Thinking of Employing a Caregiver?

Here’s what you need to know

You will need to decide whether to pay your caregiver as an employee or independent contractor. For employees, you must withhold taxes and provide your employed caregiver with a W-2 form at the end of the fiscal year.

If hiring a caregiver as an employee, you will need to obtain an Employer ID Number to file tax withholdings on your behalf.  You will also need to have your employee fill out an I-9 Form that can prove their eligibility to work in the United States.

Remember to pay your taxes quarterly, if you are having issues with calculating the correct tax amounts, then contact a payroll provider for assistance.

Get insured, contact your current insurance provider and request that a home caregiver is added to your home insurance policy.

Draft a detailed contract going over all your expectations, agreements, hours, and financial information between yourself and the caregiver. Having a contract can be helpful in disputes and for clarifying uncertainties, but is also useful in submitting the record of your home caregiver to Medicaid, Medicare, or another insurance provider for possible coverage.

Prepare for emergencies. In the event your caregiver becomes ill, has travel plans, or is unavailable, ensure you have at least one to two backup options. When hiring a caregiver, always be sure to plan for any scheduled absences they know about in advance, to ensure you have no difficulties finding a stand-in when it is most needed.

For more information on finding a caregiver through an agency, using insurance as coverage for a caregiver, or hiring a caregiver via Medicaid, stay tuned for next week’s blog post.

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