- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Working Moms
HisChamaoleGirl
member
FTM and not a clue
HisChamaoleGirl
member
in Working Moms
I am having a hard time finding a daycare center near where I work that doesn't have a waiting list that is clear I am not going to get into (200+ kids waiting). I have seriously considered hiring someone privately, but I'm worried if they aren't "legit" and have a tax id number then I cant claim childcare on my taxes next year. Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm a FTM, but isn't a tax id needed in order to claim childcare ?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: FTM and not a clue
Yes it is. My best friend's Grandmother watches LO and she ended up giving me her full name and social security number so I could claim childcare on my taxes. If you want to hire someone privately, I would definitely put it out there that you want to claim childcare on your taxes next year and will need their SSN, full name and address. If they are uncomfortable with that, then look for childcare elsewhere. It worked out for me, however.
You would need a tax ID# or their SSN. Would you be open to an in-home daycare or are you set on a center only? A legit licensed in-home daycare will have a tax ID# or give you their SSN for tax purposes.
You can hire a private nanny but that gets complicated you would have to pay unemployment insurance, withhold state & fed taxes - there are some moms here that can break it down to you as far as a nanny goes.
BFP #1 11/07/2012 EDD 07/09/2013 M/C 11/22/2012
BFP #2 02/05/2013 EDD 09/19/2013 Arrived via c-section 09/27/2013
I agree with the bolded. DS is starting at an in home daycare next week and the provider clearly stated in the contract that she will provide all parents with a tax ID next year.
I had DS in a in-home daycare until we got a spot in our #1 choice daycare center.
Check with your state website for a list of licensed in-home daycares. On most states websites you will be able to see how they are rated and the number/type of violations they have had.
Compile a list of questions to ask. I did a Google search for daycare questions and made a list of the things that are important to me.
Call around to different daycares and get basic information. Go interview your top choices. Make a decision based on those interviews. Remember to trust your gut. Mom instinct is a real and important thing.
Good luck.
I hear you. When I was pregnant I was so stressed because waiting lists were ridiculous as well (I live in Baltimore, MD) & many licensed in-home daycares kept on telling me to call them back when I knew exactly when I would start needing care. I was getting nervous while on maternity leave & actually found a really nice small in-home daycare 2 weeks before I was due back to work. Talk about last minute!
Call your local state or county daycare licensing office, they should be able to give you a list of local providers in your area. Most of them have a website where you can search. Here's a link for the site in VA:
https://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/LPSS/LPSS.aspx
First, yes you are correct that you need a tax ID. We hired a nanny and do everything by the books--had her fill out I-9 and W4 forms, we file taxes, etc.
Second, I have to say that with both children it came down to the wire and I didn't think I would get daycare spots when I needed them, but miraculously it all worked. DS got a daycare spot when I had just 2 weeks left of maternity leave. Just found out DD has a spot starting next month; our contract with the nanny ends June 30. Good luck to you!
Since you are in NoVa and willing to consider in-home daycares, here's an extra tip for using the Virginia website: https://www.dss.virginia.gov/facility/search/cc.cgi :
You will see that the daycares are renewed for licenses for 1, 2, or 3 year period. If you hover over the license renewal period (i.e., "One Year," "Two Year," or "Three Year"), it will show you what each renewal period means. For example, Two Year means: A two-year license is issued to a facility with activities, services, management and overall performance levels that comply on a sustained basis with minimum standards and exceed minimum standards in some areas. Child day centers and voluntarily registered (VR) family day homes are exceptions to this rule. All Child day centers that are not on a six-month Conditional license or six-month Provisional license must be issued a two-year license. All VR family day homes are issued a two-year registration. (One Year renewals indicate some inconsistencies in compliance).
One I finally figured this out, it made reviewing all the listings so much easier. I bascially ruled out all the One-Year renewals, then started with the Threes (all booked, as you would expect!) and then started looking at the Twos.
Hope this helps!
you can most certainly hire your own private nanny, but in the NoVA area, it will likely cost you a significant amount of money. you are the one that needs to apply for a tax ID number to do so, and you would have to make sure when you hire a nanny that they understand you plan to report the wages, will withhold taxes, etc. if they are not in agreement with that plan and want to be paid under the table, you will not be able to report their wages to get reimbursed from a dependent care account.
friends of mine in the DC area who have nannies commonly have nanny shares because the hourly rate for nannies can be very steep in that part of the country.
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/nanny-forum/forums/show/10.page appears to be a forum where people talk about nanny shares. there may be similar forums out there. good luck
Yes
I have used care.com to find in-home daycares to interview. I found a couple that were licensed.
ETA I have the program name wrong. Maybe it's Child Care Central.
BFP #1 11/07/2012 EDD 07/09/2013 M/C 11/22/2012
BFP #2 02/05/2013 EDD 09/19/2013 Arrived via c-section 09/27/2013