The health insurance marketplace continues to change, and starting 1 January 2020 employers of nannies, senior caregivers, and other household employees will have a new choice for assisting or supporting their employees with their health insurance and other health care expenses.

All employers in the U.S. have to pay unemployment tax. There are two versions – Federal and State. Federal unemployment tax (FUTA) is charged at a rate of 6% on the first $7000 in wages paid to an employee, in most cases though that rate is decreased to 0.6% (explained more below). State unemployment tax (SUTA) is handled in a similar way but each state controls their own rate and wage threshold.

According to the IRS, thousands of people have had money and personal information stolen through tax-related scams. Scammers are getting more refined, making it harder than ever to separate real correspondence from fake. Here are two of the more popular tax-related scams the IRS has seen this year.

As much as we would like to be, it’s a fact that human beings simply aren’t perfect. Even Mary Poppins, the famous nanny that saves the day admits that she was only “practically” perfect. When it comes to search for the right nanny to work in your home, we understand that you’re looking for someone as close to perfect as possible. Every agency has come across a great candidate that has a hiccup in work history. That means when you’re learning more about that person and what they have to offer, the agency is left to decide if that one gap will spoil the whole peach. The good news is, it doesn’t have to!

Even Mary Poppins admits that she was only “practically” perfect.

Jury duty: some people dread getting called, others welcome the chance to do their civic duty and experience a bit of change of pace from their regular workday. However, when your household employee gets called to jury duty, it can be a strain on your home, and you may need to adjust schedules in order to cover your employee’s absence. When it comes to payment, you might be wondering if they need to be paid while they are on jury duty. Here are the details you should know.

It is a common, but ill advised, practice in the household employment field to negotiate wages on a take home pay basis. We have illustrated many times how parents can get themselves into budgetary hot water when they agree to a take home wage without first doing the math to figure out what the out of pocket costs are too. Similarly, a nanny or senior caregiver who simply negotiates her wage on a take home pay basis often works against her best interest.

For many families, their pets are a part of their family and have just as many privileges and rights as the humans in the house. So, when it comes time to hiring a new household employee, it is important to keep your pets in mind during the process. If you plan on hiring a new nanny and you have pets in your home, this is something that you should discuss with potential candidates from the very get-go.

The following is a guest post from professional Nanny, Cate Matijevich. The views in this article are hers alone. 

National Nanny Recognition Week is Sept. 22nd - 28th, a great time to use the advice below!

Preface:
A household employee’s role is to fit seamlessly into a private household, perform their duties independently, proactively and often invisibly. It is easy to understand why in the daily hustle and bustle of life, commending a job well done can be overlooked.

Once you find a wonderful nanny that works well with your family and that your kids love, it is easy to be protective of her and want her to be available all the time. But nannies have lives of their own and many of them want to have their own families. So, it’s important to be prepared for that fact and plan accordingly when your nanny announces that she is pregnant and will want to take maternity leave.

Generally speaking, couples filing jointly are also jointly responsible for the tax obligation of their household. This means that the IRS can go after either spouse for the entire tax obligation, not just the part associated with their earnings. One exception to this rule is called an “Innocent Spouse.”