Child care can be extremely costly. One of the best ways to provide personalized small group care and save money on child care without cutting corners is start up a nanny-share with another family.

Topics: nanny share, nanny

There are a lot of questions that surround taxes that families are required to pay for their nanny or senior caregiver and for most people, the process can be confusing and at times, overwhelming. Here, we answer some of the most commonly asked questions.

Q: Is there a dollar threshold at which W-2 Forms are not required?

A: Household employers are required to issue a W-2 when cash wages in the year reach $1,900 (2015), or if the household employer has withheld income or payroll taxes. When wages do not meet the threshold and taxes were not deducted, a W-2 is not required.

Topics: W-2, nanny

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

Are you a nanny caring for young children or a senior caregiver caring for a frail adult? Do you employ a nanny or senior caregiver? Does this caregiver know how to reach important parties in an emergency? Every caregiver should be provided with an Emergency Contacts list at the start of employment.

Topics: senior care, nanny, emergency plans, caregiver, nanny tax case study

Families know that a comprehensive, legitimate pre-employment background check, thorough reference checking and organized behavioral interviewing questions are the gold standard in nanny recruiting. The careful background screening is a must, but you should not be lulled into thinking that just because a nanny that passed these 3 steps with flying colors you don't need to pay attention and observe the nanny on the job.

Topics: nanny, nannies, nanny tax, nanny tax compliance, nanny background screening

A client calls and say "I want to pay my nanny $16.00 an hour take home, can you help me?" When I hear this question it is like nails on a chalk board; however it’s also a great opportunity for me to explain the nanny taxes, how payroll works and why paying a net per hour is the worst idea.  This is often referred to as 'Grossing Up' a paycheck and it can lead to major headaches.

Topics: nanny, nanny payroll, nanny payroll tax, nanny hourly wage, nannies

Nanny jobs are not forever, and the reasons for letting your child's caregiver do vary. Often, the children grow up and your beloved family nanny is no longer needed. Perhaps the nanny has horrible work habits - always late or a frequent 'no show.' Your family and the nanny simply may not 'click.' The nanny who was a wonderful nurturer of your infant does not have the energy to deal with your demanding toddler. Whatever the reason, figuring out how to terminate an employee gracefully can be an uncomfortable experience for both family and nanny.

Topics: household employee, nanny severance, nanny, nanny employee, nanny separation

The Internal Revenue Service issued new 2014 income tax withholding schedules and they are fully integrated with our online tax calculator now. We are fielding a lot of inquiries about new paycheck amounts and will try to address the common questions here:

Topics: nanny, nanny tax, nanny taxes, household payroll tax

Inclement weather, train derailments, flight delays- these are all potential situations that could keep a person from their child or elderly relative. But other emergency situations exist- your charge could develop a high fever, knock a pot of boiling water from the stove, develop an allergic reaction that prevents them from breathing - that requires a nanny or senior caregiver to react quickly and make the right choice in getting medical attention. 

Topics: senior caregivers, eldercare, nanny, nannies, emergency plans

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well”- Voltaire

We all have our own unique ways of showing appreciation for the people around us that make our lives easier or brighten our day in some other way ...  Whether it is your employee, nanny, spouse, boss or even a kind stranger, make sure you show how valuable their positive impact in your life is for you.  If someone challenged you to get out of your comfort zone and meet a goal, especially during the holiday season, remember to appreciate what they have done for you. Get creative with the ways you say “Thank you!”

Topics: nanny, nanny bonus, holiday