How much do you pay your housekeeper?

[ocrenter]

[quote=briansd1]
If it’s tax free, they wouldn’t get Social Security in old age.[/quote]

by the time they are old, there would not be any Social Security.

I’m certainly not planning my retirement with Social Security in mind, I fully expect that to have imploded well before I retire.

[meadandale]

[quote=ocrenter][quote=briansd1]
If it’s tax free, they wouldn’t get Social Security in old age.[/quote]

by the time they are old, there would not be any Social Security.

I’m certainly not planning my retirement with Social Security in mind, I fully expect that to have imploded well before I retire.[/quote]

Similarly, if you hire a maid who sets her own schedule and uses her own supplies, that’s another case of independent contracting. But if you hire a housekeeper who provides cleaning services exclusively for you, using materials you provide at a time and in a manner you determine, says Cindy Hockenberry, enrolled agent and National Association of Tax Professionals Research Coordinator, you are in charge and must pay the taxes.

My housekeepers have always worked for many people and have been the one to determine which day of the week and which time they were available to come clean. They may use specific products that I want them to use for a specific purpose (e.g. use xyz for cleaning my hardwood floors) but other than that it’s pretty much up to them. I have brooms/mops that they can use but they are free to use their own and often do. I want the house clean…I don’t determine the manner in which they accomplish that goal.

[meadandale]

[quote=ocrenter][quote=briansd1]
If it’s tax free, they wouldn’t get Social Security in old age.[/quote]

by the time they are old, there would not be any Social Security.

I’m certainly not planning my retirement with Social Security in mind, I fully expect that to have imploded well before I retire.[/quote]

Similarly, if you hire a maid who sets her own schedule and uses her own supplies, that’s another case of independent contracting. But if you hire a housekeeper who provides cleaning services exclusively for you, using materials you provide at a time and in a manner you determine, says Cindy Hockenberry, enrolled agent and National Association of Tax Professionals Research Coordinator, you are in charge and must pay the taxes.

My housekeepers have always worked for many people and have been the one to determine which day of the week and which time they were available to come clean. They may use specific products that I want them to use for a specific purpose (e.g. use xyz for cleaning my hardwood floors) but other than that it’s pretty much up to them. I have brooms/mops that they can use but they are free to use their own and often do. I want the house clean…I don’t determine the manner in which they accomplish that goal.

[meadandale]

[quote=ocrenter][quote=briansd1]
If it’s tax free, they wouldn’t get Social Security in old age.[/quote]

by the time they are old, there would not be any Social Security.

I’m certainly not planning my retirement with Social Security in mind, I fully expect that to have imploded well before I retire.[/quote]

Similarly, if you hire a maid who sets her own schedule and uses her own supplies, that’s another case of independent contracting. But if you hire a housekeeper who provides cleaning services exclusively for you, using materials you provide at a time and in a manner you determine, says Cindy Hockenberry, enrolled agent and National Association of Tax Professionals Research Coordinator, you are in charge and must pay the taxes.

My housekeepers have always worked for many people and have been the one to determine which day of the week and which time they were available to come clean. They may use specific products that I want them to use for a specific purpose (e.g. use xyz for cleaning my hardwood floors) but other than that it’s pretty much up to them. I have brooms/mops that they can use but they are free to use their own and often do. I want the house clean…I don’t determine the manner in which they accomplish that goal.

[meadandale]

[quote=ocrenter][quote=briansd1]
If it’s tax free, they wouldn’t get Social Security in old age.[/quote]

by the time they are old, there would not be any Social Security.

I’m certainly not planning my retirement with Social Security in mind, I fully expect that to have imploded well before I retire.[/quote]

Similarly, if you hire a maid who sets her own schedule and uses her own supplies, that’s another case of independent contracting. But if you hire a housekeeper who provides cleaning services exclusively for you, using materials you provide at a time and in a manner you determine, says Cindy Hockenberry, enrolled agent and National Association of Tax Professionals Research Coordinator, you are in charge and must pay the taxes.

My housekeepers have always worked for many people and have been the one to determine which day of the week and which time they were available to come clean. They may use specific products that I want them to use for a specific purpose (e.g. use xyz for cleaning my hardwood floors) but other than that it’s pretty much up to them. I have brooms/mops that they can use but they are free to use their own and often do. I want the house clean…I don’t determine the manner in which they accomplish that goal.

[meadandale]

[quote=ocrenter][quote=briansd1]
If it’s tax free, they wouldn’t get Social Security in old age.[/quote]

by the time they are old, there would not be any Social Security.

I’m certainly not planning my retirement with Social Security in mind, I fully expect that to have imploded well before I retire.[/quote]

Similarly, if you hire a maid who sets her own schedule and uses her own supplies, that’s another case of independent contracting. But if you hire a housekeeper who provides cleaning services exclusively for you, using materials you provide at a time and in a manner you determine, says Cindy Hockenberry, enrolled agent and National Association of Tax Professionals Research Coordinator, you are in charge and must pay the taxes.

My housekeepers have always worked for many people and have been the one to determine which day of the week and which time they were available to come clean. They may use specific products that I want them to use for a specific purpose (e.g. use xyz for cleaning my hardwood floors) but other than that it’s pretty much up to them. I have brooms/mops that they can use but they are free to use their own and often do. I want the house clean…I don’t determine the manner in which they accomplish that goal.

[beanmaestro]

We hired cleaners a couple times, but we weren’t really happy with it. Things got broken, moved, etc, and we had trouble getting the tidying done before they arrived.

Now we occasionally hire friends who are in college for $15/hr. It gives us flexibility to help them clean, or tidy room by room ahead of them, and it’s a lot more fun to have a friend around the house than a stranger.

[beanmaestro]

We hired cleaners a couple times, but we weren’t really happy with it. Things got broken, moved, etc, and we had trouble getting the tidying done before they arrived.

Now we occasionally hire friends who are in college for $15/hr. It gives us flexibility to help them clean, or tidy room by room ahead of them, and it’s a lot more fun to have a friend around the house than a stranger.

[beanmaestro]

We hired cleaners a couple times, but we weren’t really happy with it. Things got broken, moved, etc, and we had trouble getting the tidying done before they arrived.

Now we occasionally hire friends who are in college for $15/hr. It gives us flexibility to help them clean, or tidy room by room ahead of them, and it’s a lot more fun to have a friend around the house than a stranger.

[beanmaestro]

We hired cleaners a couple times, but we weren’t really happy with it. Things got broken, moved, etc, and we had trouble getting the tidying done before they arrived.

Now we occasionally hire friends who are in college for $15/hr. It gives us flexibility to help them clean, or tidy room by room ahead of them, and it’s a lot more fun to have a friend around the house than a stranger.

[beanmaestro]

We hired cleaners a couple times, but we weren’t really happy with it. Things got broken, moved, etc, and we had trouble getting the tidying done before they arrived.

Now we occasionally hire friends who are in college for $15/hr. It gives us flexibility to help them clean, or tidy room by room ahead of them, and it’s a lot more fun to have a friend around the house than a stranger.

[sdduuuude]

Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.

[sdduuuude]

Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.

[sdduuuude]

Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.

[sdduuuude]

Great question.
I find it is very hard to find someone who both shows up consistently and can clean properly. Probably cuz I was trying to be cheap on the rate.

I let my wife choose the housecleaner and she took a “whatever it costs” approach and we finally found a pretty good one. So far a “10” on reliability and about a 7.5 on the cleaning.

I once had a “10” cleaner who was about a 4 on reliability. Wow did she know how to clean, if only you knew when she was gonna show up.

Anyway, we pay $80 for the day. One day every two weeks. The day includes two ladies for about 3 hours each. Our house is small – roughly 1750 sq. ft. 6 hours of work goes a long way in a small house.

They use all of our supplies and vacuum. Occasionally they will bring something special if they know they need it and we don’t have it.

We like the “forced tidying” mentioned above. It makes us keep the clutter down, and gives us a good reason to get the kids to do the same.

[Author]

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