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New Member
posted Jun 6, 2019 8:55:51 AM

Misc. income question

My wife is a teacher, last year during the summer, my daughter paid my wife $1800 for day care. (2 children - various times).  What forms do we and my daughter have to file to properly record this?

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1 Best answer
New Member
Jun 6, 2019 8:55:52 AM

Your wife would be an independent contractor providing child care or an employee depending on the situation of who controlled the schedule.

Considering the amount of money was under $2,000 , it really doesn't matter if she was an employee or independent contractor. She did not pay her enough to worry about sending a W-2. See below from the IRS:

If the babysitter is your employee, you must provide a Form W-2 if one of these is true:

  • You paid the employee at least $2,000 in 2017.
  • You paid the employee wages of any amount, and you withheld federal tax.

If you meet one of those rules, you must issue a W2 regardless of the age of the babysitter.

Complete a Form W2 and give copies B, C, and 2 to the employee by Jan. 31, 2018. To file these forms, you’ll need a tax ID. Send the W-2, copy A with the W-3 to the Social Security Administration by the last day of February — or the last day of March if you e-file the W-2.

Because your daughter did not hire your wife in the course of business, your daughter cannot issue 1099.  A 1099 is done when a person in their trade or business pays more than $600 to an independent contractor.

Considering the payment does not fall into either a W2 or 1099, your wife would simply enter the income under "other income" and indicate she did not get a tax form.

Your daughter will list the payment for child care to get the credit, but she will need your wife's social security number since there is no EIN.

3 Replies
New Member
Jun 6, 2019 8:55:52 AM

Your wife would be an independent contractor providing child care or an employee depending on the situation of who controlled the schedule.

Considering the amount of money was under $2,000 , it really doesn't matter if she was an employee or independent contractor. She did not pay her enough to worry about sending a W-2. See below from the IRS:

If the babysitter is your employee, you must provide a Form W-2 if one of these is true:

  • You paid the employee at least $2,000 in 2017.
  • You paid the employee wages of any amount, and you withheld federal tax.

If you meet one of those rules, you must issue a W2 regardless of the age of the babysitter.

Complete a Form W2 and give copies B, C, and 2 to the employee by Jan. 31, 2018. To file these forms, you’ll need a tax ID. Send the W-2, copy A with the W-3 to the Social Security Administration by the last day of February — or the last day of March if you e-file the W-2.

Because your daughter did not hire your wife in the course of business, your daughter cannot issue 1099.  A 1099 is done when a person in their trade or business pays more than $600 to an independent contractor.

Considering the payment does not fall into either a W2 or 1099, your wife would simply enter the income under "other income" and indicate she did not get a tax form.

Your daughter will list the payment for child care to get the credit, but she will need your wife's social security number since there is no EIN.

New Member
Jun 6, 2019 8:55:54 AM

Thank you, was afraid we would have to do something more complicated.

New Member
Jun 6, 2019 8:55:55 AM

You are welcome!