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	The Most Important Hire You'll Ever Make Melanie Lindner, 03.20.08, 3:25 PM ET There just aren't enough hours in the day. While computers, cellphones and a host of other gadgets have made us all more productive, plenty of striving young couples are busier than ever. So who's watching the kids? There are now some 1.3 million Americans who identify themselves as childcare providers, in both facilities and in private homes. A recession might put a few nannies out of work as strapped couples tighten their purse strings, but that's still a big number--about four nannies for every 100 families with at least one child, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. As with any important investment decision, nabbing a good nanny takes time, money and focus. Finding a good fit is critical--after all, look at what's riding on the decision. In Pictures: How To Hire A Nanny Once you've made the decision to take on a private childcare professional, your first step in finding the right one is to define the kind of help you need. Are you looking for a part-time or full-time employee? Do you want the person to live in your home? Will he or she be traveling with the family? Will there be any additional responsibilities outside of child care, such as laundry, cooking or errands? Broadly speaking, any duties that pertain to children are fair game, says Susan Tokayer, president of Family Helpers, a Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.-based agency that connects families with childcare professionals. That includes light housework, like the children's laundry, meal preparation and tidying up bedrooms and playrooms. Before you go the live-in route, think hard. "Turnover rates for live-in nannies are extremely high," says Patricia Cascio, president of the International Nanny Association. Many families find it difficult to adjust to having a non-family-member in the home. Step two: Canvass the ranks. Word-of-mouth referrals are always nice, but they may not do the trick. Nanny agencies charge a $2,000 to $3,000 finder's fee, or roughly 10% of a nanny's salary, says INA board member Deborah Smith. Have a smaller budget but a little extra time to conduct your own search? Place an advertisement. The downside: Running an ad will scare up all manner of takers, whereas agencies offer "prescreened, ready-to-go nannies," says Smith. As for qualifications, hands-on childcare experience is probably more important than a degree in early childhood education, says Susan McCloskey, vice president of Nanny Poppinz, a placement agency with 23 franchise locations throughout the U.S. While formal education is certainly a plus, McCloskey advises parents to look for candidates with "experience, dependability, flexibility and passion for a career in childcare." At a minimum, you'll want your nanny to be certified in CPR and first aid (nearly three-quarters are, according to the International Nanny Association's 2006 Salary and Benefits Survey). Third step: interviewing. Tokayer recommends that parents conduct three interviews with a candidate before offering a position. In the first (without children present), parents should ask about the candidate's experience, schedule flexibility and any heath-related issues that could hinder performance. The second meeting is often a "working interview" in which parents pay the nanny to watch the children for a few hours while they observe. "In a working interview, you're really looking for a personality match," says McCloskey. "If your children ask for that nanny again, that's a good sign [the person] made an effort to bond with your kids." The final meeting can cover a range of issues, from vacations to health benefits. Vetting candidates also means running a background check to see if everything adds up. Agencies earn their fees, in part, by doing such prescreening. Aside from criminal-history searches, "we also run a search with the Department of Motor Vehicles and employment references before sending our nannies out to meet with families," says McCloskey. Still, you can never be too careful when it comes to your kids. Helpful services such as Verifications Inc. and LexisNexis perform full background checks in two to three days for about $70. While there are inexpensive online services that claim to do the job in 24 hours, INA's Smith suggests going with an outfit that promises to send a representative to the courts to peruse official government documents, which generally takes a few days. Before inking the deal, gin up a written work agreement detailing everything from daily responsibilities to holidays. Establish salary and overtime compensation. The salary you set is dependent upon where you live, the number of children the person will be looking after and the responsibilities required, including housework, errands and overnight care. Nannies polled in the INA's latest survey earn between $300 and $1,000 per week. Of those responsible for overnight care, 55% receive additional compensation ranging from $25 to $100 per night. Of nannies who travel with the family, 32% said their expenses were paid for, but they received no additional compensation; 36% said they received additional compensation ranging from $50 to $200 per day. As for taxes, the law treats domestic employment like a small business, so it's important to be sure to file the appropriate documentation with the government and your employee. As the employer, you are required to pay half the Social Security and Medicare taxes (7.65% of the employee's wages), as well as federal and state unemployment insurance. Services like GTM Associates and Breedlove and Associates can handle everything from payroll to taxes for your nanny. One last step: Make sure your new nanny is covered under your homeowner's insurance policy in case of an accident in your home or on your property. According to Tokayer, the most common mistake parents make when hiring a nanny is "not being specific enough about their expectations." If you want the nanny to take vacation at the same time you do, come clean; likewise, if errands play a role, establish the specific means of transportation ahead of time. "Those kinks should be worked out in advance," she says. ------- Invasion Of The Nanny Snatchers Your nanny is perfect, and everybody knows it. Now, how to keep her from straying? By Lauren Sherman http://www.forbes.com/2007/04/20/lifestyle-nanny-steal-forbeslife-cx_ls_0423nanny.html?partner=email ---------
	Sunday, March 23, 2008 Good nannies, baby sitters hard to find By: Holly Leber When James Sewell’s marriage ended, he needed someone to look after his children while he works. But Mary Poppins did not come floating out of the sky.Parents have a range of needs when it comes to looking for someone to care for their children. The process of seeking a child care worker can be an unnerving one. “It’s a very emotional thing for a single parent to find themselves thrust in a situation where you don’t have time to plan,” said Mr. Sewell, 45. His two daughters, ages 7 and 11, reside with their mother in northeast Georgia, but will live with him on weekends and during the summer, at minimum, he said. He works as a second-shift supervisor at a manufacturing company and needs someone to look after the children when he’s not around. It’s a hard task, he has discovered, to find the right person for the job. Mr. Sewell had several responses to an ad he placed, but a parent searching for a nanny can be like the prince searching for Cinderella — oftentimes the shoe just doesn’t quite fit. Mr. Sewell said he feels strongly about having a child care worker who shares his beliefs. One candidate was passed over due, in part, to her romantic involvement with another woman, he said. “It’s not any phobias (about sexuality),” Mr. Sewell said, “I want to make sure I don’t confuse (the children).” Tracy Daverson, a mother of two girls, age 3 and 7 months, requires a nanny or baby sitter who is certified in first aid and CPR. Creativity is another must. “If you’re with kids all day long, you have to be able to entertain them,” said Mrs. Daverson, 32. Physical and developmental special needs notwithstanding, potential caretakers have to be prepared for everything from temper tantrums to food allergies. Allison Allen, a graduate student at Lee University, recalled one potential employer emphasizing the importance of examining every food label before feeding the child. NOT ALL NANNIES LOOK ALIKE Although the expected image of someone who takes care of children is probably an unmarried woman in her early 20s, childcare workers come in a vast range of shapes, sizes and responsibilities. A mother’s helper keeps an eye on Junior while Mom is playing canasta or completing a company merger from the home office; a baby sitter might watch the kids while parents have an occasional night out, while a nanny may live in the same house and be like an extended part of the family. Mr. Sewell originally was looking for a 20-something woman to watch his daughters — he figured a student would be his best bet. The person he found was an “absolutely awesome” 48-year-old. “There was a spiritual likeness,” he said. Some people choose to extend themselves to other people’s children by running childcare out of their own homes. Amanda Tucker, a mother of two, runs a small daycare out of her home in Cleveland, Tenn. The benefits are numerous, she said. “I was looking to fill the income gap (of not working),” said Mrs. Tucker, who began baby sitting as a teenager. “...Doing a home day care gives my kids other children to interact with as well.” She charges a flat rate of $100 a week per child. And it’s not always women who get the jobs. Chris Turley, 25, has been looking after J.P. Millet for eight years, since he was 6 years old. Mr. Turley said now that J.P. is a teenager, the relationship has evolved into a friendship. “He’s more like a brother now,” Mr. Turley said. He added that he sometimes stops by unexpectedly to hang out and play video games, in addition to any responsibilities proscribed by J.P.’s parents, Deborah DiStefano and Preston Millet. “(Chris) is such a good role model,” Dr. DiStefano said. Mr. Turley is thrilled for the opportunity, despite any ribbing he might get for being a ‘manny.’ “Sometimes people would give you little heck for it,” he said, “ but most people think it’s pretty cool. I think it’s very cool, personally. It’s really one of the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my entire my life.” “MARY POPPINS” IS JUST A MOVIE Despite what we may want to believe, “practically perfect in every way” simply does not exist. A parent must remember that while being childcare worker can certainly be rewarding, it is a job. Nannies and household workers can be classified either as independent contractors or employees depending on the amount of control one has over the worker, including hours, tools and responsibilities. Wages vary and are determined either by a worker’s set rate or an employer’s offer. Surveyed child care workers in Hamilton County reported an hourly wage range of $8 to $15 per hour, depending upon the number and ages of children present. Pat Cascio, head of the Morningside Nanny Agency in Houston and president of the International Nanny Association said that some nannies, especially live-ins, have felt taken advantage of. They are expected to work 14-16 hour days and be on call during the night, she said. “We kind of need our sanity too,” said Ms. Allen, 25. STAYING SAFE Before any decisions are made and the kids are turned over, Ms. Cascio recommends that both parents and nannies check each other out by asking for personal and professional references. “If you do your due diligence,” she said, you aren’t strangers by the time the job begins. Looking out for one’s own safety is just as important as looking out for a child’s. Graduate student and babysitter Christine Weisgerber, 23, insists on having an initial meeting in a public place before entering someone’s home. Mr. Sewell recalls one young applicant who nervously said that her mother wanted to meet him before any agreements were made. “I thought that was the coolest thing,” he said. “I really respected that.” According to Ms. Cascio, Ms. Weisgerber and the young woman Mr. Sewell met were right on the money. One nanny, she said, traveled for an interview to what turned out to be the home of a childless, mentally unstable person. “The nanny needs to be wise about where she’s going,” Mr. Cascio said. Five questions you might not have thought to ask to your potential nanny: 1. How would you comfort a child? 2. Do you have any pet peeves about parents? 3. Do you have a passport? 4. Are you a take charge person or do you prefer to get direction? 5. What about being a nanny could you live without? Source: www.nanny.com There were 1.4 million child care jobs in the United States in 2006. 35 percent of workers were self-employed. 18 percent worked in day care services. 20 percent worked in private households. The remainder worked in educational, nursing or civic organizations. (all numbers are approximations) Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics ---------
	Real Simple Magazine September 2007 Problem: You’ve given your nanny money before, and she keeps asking for more. How do you cut her off? Solution: Sit down with her and say, “When I gave you money last time, I thought I was helping you. But if I keep giving you money that you don’t work for in return, I’m not doing the right thing. I’m feeling awkward about it,” suggests Dave Ramsey, a financial coach based in Nashville. Does your nanny need to learn about budgeting or take on extra work? Support her as she does those things, but don’t help her yourself. Is her pay too low? Check average salaries at www.nanny.org. If your nanny continues to ask for handouts, it’s probably time to part ways, says Pat Cascio, president of the International Nanny Association and the owner of Morningside Nannies, in Houston. Your nanny might be developing an unhealthy “I deserve more” attitude because she sees that your family is financially comfortable. --------
	Nanny Employers Should Avoid These Common Mistakes by Pat Cascio - November 2007 (PDF) Nanny 411--Make the right call by Jean Chatzky-July 23, 2007 (PDF) ______
	Crooked Online Nanny Scams--Thursday, June 21, 2007- The Ombudsgod! Both families and nannies should be aware of con artists that surf the many nanny personnel sites hoping to fool you into sending them money. Many Americans have a difficult time balancing their jobs and their families. For this reason, many parents hire nannies to watch over and care for their kids. There are no worries over the nanny to child ratios, and nannies often come to live in your house at least arrive just as you leave your house for work. The problem here is finding an experienced and dependable nanny. No mother in her right mind is going to leave her child in the hands of a total stranger unless they can provide excellent references. In the last few years, several websites have been created to help bring nannies together with families in need of such services. If you are in the market for a nanny, you simply register on the site as a family and then search their database for nannies that fit the conditions you specify such as age, sex, race, and skills. This is a great way for both nannies and families to convene, communicate, and develop a relationship that may or may not result in a job offer. This process does have its risks because of the possibility of fraud. In this article, we will attempt to reveal how this scam works both ways. How nannies get conned Scam artists register at these nanny matchmaker services masquerading as a family in search of a nanny. They will describe themselves as well-off and willing to pay a good salary in exchange for child care services. To close the deal and get the prospective nanny's attention, they advance a generous amount of money in the form a money order or check. Right away, the scammer pretending to be a family will say that they sent too much money by mistake and request that a part of the advance be returned by Western Union, PayPal, or other electronic means. The idea here is that the original money order or check has not cleared the bank yet. If the nanny sends some of the money back, he or she has just been swindled by a classical money order scam. Expert con artists know how to use need and desperation and turn it to their advantage. Many nannies are eager to take these jobs and being sent a huge amount is meant to let their guard down and make them think they have won the lottery. It is easy to see how many people fall for this scam. As the old adage goes: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." People do not send large sums of money to other people they do not know or trust. If this situation ever happens to you, think before you act. You may save yourself from being swindled. How families get duped Scam artists have conjured up techniques to rip off families in search of a nanny as well. What they do is register as a nanny with exemplary qualifications and references. Families will then contact them and begin to develop relationships via e-mail to get to know them on a personal level. These phony nannies will assure a family that they have all the required paperwork including a work VISA. The scam comes shortly after you have hired the nanny. You get a last minute request for funds to cover some unforeseen circumstance. It could be anything from travel tickets to a loved one sick in the hospital. You may feel you have talked with them for very long that you know them well enough to trust them. Think before you send any money. Scam artists can be very convincing and deceptive. NEVER send a stranger any money. You should also do your homework on the nanny by checking out those references early in the nanny screening process. If they seem suspicious to you, there are many other excellent nannies for you to choose. There are many forms of internet fraud going on nowadays. It is up to you to educate yourself on what is or is not legitimate. Hopefully, our advice will minimize your chances of becoming a victim of the crime of theft by deception. --------
	Nanny Wars: Parents Ask, Whose Child Is It Anyway? ABC News By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES May 2, 2007 When nannies intervene on matters of child-rearing, as did Laura, they are usually fired, according to Pat Cascio, president of the International Nanny Association. "You don't tell the parents how to raise their kids," she said. "Families ask, 'Who does she think she is?' I have to explain to nannies to tone it down." But mothers are sometimes out of touch with the realities of everyday child-rearing. Cascio tells new mothers, "Your nanny probably has more knowledge than you do. Respect her opinions and give her credence. You have only book knowledge." Nannies tell Cascio they spend weekdays teaching children to say "please" and "thank you," but after the weekend, all bad habits return. "The parents don't want to be bothered, and they give their children every video on the market and anything else they want," said Cascio. "By Monday, it's all undone." "If the mom and dad say they want the nanny to be creative and educated and read to the child and take nature walks, it's unrealistic to expect them to clean the bathroom, change the beds, dust and do vacuuming," said Cascio. "They don't want be in a situation where they are busy cleaning the shower and the child opens the door and walks outside or gets caught in the blind cord," Cascio said. Click Here to read entire article --------
	In Search of Super Nanny-- Parents.com May 2007 Finally, be on the lookout for bogus references -- such as a friend masquerading as a former employer. "That's the biggest problem we run into when we screen nannies," says Pat Cascio, president of Morningside Nannies, an agency in Houston. Fakes often give themselves away by bungling details about employment dates and children's ages. Make sure information from the reference and the caregiver match up. Make sure she loves kids. It goes without saying that you want a sitter who is in the business because she adores children. But how do you know for sure? Listen to how she talks about kids she's cared for in the past. "Sometimes nannies bring photo albums they've made or describe how they still get holiday cards from the children," Cascio says. When you're close to making a decision, invite the candidate to spend a couple of hours with your kids. This isn't always an easy situation -- both parties can feel scrutinized and self-conscious, so take the awkwardness factor into consideration as you check out their interaction. One way to make it less forced is to give the encounter a little structure. If you have a baby, have the nanny give a bottle or feed her. With an older child, enlist him to give a house tour or suggest they play a favorite game. Then, without getting in the way (maybe do a little inconspicuous housework), pay attention to the overall vibe and try to pick up on some of the specifics: Does she seem engaged, interested, and confident? Does spending time with your children seem to make her happy? Do your kids seem to respond well to her? Click Here to read the entire article -------
	Background Checks for Nannies: How to do It -- and Why - April 19, 2007-RevolutionHealth.com "When you are hiring privately, you'll find a good percentage may have problems," says Pat Cascio, owner of Morningside Nannies in Houston and the president of the Houston-based International Nanny Association, a nonprofit organization with 340 member nanny agencies. To turn up bogus references, Cascio asks the prospective nanny a question that only an employer could know. For example: Did you employer ever give you something for Christmas or your birthday? When she calls to check references, she asks the same question to the persons listed as a reference. Click Here to read entire article -------
	A night out, but who can watch the kids?-Excerpts from Boston Globe
	InsideBayArea.com - She's No Mary Poppins (PDF)
	Wall Street Journal Article Dec. 14, 2006 "How Often Do You Bathe?" Questions You Shouldn't Ask a Prospective Nanny Wall Street Journal Article Dec. 5, 2006 Professional Pay Grade for Nannies
	Super-Nanny-docious! Mary Poppins Saturday, November 04, 2006 7-27-2006--Pat Cascio quoted in Wall Street Journal 6-29-2006--Pat Cascio quoted in USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/2006-06-29-nannies-usat_x.htm Check out our photos of NANNY 911 STARS from the 20th Annual INA Conference! Nanny 911 & Super Nanny - How Real are these Reality Shows? The Case for Paying the Nanny Tax Demand for Nannies on Upswing in Greater Boston MINDING THE CHILDREN: Like One of the Family Caring for Older Children Challenges Working Parents 'Nanny Knows Best' A Vacation Isn't All Fun and Games for the Nanny -------
	A night out, but who can watch the kids? By Kate M. Jackson, Boston Globe Correspondent  |  March 18, 2007 (Excerpts) For parents of young children, the right baby sitter can mean the difference between going out on the town and staying in watching "CSI" on Saturday night. Still, many parents linger in domestic captivity because they believe finding someone to watch Junior these days is even more challenging than securing a last-minute reservation at Capital Grille. "There is no longer a village to help raise our children," said Pat Cascio, president of the International Nanny Association. People today move around for their jobs and don't have the social network in their neighborhoods any more. Also, younger kids tend to be booked up in extracurricular activities and don't have time for baby-sitting , she said. -------
	As Cost of Child Care Rises Sharply, Here's How Some Families Are Coping Nanny companies getting more professionalMarissa Murley, an 18-year-old from Pleasant Hill, is working as a nanny while she studies at Diablo Valley College. Robin LeGrand, owner of the placement agency A Nanny Connection, is interested in both aspects of the young woman's life. The full article will be available on the Web for a limited time: http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/business/9897656.htm -------
	Pat Cascio quoted in Article in Wall Street Journal -Click here to read article about Nanny Reality TV Show 'Teens need nanny supervision, too.' Pat Cascio quoted in Wall street Journal -Click here to read article
	Pat Cascio quoted in Article at Bankrate.com -Click here to read article
	'Executives climb corporate ladder with help of the 'nanny advantage' by founder, Pat Cascio -Click Here to read article in the Houston Business Journal
	'There are keys to choosing the right nanny' by founder, Pat Cascio -Click Here to read article in examinernew.com
	Nanny 911 & Super Nanny - How Real are these Reality Shows? By Jerry Milwit, from an article in Washington Parent May 2005 For years, in-home child care providers, or nannies, have been considered by many to be domestic service workers or "the help." So, as the owner of a nanny placement agency and babysitting service, I welcomed the introduction of two new and popular reality shows, "Nanny 911" and "Super Nanny," which portray nannies as intelligent and caring professionals. As a reality TV junkie already consumed with "The Apprentice," "The Bachelor" and "Survivor" (to name a few), I easily became immersed in these two almost identical shows airing on competing networks. In case you've missed them, they both begin with a few clips of a family in mayhem, somewhat dysfunctional with Mom and Dad trying to balance work and home life while attempting to parent their often rambunctious troublemakers, otherwise known as their "precious little ones." The camera captures Mom and Dad at wit's end, often in tears, appearing as if they have exhausted all their options, their marriage on the rocks and their parenting ability in serious question. The only answer: "The Nanny!" This modern day superhero is given one week to turn the Osbournes into the Waltons. With her British accent, poised and ever so confident, sometimes brash, the nanny monitors the family for a day and inevitably begins to formulate "the plan" to restore order to the household so everyone can live happily ever after. Not only is the family getting the nanny for the week, it appears this nanny is very skilled in psychology and marriage and family therapy. "I think the shows have been great," says Pat Cascio, president of the International Nanny Association. "American parents have been educated about who a professional nanny is and what she does. Nannies have always been respected in the U.K. and regarded as child care experts. These shows have demonstrated to the American audience what a professional nanny can be and what a positive difference she can make in a family." The true reality in this reality series, however, is that Hollywood is picking up the tab. But what about the rest of us with similar challenges keeping the household running in the midst of temper tantrums, sibling rivalry, potty training setbacks and the like? I interview child care professionals on a daily basis, and I certainly meet intelligent, extremely qualified caregivers. But they come at a cost, and often times a nanny with these credentials will earn quite a bit more than Mom or Dad–or both–making it financially impossible for the family to retain her for an extended period of time. However, one alternative may be to bring such a professional in for a short time to help out, even if it's just for a couple weeks. You can certainly watch these shows and pick up on some tips. Inevitably, the nanny will suggest some things we've all heard before but perhaps took for granted or ignored all together. Things such as, "Your child is yelling because you are yelling," and "If you don't provide a consequence for her unacceptable behavior, this behavior will escalate at an unbearable rate. On the contrary, providing positive reinforcement for good behavior elicits more good behavior." I'm not embarrassed to say that since watching one of the "Nanny 911" episodes, my wife and I implemented the "marble in the jar" technique with our 4-year-old daughter. When she exercises positive behavior we add a marble to the jar, and when she does something we deem unacceptable we take a marble out. The marbles accumulate during the course of the week (hopefully) and then can be cashed in for certain rewards. The "Nanny 911" and "Super Nanny" episodes involve the nanny implementing a daily schedule to modify behavior. These agendas incorporate everything from play and reading to meals and cleaning. According to Cascio, "Children need to know what to expect from their day. When there is no schedule, no predictability, it causes them to feel 'out of order,' thus they have a tendency to fuss, whine and throw tantrums. Research has proven that children's brains are chemically altered when they experience change in their routine. The less predictable their day is, the less content the children are and the less they are able to cope with change comfortably as they grow older. The nannies instinctively know that children need this regulated schedule and thrive in it. Though the nannies appear to be somewhat 'tough,' they always have the children's well-being at heart." Often, just getting Mom and Dad some quality time alone may be just what the doctor–or "Nanny"–ordered. I'm always amazed at how many parents I speak with who have never left their kids alone with anyone but themselves. I'm not saying that's wrong but, on the contrary, I believe one of the greatest gifts you can give your children is a night out alone with your spouse. The kids will be exposed to other adults, and Mom and Dad get some much-needed adult time. There are many babysitting services, and some allow you to schedule evening or weekend dates several weeks in advance. The reputable services will conduct thorough screenings, including personal interviews and background checks, giving you the peace of mind to go out and enjoy yourselves. Back to "Nanny 911" and "Super Nanny": After a very emotional and intense week with the nanny, the shows typically end with everyone crying and hugging and thanking one another for being so brave. The nanny closed the deal, she restored order, the kids love their parents and the parents love their kids and they all love the nanny! A little cheesy, but entertaining nonetheless. I always find myself saying the same thing after each episode, "Yeah, let's have the nanny come back in a month and see how it's going." Perhaps the next reality series should be "The Nanny Returns"! Jerry Milwit is the president of Metropolitan Nannies, LLC, a nanny and babysitter referral agency in Herndon, Va. For more information, visit their website www.metronannies.com. -------
	The Case for Paying the Nanny Tax By Sue Shellenbarger, The Wall Street Journal Online Friday, March 18, 2005 Of all the touchy issues I've covered in my 14 years as a family columnist, none send more parents running for cover than the nanny tax. Parents are willing to discuss nearly anything, in my experience, except whether they pay the nanny tax: the Medicare, Social Security and other payroll taxes that are required of employers with household workers. An increasing number of parents aren't paying such taxes -- largely because of the rising cost of child care. Filings of the nanny-tax form, Schedule H, fell 4.9% in 2003 to 239,810. That was down 24% from 1997, implying a high scofflaw rate. The Labor Department counts 746,000 household employees, including nannies and housekeepers; many more doubtless go uncounted. But avoiding the nanny tax is a short-sighted mistake. Even if you don't aspire to political office, as did Bernard Kerik, the cabinet nominee sidelined by nanny-tax violations among other issues, skirting the law prevents you from taking helpful child-care tax deductions. It also poses a real risk of consequences from an Internal Revenue Service audit or future claims by your nanny. And it can rob your nanny of the security of government benefits down the road. There are many rationalizations for taking the low road. An Atlanta mother, a writer, wanted to compete for good nannies by paying well. If she had cut their take-home pay by withholding taxes, "they could have gone to 20 other homes where they didn't have to pay taxes," she says. Paying more to make up the difference can be a financial hardship. And many nannies are illegal aliens who want to avoid government attention. The law requires anyone who pays a household employee more than $1,400 a year to file Social Security and Medicare taxes of 7.65% of the worker's gross pay. Federal unemployment insurance of 0.8%, state unemployment insurance that usually amounts to 2% to 4%, and other state and local taxes also are required. The employee's share is another 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare, plus any state and local taxes. The employer's cost adds up to about 9% to 12% of a nanny's gross pay. If income taxes are withheld, the cost to the nanny is usually about 20%. If you can't stand paperwork, filing services, such as GTM Household Employment, Clifton Park, N.J.; Breedlove & Associates, Austin, Texas; and HomeWork Solutions, Sterling, Va., cost an additional $36 to $55 a month for such services as preparing returns and issuing paychecks. While the costs add up, evading them prevents parents from taking offsetting tax breaks. A federal dependent-care assistance program allows parents to use as much as $5,000 in pretax earnings to pay for child care, saving $1,000 for a family in the 20% tax bracket. Families also may qualify for a tax credit of 20% to 35% of child-care expenses, on an income-based sliding scale. These breaks could make a big dent in nanny taxes. Filing for them, however, requires the nanny's name, address and Social Security number; the form includes a warning of the potential need to file Schedule H. Dodging the taxes risks other consequences. In an audit, the IRS may notice regular payouts from your account and raise questions about your nanny. While potential consequences include a criminal fine of as much as $250,000 and jail time, nanny-tax violators typically are required to pay only the back taxes, plus interest and penalties. The best route is to make payroll taxes a condition of employment. Otherwise, some future claim by your nanny may bring penalties raining down. A California nanny last year filed for state disability benefits after she left her job, and the family had to scramble to get her to withdraw her claim and settle with them privately, says the family's attorney, Bob King of Legally Nanny, Irvine, Calif., a provider of tax and legal help to household employers. If your nanny has been off the books, it can be tricky to shift to withholding taxes. Some parents fear drawing the IRS's attention by doing this, but Mr. King says he hasn't seen an audit triggered by such a move. "It's best to come clean as soon as possible" to keep back taxes and potential penalties from piling up, he says. Many nannies need educating about the benefits of building a retirement or disability safety net. When a Boston family began paying payroll taxes on their nanny, they gave her a $25-a-week raise to blunt the damage to her take-home pay. But the mother, a manager at a software concern, and the father, who is temporarily disabled, couldn't afford to make up the entire difference, and the nanny's paycheck fell to $361 a week from $475. Fortunately, the nanny understood the longer-term benefits and has remained loyal, the father says. Such committed relationships help form the foundation for quality child care, research shows. I can't think of a better way to foster such bonds than ensuring retirement, medical, unemployment and disability benefits. "I entrust my nanny with my child every day," says Meg Halverson, Seattle, a group program manager for a Web-based retailer, who pays the nanny tax. It pains her and her husband to pay 17% in taxes on top of a $528-a-week salary, plus benefits. But "the least I can do is try to make sure there will be some sort of Social Security benefit for her." -------
	MINDING THE CHILDREN: Like One of the Family Demand for nannies in American homes has sharply increased By Heidi Knapp Rinella, Las Vegas Review-Journal Tuesday, March 15, 2005 As it turns out, America's reality shows with nanny themes are based about as much on reality as ... well ... America's reality shows with other themes. "Would you let someone come into your home and challenge your parenting style?" asked Pat Cascio, president of the International Nanny Association and owner of Morningside Nannies in Houston. "I can't see very many of my clients being comfortable with the person giving them that much direction," Cascio said of "Supernanny" and "Nanny 911," in which veteran nannies try to tame the households' wild beasts masquerading as children. "I think the American way of doing it is `This is my home, I write the paycheck, you are the employee, so that puts you one or two steps below me, not on par with me or above me.' " Which is not to say there isn't a place for a nanny in the American household. In fact, there are places for nannies in increasing numbers of American households -- currently an estimated 1 million, Cascio said. "We know the industry is growing rapidly," she said. "More and more people are understanding what the nanny does and the role she has in the household, and the convenience there is for the family." Carol Hale, owner of Nanny's & Granny's in Las Vegas, says that in 18 years in the business, she has seen the demand for nannies grow dramatically. "I would say in the last probably seven or eight years, nannies have become far more popular," Hale said. "I think that we, No. 1, just have a more mobile society. People are really more likely to not live around family and friends. In our town, especially -- we've had such an influx of people. They come to town and they know no one." Both Cascio and Hale said people who hire nannies are no longer confined to the very wealthy. "Typically, they're young professionals," Hale said. "In our clientele we have a lot of attorneys, doctors, business people, business owners. Young professionals with a career who really don't want their children in day care. They want a little more individualized care and learning for their children. And so they hire someone to come into the home." "If you have two children, you're probably paying as much in day care as you would to have a private employee in your home," Cascio said. So just what role does the nanny hold in the household? "I would like to believe that the majority of nannies of children under the age of 3 are providing 100 percent care for the children and the children's belongings, and the rooms in which the children and the nanny live in, work in, stay in and play in," Cascio said. "I would like to believe that parents do not assign household duties to child-care professionals when the children are that young." The reason, Cascio said, is "a safety issue. I just think it's kind of a risky situation. If you were told that today, `I would like these four tasks done -- and by the way, watch my child, too' -- you know your employer can judge if you get the tasks done, but she'll never know if her child got the attention." And the key to a successful nanny-employer relationship is to a large part based on trust. Most families, Hale said, want a nanny who will become a part of their lives. "That's usually the ideal situation," she said. "In fact, the most frequent request we have is they want a nanny that will stay with them. "I've had placements last incredibly long times -- 10 or 12 years," she said. "It comes down to a chemistry thing," said Lexy Capp, owner of Nannies and Housekeepers USA. "Does that person really want that nanny in their home, caring for their children?" Capp remembers one client who knew immediately that a nanny candidate was right for her family. "She knew in her heart this was the one," she said. "It's sort of the feeling of connection you get." At the same time, a successful nanny-employer relationship often depends on both sides remembering and honoring the nature of the arrangement. "Generally what we suggest to our families is that they renew their nanny contracts on a yearly basis," Hale said. "We do the initial contract for them in the office, then we suggest that the nannies and the families put it on their calendars 60 days before the contracts expire -- that they sit down and discuss whether or not they're going to want to continue the relationship. Are there any changes? Have their been other children? Have the hours changed? And then to negotiate a raise for the nanny." Most nannies get raises on an annual basis, Hale said, and they can expect to be paid between $400 and $700 a week, depending on the situation. "Seven hundred dollars is maybe twins or triplets, the number of children and housekeeping and extended hours -- that type of thing," she said. Capp said the minimum her nannies earn is $10 an hour, though pay can be as much as $750 a week. She said she's placed some nannies for $45,000 a year, plus benefits. Nanny agencies generally don't employ nannies, but charge a fee for referrals and background checks. Hale charges a one-time placement fee of $1,700. Capp offers three plans, priced according to the length of guarantee and number of replacement referrals, should they be needed. The fees range from one month of the nanny's gross salary to 12 percent of gross annual salary. Capp's agency also has a division that she said employs several hundred nannies who work under the agency's insurance umbrella to provide child care at major Strip resorts. The average nanny, Hale said, tends to be in one of two primary age groups, "although we do have nannies in all age ranges." "Many of them are students that are still in school that are in their early to mid-20s," she said, "and then we see a lot of women whose children are now grown and that's what they've done their whole life -- taking care of children. And so they're coming back to the work force. "There's a core of professional nannies that do this for a living and have maybe been through nanny training and been certified. They tend to be in their 20s and 30s. It's really not very common." Hale said there's a shortage of nannies in Las Vegas, but she rejects most candidates. "We generally will interview from 25 to 40 people to get like three people," she said. "Most people that walk through that door, I'd no more place with your children than I'd rise up and fly." Those applicants, she said, come in "because somebody needs a job and they woke up that morning and they say, `anybody can raise kids.' They can't pass the background check, they can't get the health card. We look for criminal misdemeanors as well as felony convictions." Additionally, she said, they do a credit check and a driver's license check, and nannies must know CPR. "We make a substantial investment in anyone we choose to process," Capp said. "We turn down about 50 percent of our applicants. We have one division that all they do is background checks. We also do one-on-one interviews with placement counselors." "A lot of people will give you their work history, and they'll conveniently slip the fact that they lived in Ohio for two years, because they had a problem in Ohio," Hale said. "But then when you do a credit check, there's all these loans for stores in Ohio. An agency that knows what they're doing will then do a criminal check in Ohio. "That's what you're paying an agency for -- that kind of thing. We do it every day. We know what to look for. The average family doesn't." For aspiring nannies, Hale advises, "get some experience or take a professional training program. If they come in with no experience, we put them on our sitter service so they can get some experience. "And I would say don't do it because you need money. Do the job because you truly love kids. Being a nanny is not an easy job." -------
	Demand for nannies on upswing in Greater Boston By Davis Bushnell, Boston Globe Correspondent Sunday March 13, 2005 Demand for nannies in the Greater Boston area is on the upswing, spurred by an improving economy and harried parents seeking a flexible child-care option. "We can't keep up with the demand today, unlike a few years ago, when demand didn't meet supply," said Marsha Epstein, the founder-owner of American Nanny Co. Inc., a placement agency for child-care providers in Newton. Fast-track parents are wanting one-on-one care for their kids," said Pat Cascio, the president of the International Nanny Association, based in Houston. Although the federal government doesn't track nannies, there are probably about 1 million of these caregivers working for families nationwide, Cascio said. Cascio said that more and more nannies have taken childhood education-related courses at community colleges or four-year schools. As a result, she said, they come to a family better prepared to deal with the intricacies of child rearing. In Greater Boston, there are between 400 and to 500 nannies who are working regularly, Epstein and others said. Nearly all of them are women, many of whom are in their 20s and 30s. They typically earn from $12 to $16 an hour and, in many cases, families pay a portion of their health insurance costs. The pickup in demand can also be attributed to "parents becoming more aware that nannies are third-party contributors to the raising of their children," said Michelle LaRowe, 29, of Waltham, whom the international association named as its 2004 Nanny of the Year. "They're not housekeepers or maids, but professionals." Many women are going into the field because there is no longer a perception that nannies "are glorified babysitters," said Katherine Robinson, the cofounder and owner of Beacon Hill Nannies Inc., of Newton. "So, they are drawn to becoming what's now a respected child-care professional, or nanny-governess." Still, a continuing challenge is separating the most qualified nannies from those who are not. And this can only be done through extensive background checks, said Robinson. "Some [nannies] look good on paper," but then prove to be otherwise, she said. Beacon Hill Nannies charges families a placement fee of $3,500. Nannies are competing against au pairs, young women from abroad who are participating in a structured program overseen by the US State Department. And their numbers are growing, too -from 11,171 in 2003 to 15,297 in 2004. The State Department does not break out the number of au pairs by state. Au pairs, who live with families and who are between 18 and to 26 years old, are paid $139.05 a week, according to the State Department, and work no longer than 45 hours a week. Today, "some families don't care whether it's an au pair or nanny who can help them maintain a hectic [child-care] schedule," said Ronna S. Cohen, a work-life consultant in Framingham. Generally, though, "nannies have more education, training, and experience," Cohen added. Epstein and Robinson said most of the nannies they deal with have college degrees. "Sixty percent of the nannies we work with have come out of college well schooled in disciplines such as elementary education and child psychology," Robinson added. When Donna Kouyoumjian was looking for someone to help care for her 2-year-old twin boys, she set her sights on a nanny rather than an au pair. "Au pairs are typically young people who come here for the American experience," said Kouyoumjian, 48. "I didn't want somebody living with us because we didn't need another responsibility. A nanny comes, does her work, and leaves." Last month, Kouyoumjian hired Stephanie McMaster, 23, of Cambridge. McMaster, an Emerson College graduate, is paid $13 an hour and is given a stipend to cover half of her health insurance costs, said Kouyoumjian. "She's mature and engages the boys," Kouyoumjian said of McMaster's work in caring for her sons, Alexander and Richard. McMaster, who has been a nanny for six years, said she's equally pleased with her new assignment. "I've preferred caring for young kids since I became a nanny as a college freshman," she said. "This is a life's work for me" From her research, many nannies do indeed look on their work "as a career," said Robin Welch, 38, of Newton, who hired Michaela Galvin, 22, of Andover last October. Galvin was referred by Epstein's firm. Although she pored over several resumes, Welch said the decision to retain Galvin came down to "chemistry. That's how you can know a nanny who's right for you." Galvin works four days a week caring for 8-month-old Sammy. Welch said that Galvin is paid between $12 and to $16 per hour and receives some money for her health insurance. "She's become part of the family," Welch said of Galvin, "and pitches in by taking Sammy to the library and, of course, taking care of his every need." She had once considered a day-care center for her son, Welch said, but "we then decided that having someone in the home would give us more flexibility and keep things simple for Sammy, who now has the best of both worlds - us and the nanny." -------
	The Wall Street Journal – Online 15 April 2004 Caring for Older Children Challenges Working Parents By Jeffrey Zaslow As a nanny for five families over the years, Barbara Clark knows the challenges of communicating with children. People assume, she says, that it's toughest to talk to kids under age two because they're barely verbal. "But they communicate in so many other ways. They give you hugs. There's eye contact. They're learning to talk, and you're helping them." Teens and preteens, on the other hand, can be stone walls. They'll say nothing. They'll snarl or pout. Ms. Clark briefly cared for two girls in their early teens. "They wouldn't let me in," she says. "Kids have a totem pole of people who are important to them. I was way at the bottom." More working parents, aware of the dangers of having latchkey teens, are desperate to hire an adult presence for their homes. And they're increasingly turning to a group that typically watches over much younger kids -- nannies. Accustomed to changing diapers and reading bedtime stories, these nannies now suddenly find themselves policing drug use and sexual habits. This trend is helping to fuel the current nanny boom -- there are about 900 nanny agencies today, compared with 45 in 1987. But there's an open secret among the country's swelling nanny population: Few of them have any interest in looking after your teenagers. "Ninety percent of my nannies don't want teens," says Marsha Epstein, director of American Nanny Co. in Newton, Mass. Ms. Epstein tells the nannies right at the outset that the teens don't want them around either. Eric Phillips-Horst, now a student at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y., had six nannies during his childhood. "I had terrible screaming matches with all of them," he says. "I'd say, 'Why the hell should I listen to you? You're the nanny.' " He resented the nanny who roused him from bed and drove him to high school, chatting about her own life. Unlike babies, who love their sitters unconditionally, teens are judgmental. Many teens today will tolerate babysitters only if they're "very, very hip," says Ms. Epstein. "If nannies are too fat or dress garishly when they pick kids up at school, the kids' friends make fun of them. Nannies have to pass the carpool test." Despite such challenges, some nannies and teens form deep bonds. Success is rooted in the hiring process, and in the expectations of the parents, teens and nannies. For starters, parents need an honest job description. Are you looking for a carpool driver, a homework nag, a household manager, a pal, a cop? You also want a nanny who's aware of teen culture, and whose interests -- sports, computers, music -- match your teens' interests. Intellect is crucial, too. A baby's nanny needs to be more loving than book smart. But a teen's nanny ought to be engaging and worldly, especially if you need her to match wits with a duplicitous or mannerless Merit Scholar. But be prepared to pay a premium. Nationally, nannies average $590 a week ($532 if they live in), according to the International Nanny Association. For college-educated nannies equipped to care for teens, expect to pay 20% to 60% more. Some qualified nannies see it as battle pay. In Texas, a 12-year-old brandished a butcher knife at his nanny and said, "I could kill you and no one would know." His parents said he was teasing, but the nanny quit. One nanny told me that she caught a 15-year-old boy visiting pornographic Web sites. Though she risked his ire, she made the hard decision to tell his mom. In nanny support groups, nannies discuss such "gray areas" of dealing with teens, says Sue Downey, a nanny and co-founder of the 55-member Philly Nannies. "We know Sesame Street is appropriate for a two-year-old, but is Britney Spears OK for a 12-year-old?" Discipline is also a hot topic in these support groups; unlike a toddler, teens won't stand for a time-out, and you can't stop them from walking out the door. Nannies also share issues that upset them. Parents, worried about having overweight teens, often say they want "athletic" nannies who can be good role models. But nanny agencies concede this is code for "obese need not apply." A sitter should be a parent's eyes and ears, but nannies complain that many parents hand over keys to the BMW "Nannymobile" and abdicate their responsibilities. Some parents even have corporate assistants select their kids' nannies. Pat Cascio, who runs Morningside Nannies in Houston, says one client with teens has been through nine nannies, and the parents didn't interview any of them. Conscientious parents, of course, recognize the magnitude of the nanny-selection process. Bloomingdale's executive Pat Chadwick lost her husband to cancer five years ago, and has since married a widower. Between them they have four children, age 10 to 19. Ms. Chadwick sought a nanny who'd be sensitive to the blended family's history. Several declined the job, put off by the kids' ages and the tragedies they shared. Ms. Chadwick hired Heidi Ullmann, who recognized that this was a house with four vital parents, though two existed only in pictures and family conversations. Ms. Ullmann, 25, sees herself as a big sister, available if the kids need to talk. She's careful not to position herself as a replacement for the parents who died, or for the parents working long hours. Pat Cascio tells of one nanny who cared for a boy from the time he was 12. When he left for college, he penned the nanny a letter of recommendation. "She's the one I went to for everything -- my homework, my love life, my aches and pains," he wrote. "She got me through high school." [back to the TOP]
	MORNINGSIDE NANNIES OWNER, PAT CASCIO, QUOTED - WALL STREET JOURNAL ON-LINE ARTICLE.  HERE ARE A FEW EXCERPTS FROM THE ARTICLE: How to Find the Right Nanny The Tough Job of Hiring a Good Caregiver Reported by Terri Cullen July 27, 2006 “Hiring an in-home employee can be one of the most-difficult and worrisome financial decisions parents can make. Aside from figuring out how to manage payroll, state and local , insurance and paperwork, you're also dealing with having a stranger living in your home.” “Find nanny salary and perks in your region here. Some parents also offer additional benefits, such as transportation and health-care insurance. (That doesn't include taxes, insurance and other costs you may incur…)” Patricia Cascio, president of the INA, says many people wind up feeling uncomfortable with a new adult in their home -- that's why the turnover rates for live-in nannies are extremely high. ‘The likelihood of getting on each other's nerves is enormous,’ she says. There also are far more live-out nannies (available) than live-ins, which makes it more difficult to find an experienced live-in nanny. ‘Unless you're a couple with crazy work schedules, like a doctor's, I would recommend looking for a live-out person,’ Ms. Cascio says. “Once you've decided the live-in/live-out question, you need to figure out how many hours you expect your nanny to work. Is it a 40-hour work-week, or do you need more flexibility? Do you expect the nanny to handle such things as night feedings or weekend babysitting? What additional duties do you expect the nanny to perform? (Will she be cooking for the family, doing laundry, or running errands?) Is travel involved?”  “Have a list of questions prepared in advance that will give you some insight into the candidate's approach to childcare. Explain your needs and expectations, and share your own thoughts on how you expect your children to be treated. To ensure a good fit, it's important that the nanny feel as comfortable with you and your family as you do with the nanny.” “Once you've whittled your list of candidates down to two or three, it's time for the second set of interviews. Introduce your children to the candidates, and discuss specifics on what would be expected of the nanny during work hours” “Next comes the background check. Placement agencies typically handle the background check for you…” “If you're happy with the results and are ready to hire a nanny, set up a third interview to review your work agreement, make any changes that are mutually agreeable, and then make your offer. Afterward, sign your agreement and provide the nanny with a copy. (If you hired your nanny through a placement agency, Ms. Cascio says you'll be charged a placement fee, typically 10% of the nanny's annual salary, or a flat fee…” “Now that your recruiting job is done, time to focus on your new positions as payroll manager and employee-benefits director. The law treats any household employer as a small business, so you're required to withhold taxes from your employee, including Social Security, Medicare and unemployment taxes -- collectively known as the infamous "nanny tax." For 2006, employers who pay a household worker $1,500 or more generally are required to file and pay taxes, up from $1,400 last year. “Depending on where you live, you also may be required to contribute to a state unemployment insurance and disability fund, and a workforce-training fund, according to Tom Breedlove, partner at Breedlove and Associates, an Austin, Texas, company that handles paperwork-filing services for clients with household workers. (Breedlove's site has a calculator that can help you figure out how much you'll pay.) To pay these taxes, you'll need to file IRS Form SS-4 to get an employer identification number. In addition to withholding and paying taxes for your employee, you'll need to file IRS Schedule H and provide your nanny with a W-2 each year.” “…if the idea of all that paperwork is too much, companies such as Breedlove, GTM Household Employment in Clifton Park, N.Y., and HomeWork Solutions of Sterling, Va., will do the work for you….” “…there are plenty of good reasons to put your employee on the books: In addition to risking an  audit, you may lose valuable child-care tax credits and the ability to pay for care with pre-tax dollars using a tax-advantaged dependent-care savings account.” “Finally, call your homeowners-insurance provider. Depending on your state, and your work arrangement, you may need to buy additional coverage to protect you in the event your nanny is injured in your home or sues you.” [back to the TOP]

 

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