{"id":147,"date":"2024-01-04T17:52:26","date_gmt":"2024-01-04T17:52:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/s37407.p1377.sites.pressdns.com\/homepay\/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-homepay-service\/"},"modified":"2024-01-04T17:52:26","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T17:52:26","slug":"homepay-service-faq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/hp\/homepay-service-faq\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently asked questions about the HomePay service"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At HomePay, we take great pride in handling all of the household employment tax, payroll and HR obligations required of you. Unlike a typical accounting firm or payroll service, household employment is all we do and all we\u2019ve ever done since 1992. To give you a better idea of what it\u2019s like to use our service, read through the answers to the most common questions we get from families:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Select your topic:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Getting set up<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Payroll<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tax filing and remittance<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using your HomePay account<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guidance and support<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting set up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you obtain tax IDs for me?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we work with the state and federal tax agencies on your behalf to get your tax accounts established as a household employer. We also set ourselves up as the mailing address with the state agencies so you don\u2019t have to deal with the stream of alerts and notices throughout the year. We\u2019ll monitor and manage all correspondence for you and advise you as necessary. All you have to do is fill out our Tax Application Packet<\/a> and we’ll handle the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why can\u2019t you use my Social Security number to pay household employment taxes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The IRS and your state require you to register as a household employer and the tax IDs they provide allow them to separate your household employment activity from your personal income tax activity. There would be no way to do this if only your Social Security number was used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you file the state-required New Hire Report for me?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we prepare the report on your behalf for each employee you hire and make sure it\u2019s filed with the state prior to the deadline. You don\u2019t need to do anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you help me obtain a workers\u2019 compensation insurance policy?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes. We’ve partnered with a leading workers’ compensation insurance broker and an A-rated underwriter that can write policies for most families that employ a nanny, senior caregiver or housekeeper. You can obtain a free, instant quote<\/a> and purchase a policy online, or contact our workers\u2019 compensation advisor, Clarke White, at 804-267-1210 or wcnanny@allrisks.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Payroll<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you generate pay stubs for my employee each pay period?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we generate pay stubs each payday. They include line-item details for the current pay period, as well as the year-to-date totals. Your pay stubs will be archived on your online account, so you and your employee have access to historical payroll records anytime they\u2019re needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if the pay needs to change for one specific pay period?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No problem. You\u2019ll be able to change your payroll easily and quickly by logging into your account or by calling us at (888) 273-3356. We have an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly online payroll manager tool that allows you to preview the compensation details for your employee and easily modify the hours or gross wages. If you make a change, a new pay stub instantly appears so you can preview and approve the new payroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I have to remember to go to my online account or call every payday with my payroll information?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No, we send a courtesy email reminder prior to each payroll deadline. The email shows the gross wages and net pay for the pay period. It also provides you with a link to your online account in case you need to make a modification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if I had a payroll change that I forgot to report?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No problem. Just give us a quick call and we\u2019ll correct the payroll for you by reconciling the difference on the next paycheck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I\u2019m only supposed to pay the net amount each pay day, what happens to the taxes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The difference between the gross wages and the net pay are considered the employee\u2019s \u201ctax withholdings.\u201d The tax withholdings remain in your bank account until they are due to the appropriate tax agency. At that time, we remit the taxes along with the appropriate employment tax returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I choose Direct Deposit, how does the money get from my bank account to my employee\u2019s bank account?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We handle the movement of money via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Once we get your bank account and your employee\u2019s bank account set up for Direct Deposit, we initiate a debit transaction from your account three business days prior to payday (the bank clearinghouse process takes three business days). The money is then credited and the funds are available to your employee on payday. Most families and their employees prefer this option because it eliminates writing checks and making trips to the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Tax filing and remittance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Can you show me how much in taxes I can expect HomePay to collect from me for the year?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we have a Tax Calculator<\/a> on our website that will give you this information. Just input the hours your employee will work for you or how much they will earn each pay period, and you can see the corresponding taxes both by pay period and by annual total. You can also see the tax breaks you may be eligible for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you prepare and file my employment tax returns?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we take full responsibility for preparing and filing your household employment tax returns, as well as remitting the tax dollars to each tax agency. We’ll also prepare your Schedule H<\/a> so you can attach it to your personal income tax return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I get to preview the returns before they\u2019re filed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, prior to each state and federal tax return deadline, we\u2019ll prepare your tax returns, post them to your online account and notify you via email. All of your tax returns will be archived in your online account so you can access them any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What taxes are remitted and how do you collect them from me?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since you only pay your employee the net pay amount each pay period, the tax withholdings remain in your bank account. At the end of the tax period, all the taxes you withheld from your employee \u2014 plus your employer taxes \u2014 need to be remitted. We calculate the appropriate amounts that need to go to the federal and state tax agencies and provide you with advanced notice of the amount due and the collection date. All you need to do is make sure your account is adequately funded at least one business day prior to the collection date. We take responsibility for sending the proper amounts to the proper tax agencies by the deadlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Using your HomePay account<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What can I do when I log into my HomePay account?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are too many features available to you to list here, but our clients frequently use their HomePay account to do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n