Nanny Associations:

Northwest Nanny Association

International Nanny Association

Nanny Blogs:

Regarding Nannies

All Things Nanny

The Financial Nanny

Tales from the Nannyhood

Networking:

Nanny Island

Please let us know of other places you connect as nannies!  Thank you for all you do everyday!

There are several options in Washington state for achieiving education goals. The first is the STARS program. This program is designed to improve childcare through basic training and continuing education. It is mandatory for anyone working in a licensed facility, but it is also available to nannies as well. They offer several options for completing the basic 20 hour program, including online courses, site-based courses, and self-paced correspondence courses. The fees range from $95-$155, depending upon the course you choose.

The second option is to get an AA or BA in Early Childhood Development from a local community college or university. The Washington State Department of Early Learning offers scholarships, apprenticeship programs, and access to various continuing education opportunities.

There are also many organizations that support nannies and early childhood educators. The Washington Association for the Education of Young Children is dedicated to improving the quality and accessibility of early care and education programs for children birth-eight years old. They have regular classes, workshops, and publications all centered around increasing knowledge. The Northwest Nanny Association is a non-profit nanny support group in your own backyard! Their goal is to promote education in the field of childhood development, social networking, and advocacy for the nanny community. The International Nanny Association is another nanny support group whose goal is to serve the in-home childcare industry by providing education, information, and guidance.

Last, but not least, is networking with other nannies. By forming playgroups and your own nanny support groups you can share information-not only the educational kind, but stories good and bad. Being a nanny is a very rewarding career, but it can also be isolating at times. Getting out and meeting other nannies can help you feel more connected and satisfied in your career.

Health Insurance Premiums Are Considered Non-Taxable Compensation

Because health insurance is critically important, the government uses tax incentives to encourage employers to provide coverage for their employees. Therefore, household employers can provide health insurance premiums and have it be considered non-taxable compensation. This means the entire amount of the premium is tax-free to you and also tax-free to your employee – making it a great way to increase the “take-home” pay for an employee without increasing your out-of-pocket costs.

Insurance Providers

By law, health insurance must be bought through state-licensed providers. Due to the increasing self employment pool in America, more health insurance companies are beginning to offer comprehensive plans for individuals. Because there are still some illegitimate insurance providers in every state, we recommend that you exercise caution and allow ample time to research the various providers in your area. There are also various websites that can be very helpful in comparing plans from different carriers. Here are a few we’ve found.

http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/

http://www.ehealthlink.com/Washington/Default.asp

Coverage Options

Generally, there are four types of health plans (from least expensive to most expensive): (1) Catastrophic Care, which covers hospitalization only; (2) Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), which offer full coverage if you utilize their medical facilities and/or their limited choice of physicians; (3) Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), which offer full coverage through large physician networks; and (4) Indemnity Plans, which allow patients to see any physician at any medical facility – no limitations at all. Within each of these types of plans, there are numerous options on deductibles, co-pay amounts, prescription benefits, emergency care benefits, etc.

Costs

Unfortunately, getting an accurate quote for an individual health plan involves more than a quick phone call. There are many options and each comes with different levels of coverage and costs. In addition, the individual being covered will be a key factor in the cost of the plan; age, weight, health condition/history, lifestyle, where she/he lives, etc. will contribute to an overall health profile and be used to determine the amount of the monthly premium. Because of the customized nature of the process, it takes a little time to obtain accurate price quotes. For general budgeting, however, you can estimate premiums ranging from $200 per month to more than $350 per month.

Information supplied by Breedlove & Associates. Founded in 1992 – by household employers for household employers – Breedlove & Associates is a full-service, full-support tax & payroll service. They have served more than 11,000 clients and processed more than $1 billion in household payroll. For more information regarding employment taxes call 1-888-273-3356 or visit www.breedlove-online.com.