compensation for SAHP's, according to

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-01-2003
compensation for SAHP's, according to
982
Mon, 07-03-2006 - 10:00pm

the census bureau, and salary.com.

i found this in the local paper today, and granted, its in the dear abbey section, i found the information she gave was very interesting and pertained to a lot of questions in another thread.

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=79d4660d-963e-4ccf-adbd-9435d20c1a8b

"According to the Census Bureau figures for 2004 — which are the most recent — there are 36.7 million mothers of minor children in the United States. About one-third of them, 10.8 million, are stay-at-home moms.

According to an article penned by Al Neuharth, the founder of USA Today, in its May 11, 2006, edition, “Salary.com compensation experts estimate that stay-at-home moms work an average of 91.6 hours a week.” That's more than double the number of hours the average office worker puts in. He went on to say, “That should be worth $134,121 annually.”

He quoted the compensation analysts as figuring the lowest-paying parts of a mother's job are “housekeeper, laundry machine operator and janitor. Higher-paying categories include computer operator, facilities manager, psychologist and CEO.” With a 91.6-hour work week, 52 weeks a year, it works out to be $28.16 an hour."

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-12-2006
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 1:59pm

"I think we're all very clear on the fact that it doesn't make sense to you."

She shoots, she scores! The crowd goes wild..........

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-26-2006
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:00pm

Right well that makes sense.

I haven't done my taxes myself yet, so i'm not sure how things work, especially down in the states. I was just wondering though, if you put your kids in preschool from 9-12 every day, and then was a child care provider out of your home from 12-4, and you paid tax on the money you earned as a child care provider. Would you have to tell the government what hours you worked? Like "i only work from 12-4 M-F" or would it just be "i work 20 hrs a week."?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-13-2006
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:00pm
totally agreeing. copwife is so concerned about the childcare tax credit, which is really pretty small in the big picture, yet she is receiving way more in services that she is not paying for by virtue of not working and not paying taxes
Jennie
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-13-2006
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:07pm
the tax code is pretty clear about the childcare tax credit being used if you are working, looking for work or are in school - but like alot of the us tax code it depends on the honesty of the people filling out their tax forms or the amount of risk one is willing to take that they will not be audited
Jennie
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-14-2003
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:07pm
you don't have to report how many hours you work or what specific hours you work. the tax forms list the qualifications for any given credit or deduction, and the taxpayer or tax preparer ascertains whether the tax payer qualifies and applies for the credit or deduction if he does, and doesn't if he doesn't.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-23-2003
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:09pm

It is so hard sometimes on this board to tell and it is so easy to get behind.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-26-2006
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:15pm

So then, if the parents work shift work, but the kid still goes to preschool...they could still write it off, even if one of them didn't work during that time...because the government wouldn't know (or possibly care) what hours you were working, just that you were and you were paying income tax...therefore you get the care tax deductions?

Is that about right? So even if parents didn't *need* it...they could still use the preschool/daycare, and it get a deduction.

Which pretty much explains why people who work shift work, or work in the evenings get to deduct child care even if they don't *need* it. right?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:18pm
You can't take the deduction if only one person is working. From the IRS web site "If you paid someone to care for a child or a dependent so you could work or look for work, you may be able to reduce your tax by claiming the Child and Dependent Care Credit on your federal income tax return." So only if you are paying for childcare while working or looking for work.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-23-2003
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:26pm
Or going to school.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-14-2003
Mon, 07-10-2006 - 2:32pm

no. the government cares. the eligibility test specifies that the child care must be concurrent with the custodial parent (in a single-parent household) or both parents actually being engaged in work (or looking for work, or going to school) to qualify for the credit.

the op and some others have claimed that parents can take the credit if they aren't working (or looking for work, or going to school) while the child is in "preschool"/daycare, but they are wrong about that. taking the credit when one or both parents are not working (or looking for work, or going to school) while the child is in "preschool"/daycare is tax fraud.

(edited to add the parentheticals)

Edited 7/10/2006 2:35 pm ET by chimaira




Edited 7/10/2006 2:35 pm ET by chimaira

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