Now that Obamas Health Initiative has passed, health insurance is on everyones mind. So that you know what may be expected as an employer, heres a quick summary of what youre responsible for.

First of all, the new legislation isnt in effect until 2014. Families are exempt from the requirement to provide health Insurance for nannies, since only businesses with 50 + employees are obligated.

Although the new legislation wont impact you directly, it is becoming more and more important for everyone to get Health coverage. There are benefits to offering your household employee health insurance. Several of our families are offering insurance as part of their benefits package and it is attracting nannies they may not otherwise have access to.You can contribute up to 100% of your nannys premiums. This is non-taxable compensation, meaning neither you nor your nanny pay taxes on that part of the pay.

For a sample of the tax savings you and your caregiver, download the PDF Health Insurance or give us a call.

We are here to help you, your family and your nanny with any payroll, tax or labor law questions. And what we dont know, we know who to refer you to.

Quick Tax Facts

$1,700: If Your nanny makes this much per year, you need to pay Social Security & Medicare
$2,500 : Total amount of tax breaks you can utilize when paying legally.
1.5: If your Employee works more than 40 hours per week, this should be her pay rate.
$0.50: Mileage reimbursement rate
$7.25: Arizona minimum wage
55: IRS estimate of annual hours needed to manage household payroll
$2: Daily cost to have a nanny tax service keep you in line with the law

Read More

Each December, our staff likes to take a look back at our past year. We look at all the aspects of our nanny service from practical results as well as more important personal goals.
We invite our families and nannies to stop and consider the progress they’ve made in the past year in these infinitely more important dimensions.
We label our progress:
1. Doing Tremendous!
2. Making strides, but still a ways to go
3. A challenge area
4. Oops! Do I really have to do this?
You’ve had a good year if:
You spent more time evaluating your past year and planning for the direction of your life. We all have room to grow. How was your year?
Your family relationships strengthened. 
Did you spend more time of richer quality with your spouse and children?
Did you make more time available to your spouse and less to your hobbies or business? 
Did you spend focused time teaching your children values?
Did you eat dinner together as a family more and watch less TV?
Is your love and service to them greater than it was last year?
We can only bring to our career what we already have in our lives and in our homes.
Our outward achievements are only a reflection of our inward success.
If you saw yourself more as servant to your employees, clients, peers, and suppliers, with a goal to make them more successful, if you’ve made the effort to encourage and edify others, then you’ve had a good year.
You are even slightly less acquisitive. 
The urge to acquire things is very human, and there’s nothing wrong with having it, but stuff doesn’t truly satisfy. We know that there’s no joy or peace in material things. In fact, the more we get, the more were distracted, and the more work we have to clean it, organize it, insure it and store it. If youve extricated yourself, even a little, from its grasp, if you’ve reduced your debt, even a little, you’ve had a good year.
You are more grateful and content.
What do we have that we deserve? We live better than kings and queens in the past, so how can we not be grateful?  Can you say I have more than I deserve or need and really mean it?
You have more peace in your heart.
Its been a rough year economically for many.  If our peace depends on the Dow average, it comes and goes.
If you see blessings in all your circumstances, both good and bad, more clearly this year, you’ve had a good year.
You became more proficient in your job.
If you consider that your business or occupation is a gift that you’re to lead with passion and youve been learning and using better ways, you’ve had a good year!
 
You took better care of your body.
Did your exercise and diet prove you’re developing more self-discipline? Mastering yourself is a key to maturity.  If youre in better shape than a year ago, you’ve had a good year. 
I hope you have a wonderful 2010,
Beth Weise

Read More