entire world!

Topics: nanny payroll, nanny tax

Did you know that household employers are not legally obligated to pay for ANY holidays or time off to their employees*?  It is entirely up to the employer to decide if such a benefit will be offered or not.  Clearly this is something that should be discussed when interviewing, and memorialized in a written work agreement. We know from experience this is a big concern for household employees. In some situations, applicants will even choose one job over another based on the holiday and paid time off in the job offer.

Topics: housekeeper, maid, nanny paid time off, nanny benefits, nanny work agreement

A majority of American wage earners live paycheck to paycheck.  We start dividing our take home pay between mortgage or rent, water, phone, electric, internet, XYZ bills, and those little cravings such as Starbucks, the movies or that new outfit at the mall as soon as we receive our pay.  Before you know it, our salary is gone and we wait anxiously for the next pay day.  While we know our current earnings are not guaranteed to keep coming in forever, neither in the frequency or amount, we fail to make provisions for that ‘rainy day.’ American’s on average save only 2.7 cents from every dollar we earn! 

Household employees, including nannies, follow this familiar pattern all the time. Scary, right?  Nanny and other caregiving jobs are temporary in most situations.  The child will grow up and the nanny is no longer needed.  This is the nature of the nanny’s business, with some exceptions, of course.

Topics: nanny payroll

Topics: babysitter nanny tax, worker misclassification independent contractor, domestic employer legal responsibilities, nanny non-exempt employee, nanny independent contractor, nanny tax compliance, nanny job description

Topics: elder care, senior caregivers, housekeeper, maid, nanny payroll, nanny tax

SPECIAL GUEST POST

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

Celebrate Spring - Nanny Style! 

Topics: nanny work agreement, nanny contract

Topics: elder care, senior caregivers, babysitter nanny tax, housekeeper, cleaning lady, maid, nanny, companionship services

Q. I am a G-4 visa holder and I sponsor a G-5 maid.  I do not pay US Income Taxes.  Am I required to file anything at year end?

Staff members of international organizations inside the US territory are not required to pay US Income Taxes on their income from the international organizations; however, when they become G-5 sponsors, they must file/pay employment taxes arising from their domestic (household) employment.  Federal employment taxes are reported and paid on the Form 1040 Schedule H.  If there is no income subject to US Income taxation, this Form must be submitted with payment as a stand along document to the Federal Government no later than April 15^th.

Topics: G5 domestic, G-5 non-resident alien