How does unpaid labor figure into HHI?

[Anonymous]

I have been reading some of the threads below, and see some people saying that they spend $20k-40k of after tax dollars on daycare for two children. And that this cost can make what appears to be a fairly high income ($150k) disappear very quickly.
The general response is that it doesn’t matter what you spend your income on, only that you have it.
But shouldn’t it? If someone in the home is doing $20k-$40k of unpaid, untaxed labor for the family, shouldn’t that count when figuring out the HHI?
Arguably, SAHP childcare is more like nanny care, which is considerably more expensive, but that’s hard to argue when someone is caring for their own child. Certainly, every parent is caring for their children some of the time, and we don’t count it as nanny care or babysitter care.
But if one person is providing full time childcare, shouldn’t that count for some dollar amount?

[Anonymous]

Lol

[Anonymous]

WHAT? Money is money.

[Anonymous]

You’re going to loose the fight you’re having with your spouse if you use this logic.

[Anonymous]

It should and that is part of the reason the tax laws were written to provide a bit of a benefit to households where one partner cares for the kids and home full time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re going to loose the fight you’re having with your spouse if you use this logic.

No fight. We both agree that daycare is expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It should and that is part of the reason the tax laws were written to provide a bit of a benefit to households where one partner cares for the kids and home full time.

Op here, and I am saying the flip. Shouldn’t some taxes be paid on this labor? It is being done solely to benefit the household, and the value is tens of thousands of dollars. How can you say this is not part of the household income?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should and that is part of the reason the tax laws were written to provide a bit of a benefit to households where one partner cares for the kids and home full time.

Op here, and I am saying the flip. Shouldn’t some taxes be paid on this labor? It is being done solely to benefit the household, and the value is tens of thousands of dollars. How can you say this is not part of the household income?

. How do you tax someone who earns $0?

[Anonymous]

lol

this isn’t going to happen no matter how much you hate SAHMs....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should and that is part of the reason the tax laws were written to provide a bit of a benefit to households where one partner cares for the kids and home full time.

Op here, and I am saying the flip. Shouldn’t some taxes be paid on this labor? It is being done solely to benefit the household, and the value is tens of thousands of dollars. How can you say this is not part of the household income?

Because it's not income!! It's labor surely. When you apply for a mortgage you may qualify for more worth he same hhi with a SAHP since you won't have the daycare expenses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should and that is part of the reason the tax laws were written to provide a bit of a benefit to households where one partner cares for the kids and home full time.

Op here, and I am saying the flip. Shouldn’t some taxes be paid on this labor? It is being done solely to benefit the household, and the value is tens of thousands of dollars. How can you say this is not part of the household income?

The tax comes in the form of your husband leaving you for a younger woman when you hit 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: lol

this isn’t going to happen no matter how much you hate SAHMs....

I am not running for office on this platform. It’s just a thought experiment.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Really, I am just annoyed when people on this forum dismiss childcare expenses when talking about HHI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should and that is part of the reason the tax laws were written to provide a bit of a benefit to households where one partner cares for the kids and home full time.

Op here, and I am saying the flip. Shouldn’t some taxes be paid on this labor? It is being done solely to benefit the household, and the value is tens of thousands of dollars. How can you say this is not part of the household income?

Why would you pay taxes in no money? Where would you get the money to pay the taxes? This is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should and that is part of the reason the tax laws were written to provide a bit of a benefit to households where one partner cares for the kids and home full time.

Op here, and I am saying the flip. Shouldn’t some taxes be paid on this labor? It is being done solely to benefit the household, and the value is tens of thousands of dollars. How can you say this is not part of the household income?

So I think the tax law is unfair to working women IMO.
For those who do it themselves, it’s imputed income - and idk how it you tax that. If I were to look at it, I think I would make all childcare money able to paid using pre tax dollars.