Household employers in New York directly affected by Hurricane Sandy have until November 14, 2012 to file and pay Quarter 3 2012 employment taxes via NYS-45. "Directly affected" is defined in the notice linked below.

There is no extension for NYS-1 withholding tax payment deadlines.

Sharing with you an article prepared by a CPA as part of an October series titled "Women, Work and Money." The series is sponsored by a generous grant from the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York.

The IRS has issued interium guidance and a detailed FAQ on changes to the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) application process. An ITIN is a number similar to a Social Security number which is issued by the IRS to taxpayers who are not eligible for Social Security numbers but need a tax identification number for tax filing and other purposes. Household employees who are not eligible for a SSN are almost always aliens working without valid US work authorization. Families who hire these undocumented workers are in violation of US immigration law and are still legally responsible to report and pay all employment taxes.The IRS is making changes to the ITIN application process in response to documented tax fraud associated with these identification numbers.

A quick update for HomeWork Solutions' clients and their caregivers...

Many employees are not aware of what is being deducted from their paycheck. Household employees in particular (nannies, housekeepers, elder caregivers etc.) often are paid by personal check, do not have a pay stub, and work with families who themselves are not familiar with payroll and employment taxes.

Kentucky Tax Amnesty

If you are a Kentucky resident and have unpaid state taxes, penalties, fees and interests … we may have good news for you!

The Kentucky Department of Revenue has put in place a Tax Amnesty Program.  Tax payers with past due bills from December 1, 2001 to October 1, 2011 have the opportunity to clear their delinquencies and start over with the department. 

From October 1st 2012 to November 30th 2012, you can apply for Tax Amnesty from the Kentucky Department of Revenue.   Your situation will be evaluated and if you qualify, you will only owe the past due taxes and half of the interest on your bill.  Any penalties and half of your interest will be waived. 

This isa one time only program for Kentucky; don’t let this opportunity slipthrough your fingers.  This program is open for Household Employers as well. There is no second chance, after the November 30th deadline, you will not only be unable to apply, but penalties, fees and interest will also increase. 

For more information, visit the KY website: http://www.amnesty.ky.gov/

Note: Special thanks to our guest blogger, author Marta Perrone (The Professional Housekeeper).  Marta is an expert in the household staffing industry. We are pleased to share her discussion on transitioning a nanny to the nanny/housekeeper role.   Marta is a professional trainer of housekeepers, nannies and household managers.

Many of HomeWork Solutions’ professional staff hold American Payroll Association (APA) professional accreditation. Regular professional education is a requirement to maintain credentials, and we receive many notices regarding webinars that help fulfill CPE credit requirements.

The California Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights, AB889, which passed through the CA legislature this September was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown.

Did you know that New York State requires that employers provide three paid days personal time per year to a nanny or housekeeper after one year of employment?