Paying a nanny, caregiver or other household employee
Posts for families who employ someone in their home: nannies, babysitters, caregivers, au pairs and housekeepers. They cover when a worker counts as a household employee, how household payroll differs from a business payroll, Schedule H and the W-2, state rules in states such as California, New York and Texas, and what nanny payroll services charge compared with doing it yourself. Thresholds are set by the IRS each year and are stated in each post with its source.
Posts for the United States
15 posts, newest first
Au pair taxes 2026: stipend, Schedule H and what to give themThe IRS treats an au pair's stipend as wages, but most au pairs are nonresidents, so no Social Security, Medicare or FUTA. When Schedule H and a W-2 apply.
Babysitter taxes: when a sitter becomes a household employee (2026)In 2026 you owe Social Security and Medicare on a sitter once you pay $3,000 or more in cash wages, unless the sitter is under 18 and a student. The rules.
Form 941 or Schedule H? Which return a household employer filesMost families report nanny taxes on Schedule H, not Form 941. When a business owner can use Form 941 instead, what changes, and the 2026 deadlines.
HomePay review (2026): what you pay Care.com forCare.com HomePay reviewed from its own pages: Essentials at $59 and Plus at $75 a month, what each covers, the two guarantees and when DIY costs less.
Household employer payroll in New York (2026)Paying a nanny, housekeeper or carer in New York? The 2026 state rules, the $500 unemployment threshold, weekly pay statements and your payroll options.
Household employer payroll in Texas (2026)Paying a nanny or housekeeper in Texas? No state income tax, the $1,000 unemployment threshold, the federal wage rules and how to run payroll yourself.
Household payroll services vs doing it yourself: the real cost (2026)Household employee payroll with a service ($39 to $75 a month on 8 October 2026) or doing it yourself: the cost, and the tasks and dates DIY leaves to you.
Poppins Payroll review (2026): what $49 a month coversA Poppins Payroll review for families with a nanny: what the $49 plan includes, the fees outside it, how it compares with HomePay and when DIY is enough.
Who is a household employee? Nanny, babysitter, cleaner, caregiverThe IRS definition of a household employee, which nannies, babysitters, cleaners and caregivers it covers, and when the 2026 tax thresholds apply.
Can you pay a nanny as a 1099 contractor?Why the IRS treats most nannies as household employees, why a family can't file a 1099-NEC for one, and what to do instead for 2026.
How to give your nanny a W-2 for 2026When a family must give a nanny a W-2 for 2026, what goes in each box, and the February 1, 2027 deadline for the nanny's copies and the SSA filing.
Best Nanny Payroll Services (2026): Poppins, HomePay, NannyKeeper or DIYPoppins Payroll, Care.com HomePay and NannyKeeper compared on price and on what they file for you, plus when doing nanny payroll yourself is enough.
Payroll options for household employers in California (2026)Paying a nanny, caregiver or housekeeper in California? The 2026 EDD thresholds, SDI rate, wage rules and the three ways to run household payroll.
Caregiver payroll: how to pay an in-home caregiver legally in 2026If you hire an in-home caregiver directly, you're usually a household employer. The 2026 IRS thresholds, wage rules and paperwork, step by step.
How to Pay a Nanny Legally (on the Books) in 2026Paying a nanny on the books in 2026: EIN, I-9 and W-4, minimum wage, each payday's taxes and pay stub, then the W-2 and Schedule H at year end.
Guides and tools on this topic
Guides
Nanny Tax: Schedule H Guide for Household Employers Pay stubs for nannies and household employees
Tools