Annualized wages
$58,240
Auto-calculated from your pay basis and weekly schedule.
Free household employer tool
Free Nanny Tax Calculator
A nanny tax calculator estimates the payroll taxes a household employer may owe when paying a nanny, caregiver, or other domestic employee. This free household employer tax calculator annualizes wages, estimates payroll taxes, and shows the monthly cost of employing a caregiver.
Use it to estimate nanny payroll taxes, household employer tax costs, and optional employee withholding with real-time browser-side calculations. No sign-in and no server requests.
Employer taxes
$4,933
Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, and SUTA.
Monthly employer cost
$5,264
Gross wages plus employer taxes, spread over 12 months.
Effective hourly cost
$30.37
All-in employer cost divided by estimated annual hours.
Build your household payroll estimate
Enter your wage assumptions, choose the tax year, and adjust unemployment inputs if your state or household employer notice uses a different rate.
Employer tax breakdown
Social Security
6.20%6.2% applies to both employer and employee wages up to the $184,500 wage base.
Taxable wages: $58,240
- Employer
- $3,610.88
Medicare
1.45%1.45% applies to both employer and employee wages in this planning model.
Taxable wages: $58,240
- Employer
- $844.48
FUTA
0.60%This assumes the standard 5.4% FUTA credit, which makes the effective federal unemployment rate 0.6%.
Taxable wages: $7,000
- Employer
- $42.00
New York SUTA
3.40%Default state unemployment assumptions are editable so you can replace the baseline with your actual household employer rate notice.
Taxable wages: $12,800
- Employer
- $435.20
Employee withholding estimate
Employee Social Security
6.20%This mirrors the employer Social Security estimate when the household FICA threshold is met.
Taxable wages: $58,240
- Employee
- $3,610.88
Employee Medicare
1.45%This mirrors the employer Medicare estimate in the simplified household payroll model.
Taxable wages: $58,240
- Employee
- $844.48
Estimated federal income tax
Estimator offOptional estimate using the standard deduction and single-filer tax brackets. Actual withholding depends on Form W-4, pay-period tables, and any extra withholding elections.
Taxable wages: $42,140
- Employee
- $0.00
How to calculate nanny taxes
Use these steps when you want a quick household employer tax estimate before setting up payroll or talking with your provider.
Step 1
Choose a pay basis and enter gross pay
Pick hourly, weekly, or monthly gross pay, then add the amount you expect to pay your nanny or caregiver.
Step 2
Add schedule and payroll details
Set hours per week, pay frequency, and tax year so the calculator can annualize wages and show monthly and per-pay costs.
Step 3
Confirm the work state and unemployment assumptions
Choose the state where the work happens, then override SUTA rate or wage base if you already have a household employer notice.
Step 4
Review employer taxes and optional withholdings
See Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, SUTA, total employer cost, and optional employee withholding estimates in one view.
Household employee notes and authoritative sources
This calculator is a planning tool, not a payroll filing system. It applies the selected year's household FICA threshold, the common FUTA quarter test, baseline SUTA assumptions, and an optional federal estimator using single-filer brackets.
Actual household employer obligations can change based on the employee's Form W-4, state new-employer rate notices, local payroll taxes, paid leave programs, and any FUTA credit reduction applicable to the work state.
Review the IRS household employer rules before relying on any estimate for payroll filings or year-end tax reporting.
FAQ
Quick answers about nanny payroll taxes, household employer rules, and what this calculator does.
What does a nanny tax calculator include?
A nanny tax calculator typically includes employer and employee Social Security and Medicare, federal unemployment tax, and a state unemployment estimate based on where the work is performed.
Who pays nanny payroll taxes?
Household employers generally pay the employer share of Social Security and Medicare, FUTA, and state unemployment taxes. The nanny or caregiver typically has employee Social Security and Medicare withheld from wages.
When do household employer taxes usually start applying?
Household employment taxes are generally triggered once wages cross annual or quarterly IRS thresholds. This calculator uses the selected tax year to apply the household FICA threshold and the common FUTA quarter test as planning assumptions.
Why is state unemployment customizable?
State unemployment tax is not one flat national rate. The wage base and assigned employer rate vary by state and often by employer history, so this tool lets you override the defaults for a more realistic household employer tax estimate.
Does this tool calculate federal or state income tax withholding?
It includes an optional simple federal withholding estimate using the standard deduction and single-filer tax brackets, but it does not replace Form W-4 instructions, local payroll rules, or a formal payroll provider setup.
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