HWS' Client Care Manager, Mary Crowe, shares the story of a client who issued her nanny a 1099 form, and later found herself on the wrong side of the IRS.

Our client, Linda M. came to us when her relationship with her nanny was in crisis over taxes. Linda lives in New Jersey and she hired her nanny in the fall and was paying her in cash every week. She has an accountant to handle her income taxes, and when she hired the nanny her accountant told her that everyone treats their nanny as an independent contractor.

Topics: nanny w-2 form, worker misclassification, 1099 v w-2

Payroll changes often happen at the beginning of the calendar year, and nanny tax related changes are no different. The HomeWork Solutions household payroll experts have assembled a short overview of changes a nanny employer, employer of a senior caregiver, or any household employer needs to know.

Topics: nanny health insurance, nanny mileage reimbursement, New York household payroll, Affordable Care Act, california household employment, DC household payroll

New parents often envision that hiring a nanny will be the magic bullet that solves their childcare challenges. Hiring the nanny itself, however, is an activity fraught with worry, stress, and the fear of actually hiring the wrong nanny. Here we offer parents a short list of common mistakes families make when hiring a nanny, and tips to avoid them. Let HWS help you make your experience hiring a nanny simpler and worry free.

Topics: hiring a nanny, interview a nanny

Household employers in the District of Columbia will have new, important obligations to their household employees in 2015.

Topics: nanny pay rate notice, caregiver pay rate notice

At Thanksgiving last year, The Crawford Family got together as so many families do on this day to share a traditional meal, spend time together and talk about where they are and where they want to go.

Topics: housekeeper, household payroll tax

The keys to a nanny's success in the workplace all revolve around attitude. The "secret sauce" all successful professional nannies bring to their workplace includes the following attitudes:

Topics: nanny job satisfaction, nanny

The growing national movement towards aging in place is challenging many families. As noted recently in the New York Times, "Aging in community is important for preserving the quality of life for older adults and providing stability to neighborhoods." 

Topics: elder care, senior home care

"Excellence is not a skill, it is an attitude." ~ Ralph Marston 

Topics: nanny bonus, nanny background screening

April 2015 Update

The survey referenced below is now closed and published. HWS encourages you to review the results.

The INA reports the following:

 

Key findings include:

 

• Average hourly rate USD$18.66, $1/hour increase from 2012
• 49% have had a salary increase in prior 12 months, up from 38% in 2012
• Education and experience correlate with higher hourly wage
• 60% received an annual bonus in 2013, up from 53% in 2011
• INA Credentialed nannies average $19.96 per hour
• 64% are paid legally

Topics: nanny salary, nanny benefits

I recently attended Nannypalooza in Philadelphia where I was asked by a nanny in attendance if I could coach her on how to speak to her employer about being paid on the books. Immediately several other nannies joined the conversation, sharing that this is one of the most difficult conversations to initiate with their employers.

Topics: nanny off the books, nanny job satisfaction, nanny taxes