Babysitter Tax Calculator 2026
Estimate self-employment tax, federal income tax, take-home pay, and quarterly payment deadlines. Built for US babysitters and nannies.
Are you a household employee?
You are a household employee — not self-employed — if a family controls not just what you do but how you do it: fixed weekly schedule, set daily hours, one family's home only.
If you earn $2,700 or more from one family in 2026, they must withhold Social Security & Medicare taxes (FICA) and issue you a W-2 by January 31.
Most occasional babysitters are self-employed. Use the Self-Employed tab above.
Babysitter taxes explained
Whether you babysit once a week or full-time, here's everything you need to know.
2026 Quarterly Tax Due Dates
Miss a quarterly deadline and the IRS charges an underpayment penalty. Add these to your calendar.
How to pay your babysitter legally
The right payment method depends on how often the sitter works and how much they earn from your household.
The $2,700 nanny tax threshold
If you pay a babysitter or nanny $2,700 or more from your household in 2026, you become their employer for tax purposes. This triggers what's commonly called the "nanny tax."
As the employer, you must:
- ✦ Withhold 7.65% FICA from their pay
- ✦ Match their 7.65% FICA as employer
- ✦ Issue a W-2 by January 31
- ✦ Pay federal and state unemployment tax
Threshold set by IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-28. Applies to household employees only — not self-employed babysitters who set their own schedule.