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Knowledge Center

Senior Care Employers

  • Are you a household employer?

    What Your Family Needs to Know... At HWS, we are experts on the tax and labor laws surrounding household employment, so you don't have to be. Let's first determine whether YOU are a household employer. Our knowledge center goes into much more depth on the details, here it is short and simple. Our lives are busy,... Read more »
  • I have a housekeeper working in my home. What taxes do I need to pay?

    In general, the Internal Revenue Service requires payroll tax filings by a domestic employer (household employer) who pays a housekeeper or other household employee more than $2,700 cash wages (2023) in a calendar year*. These payroll taxes are collectively referred to as “nanny taxes”, although as a practical matter these employment taxes are applied to… Read more »

  • Why can’t we just pay Mom’s senior caregiver/housekeeper a salary?

    Senior caregivers are hourly employees under the law. Housekeepers and senior caregivers who are not “companions” are classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as hourly employees entitled to minimum wage and overtime (non-exempt). The term non-exempt employee refers to a worker who IS subject to the terms of the FLSA regarding such issues… Read more »

  • Do I need to pay my senior caregiver overtime or minimum wage?

    The nature of the services you require from your senior caregiver determine your obligations for overtime and minimum wage payments. Domestic employees, including  senior caregivers, have been covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) since 1974. Please note that many states have stricter laws and standards for home care assistance pay than the FLSA,... Read more »
  • My wife requires help that I cannot physically provide. Can I hire my daughter as a caregiver?

    Considering hiring a family member as a caregiver for in-home care– whether for a baby or an aging senior? Families often engage a family member to provide elder care services and wish to fairly compensate them for their work. For more information on the rules governing hiring a family member as a caregiver, consult IRS… Read more »

  • Background Screening for Senior Home Care

    Our aging parents deal with physical and sometimes mental declines that challenge their ability to completely take care of themselves on their own.  They don’t like the idea of moving out of their homes to a senior care facility.  How will they safely age at home, in a safe and happy environment? Today an estimated… Read more »

  • Caregiver or Nanny Pay Stubs: Are they required?

    Did you know that 39 states have now passed laws requiring employers to provide itemized pay stubs to their employees? Why all the attention to nanny pay stubs? There has been a slew of legislation at the state level in the last decade focused on “Wage Theft Prevention” – essentially employers either not paying for all hours... Read more »
  • How often do I need to pay or remit the “nanny taxes”?

    Many wonder how to pay nanny taxes and how often to file. Understand that the federal and state filing schedules are NOT synchronized. Additionally, not all states have the same reporting schedule. Federal Employment Taxes: Employers of domestic workers must, at a minimum, make annual payments for Social Security, Medicare and Withheld Income Tax (if… Read more »

  • What may happen if I do not pay the nanny taxes?

    What happens if I don’t pay for my nanny taxes? Failure to report wages paid to a domestic service worker – including a nanny, senior caregiver, housekeeper and more – and failure to pay the nanny taxes compromises the validity of your personal income tax return. These taxes are included on your personal federal income… Read more »

  • Is Health Insurance for My Nanny or Senior Caregiver Taxable?

    Many employers understand that key benefits such as employer paid health insurance is an important employee recruitment and retention tool. Is health insurance taxable? Household employers with fewer than 50 household employees may reimburse health insurance premiums obtained in the individual marketplace on a tax free basis utilizing either a Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement... Read more »
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