Mom Forums

As a working mother of three children, I have a deep and genuine concern about who is watching my kids while my husband and I are both gone during the day.  As an experienced nanny-finder in the 21st century, I would recommend using the following five tips before deciding to hire a potential candidate, despite how qualified they might seem on paper.     1. Conduct both telephone and in-person interviews.  The interview process must contain these two parts.  Beginning the process with telephone interviews helps to eliminate candidates whose personalities, experiences, and skills do not meet your criteria.  Once a candidate has been approved for an in-person interview, explain in detail exactly what type of needs and expectations you have, so that there is no chance of having a misunderstanding or experiencing miscommunication down the road.2. Do some online research.  With the popularity of social networking sites like Facebook(R) and MySpace(TM), you can search for the profiles of p... read more »

For 20 million families across the United States, one common concern for parents is who will watch their children during summer vacation while they work part- or full-time jobs.  With the way the economy has influenced the American job market and our daily financial decisions, finding affordable childcare all summer long has become increasingly stressful.  However, there are still several affordable options out there, many of them available right in your local community.  Here are some helpful tips for finding the right type of childcare during the summer months:  1. Enrollment in Summer School ClassesMany local schools provide summer sessions that will allow your kids to continue to learn and play with their friends during the week.  To learn more about local summer school programs, contact your local school district's office and ask about what types of summer session programs they are offering this year.2. Signing up for Summer CampSummer day camps or sleep-away camps are a great ... read more »

Many parents have questions about having to pay taxes after employing a nanny.  Below are the most popular questions (and answers) about paying nanny taxes. 1. Are nannies considered independent contractors or employees?  The law states that employees that are hired to work within a family's home, such as nannies, housekeepers, and senior caregivers, are considered employees, and not independent contractors.  Hence, parents are responsible for paying for their nannies' taxes, as well as withholding their taxes.   2. Are nanny taxes affordable for my family?  The cost of paying for a nanny includes State Unemployment Insurance, Federal Unemployment Insurance, and 50% of Medicare and Social Security. 3. Is there a method for accurately calculating how much my anticipated monthly expenses will be when paying my nanny's salary and taxes?  Yes.  You can use the Breedlove & Associates' Free Nanny Tax Calculator (http://www.breedlove-online.com/tax-labor-law) to estimate your nanny tax cos... read more »