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Hiring a Caregiver: Should You Employ One Yourself or Go Through an Agency?

Most seniors prefer to stay at home as long as possible rather than move into a nursing home. For many families, this means eventually hiring a caregiver to look after an aging relative. There are two main ways to hire someone: directly or through a home health agency.

Hiring directly
When you hire a caregiver directly, you need to consider all the tax and liability issues. As an employer, you are responsible for filing payroll taxes, tax forms, and verifying that the employee can legally work in the United States. If you pay $2,300 or more in wages in 2021 to any one employee, you need to withhold and pay Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you pay more than $1,500 in wages in 2021, you need to pay unemployment taxes. In addition, a private caregiver may not carry his or her own liability insurance or workers’ compensation. If an accident occurs on the job, you could be responsible.

The benefit of hiring a caregiver directly is that you have more control over whom you hire and can choose someone whom you feel is right for your family. Another benefit is that hiring privately is usually cheaper than hiring through a home health agency. For more information from Caring.com on hiring a caregiver directly, click here.

The agency route
When you hire through a home health agency, the agency is the employer, so you don’t need to worry about tax and liability issues. The agency takes care of screening the employees, doing background checks, and providing insurance. In addition, a licensed home care agency must provide ongoing supervision to its employees. It can help the employees deal with difficult family situations or changing needs. The agency may also be able to provide back-up if a regular caregiver is not available.

The downside of going through an agency is not having as much input into the selection of the caregiver. Another consideration is that caregivers may change or alternate, causing a disruption in care and confusion. To find a home health care agency near you, click here.

For assistance in finding the right caregiver for your loved one, contact a certified elder law attorney(*), such as Linda Strohschein and her team at Strohschein Law Group.  To set up an appointment, contact Strohschein Law Group at 630-377-3241.

This information provided by Strohschein Law Group is general in nature and is not intended to be legal advice, nor does it constitute a legal relationship.  Please consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation.

(*) The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and the CELA designation is not a requirement to practice law in Illinois.

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