As summer approaches, your kids might be itching for some seasonal gigs to spice up their break and pocket some cash before hitting the books again in the fall. As a small-business owner, you can also benefit as hiring your children over the summer could offer tax advantages to you and other additional perks.
You might be able to reduce your tax burden by shifting income to tax-free or low-tax brackets and potentially save on payroll taxes, all while enjoying quality time with your kids. Keep reading to learn how your business and your children can benefit from working with you this summer.
1. We all love potential tax savings, particularly when it helps our children!
Do you occasionally have your teenage children or grandchildren helping you at the office on weekends, after school, or during their summer break? If so, you may want to consider putting them on your payroll. By bringing your child on board, you’ll snag a business tax deduction for their wages, which could slash your federal income tax, potentially ease your self-employment tax burden, and even trim down your state income tax bill if applicable.
If your kids are looking to do some work and earn a little extra dough, why not hire them?
Consider this scenario: With a federal tax rate of 25% and a state tax rate of 7% (totaling 32%), hiring your child or grandchild can yield significant tax advantages if managed correctly. By ensuring they earn within the standard deduction of $14,600 for 2024, they will likely owe no federal income tax and minimal state income tax. Even if they earn more, the federal and state tax rates will be relatively low. In this case, paying your child about $15,000 could potentially save you around $4,672 in income taxes as your business gets to deduct your child’s wages as a business expense.
It’s important to keep in mind that all work and compensation must be appropriate for your child’s age, skills, and the value they bring to the business. More on that aspect below. Having said that, even your young children can work for you!
Pro tip: At Taylor Financial Group, I hired my children from the time they were very young (around 10 years old) to assist around the firm with basic tasks such as filing, cleaning up and assisting with client events. When they got older, I hired them during the summers when they were in college to do more advanced work.
2. Reduced payroll taxes for you
If your business is structured as a sole proprietorship (also referred to as a Schedule C) or if you and your spouse run a partnership (or an LLC taxed as a partnership) and hire your children, you could potentially achieve even greater tax savings. Provided they are under 18 (or under 21 for federal unemployment tax exemption), your child’s earnings may be free from Social Security, Medicare, and federal unemployment taxes.
However, if your business is incorporated or is a partnership with non-parent partners, there’s no exemption from payroll taxes for employing your child. Payments for your child’s services are subject to income tax withholding regardless of their age or your business entity.
Pro tip: Yet another benefit of hiring your children: no payroll taxes!
3. Help your child build their retirement nest egg
By having your children on the payroll, they can contribute to a Roth IRA or even your employer-sponsored retirement plan tax-free. In the 2024 tax year, the maximum contribution for a working child to either type of IRA is capped at the lesser of their earned income or $7,000. Furthermore, these funds can be accessed penalty-free for specific purposes, such as education expenses or a down payment on a first home.
When my children worked for me, I encouraged them to always put their monies directly into a Roth IRA and start saving for retirement early!
Additionally, if your business offers a retirement plan, your child may be eligible to begin accruing retirement benefits depending on the plan’s terms. These benefits have the potential to grow significantly over several decades.
Pro tip: We encouraged our children to contribute to our Roth 401(k) plan for many years, and now all three children have significantly large Roth 401(k) balances that can serve many uses to them, but hopefully for retirement.
4. Personal development for your children and succession planning for you
Hiring your kids is an excellent way to impart essential business skills to them. Whether it’s problem-solving, hard work, discipline, financial literacy, goal-setting, or interpersonal skills, real-world experience is invaluable. This can be beneficial for their career prospects in the long run and can foster entrepreneurial instincts. I have seen this with my two children who are NOT in the business—they are entrepreneurial, hard-working, and productive!
However, if your vision is to keep your business in the family for generations, introducing your children to the operations early can lay a foundation for succession planning. It ensures continuity and prepares children to step into leadership roles confidently and with the appropriate experience. My oldest daughter is working with us in the business, and her transition has been natural due to her work experience at the firm on and off for the last 10 years.
Pro tip: Regardless of their long-term goals, your children will benefit from working with you at your office. They will either learn that they don’t want to join you at your firm, or they will learn that it is a possibility. All the while picking up valuable skills along the way.
5. To reap the benefits, be sure to follow the rules
Bringing your child on board can be a savvy tax and planning move on a lot of levels. But remember, your child’s work must be genuine, and their pay must align with what’s reasonable for the tasks performed. Their work must be ordinary and necessary for your business—not personal services, such as babysitting or mowing your lawn at home. In short, their pay must be for services actually performed for your business.
Make sure to maintain thorough records, including timesheets and job details, just like you would for any other employee, to verify their hours and tasks. Additionally, provide your child with a Form W-2 and pay them via check or direct deposit, rather than cash, on a regular basis, to document payments accurately.
Pro tip: In short, treat your children as you would any other employee, particularly when it comes to pay practices.
Overall, there are many benefits that come with employing your children, making it a win-win situation for both your business and family.
So, this summer, if your kids are looking to do some work and earn a little extra dough, why not hire them? It’s an opportunity to enjoy tax advantages, bond with your children, and equip them with valuable skills for the future, all while creating some memorable family moments in the process!