Caregiver should be employee? How to set this up?

Stuart Dole

My wife is "dancing with Parkinson's", and I've been paying a part-time caregiver to be with my wife and run errands and such. I've just discovered that the caregiver needs to be an employee, not an independent contractor. I've been paying the caregiver for her time on a weekly basis for long time now.

I'd appreciate any advice or pointers on how to set this up (Quicken Home Business), and how far back I need to go, as I try to unwind this. Yes, I anticipate fines and worker's comp and all that.

I also realize this may apply to our housekeeper and gardener. Yikes!

Many thanks...

Rocket J Squirrel

It's been over a decade since I had a household employee, but I remember the pain involved, especially with the state of New Jersey.

I also don't have Home & Business, so all I can see in Premier are two Tax Line Items for Schedule H. You might need to create categories for wages & withholdings and link them to these TLIs. There might be more related items in H&B, you'll have to look.

With any luck, your housekeeper & gardener are self-employed and don't need to be employees.