It's always a better idea to pay legally.

Anonymous wrote:thanks for the responses. it seems as if we will just have to use this person for the random job here and there. this is my first time hiring a nanny, but it seems like most prefer to be paid under the table.

Some prefer to be paid under the table so that they can keep all of what they earn. A good portion also like to be paid legally with taxes taken out so that they can earn social security for later in life, have proof of paying into the system for when they might need unemployment, and to help with other things like proof of income for things like loans in the future. Also, many prefer to keep things legal in general and don't want to have issues with the IRS down the road. Smaller towns and cities tend to have more employers that want to pay under the table and nannies that want it that way as well. Larger cities or metro areas seem to have more employers/employees that want to do things aboveboard.

thanks for the responses. it seems as if we will just have to use this person for the random job here and there. this is my first time hiring a nanny, but it seems like most prefer to be paid under the table.

The pp is correct, BUT if you are looking at being 100% legal with things, then it is not possible because you WOULD be breaking the law by hiring them. This is why I (23:09) did not suggest this to you. If you want to keep things being completely legal this is not the route to go. If you just want to pay taxes on things legally, then you can but a person with no SSN would need a tax payer ID number instead, and they cannot get one of these until AFTER having worked for someone a first time and is then needing to file. Once a person has done this at least once before, then they can always use the same taxpayer ID with a new position and give that to employers right away, but if they have never done it before, then you will be the first family that will have to hire without any kind of number from her to get her started on that path.

Doesn't seem to be what you are looking for in the end when trying to do things legit.

You cannot legally hire this person unless they have a work authorization document they get for OPT or CPT (typically after graduation).

I see all the time people confusing payment issues with immigration issues. For your information, these are UNRELATED. You can report the income, and she can report it and pay taxes on it as well. The IRS does not act as an enforcement agent for USCIS. Yes, if you are ever audited, this information would come up and you may get in trouble for paying someone without work authorization, but if you ask whether it is physically possible, then yes, it is. Before I got my papers, I had all kinds of jobs that I wasn't supposed to have, and my employers always reported my income, and I paid all the taxes on everything and listed it on my tax returns.

In most cases no, though some people have said before that in rare cases a person is allowed to work up to x number of hours in a job field related to the classes they are taking (so nanny work for a ECE student maybe). But in general, I would assume it would not be legal and you would have to pay under the table if over the $1800 (it's not $1700) limit.

Is it possible to hire a nanny who is here in the country on a Student Visa? We need to pay over the table and report everything. I am thinking it is not possible to go beyond the $1700 limit and report with this individual.