Au Pairs & Host Families Bethesda

Top 5 difference between an Au Pair and a nanny

Posted by: aferreira on March 12, 2012

The Buzz blog is bringing an interesting article about the difference between au pairs and nannies. It is useful and interesting for many families to understand it better.

Here is the link:

http://buzz.culturalcare.com/post/18863974512/top-5-differences-between-an-au-pair-and-a-nanny

And here is the post:

Although many people use the terms au pair and nanny interchangeably, there are important differences between these two types of caregivers.

Here are the top 5 differences between an au pair and a nanny:

1. Au pairs are, by definition, young people from overseas who travel legally to the U.S.to care for children on a cultural exchange visa. Nannies can be anyone employed to care for a child in its own home.
2. Nannies can work part-time, full-time or even overtime. Au pairs working conditions are regulated by the U.S. Department of State, so there are rules that must be followed. An au pair can work up to (but no more than) 45 hours a week, 10 hours per day.
3. Nanny fees vary widely depending on if they are part-time or full-time and where you live. Most resources quote from $400 to $600 per week. Au pairs are paid a set weekly stipend of $195.75, as dictated by the U.S. Department of State. When an agency’s fees are factored in, the total weekly cost is about $350.
4. Some nannies are professionally trained and are in the field as a career. Others become nannies as a temporary way to earn money while they decide on college or other career paths. Au pairs are not professionally trained but many of them have hundreds, even thousands, of hours of experience as babysitters, tutors, kindergarten assistants, camp counselors and sports instructors.
5. Nannies are employees. Au pairs are not considered an employee but rather an extended family member. The term au pair means “on par”.

Tax Tips for 2010

Posted by: aferreira on January 24, 2011

As a participant in the CCAP au pair program,  you may want to   consult with your tax advisor, accountant, insurance advisor and/or an attorney regarding any state or federal rules or regulations that you may be required to comply with when you host an au pair. Unfortunately, Cultural Care is not in a position to provide such advice to our host families due to the variations in the law from state to state and to the individual circumstances of each host family.

If your employer requires taxpayer identification numbers, you should use the following:

• Your au pair’s social security number or ITIN, in reference to payments made directly to your au pair
• Cultural Care Au Pair’s federal tax ID number in reference to program fees paid to Cultural Care Au Pair. Cultural Care Au Pair’s federal tax ID number is 20-2020345

As a general guideline, the following information might be helpful to your professional advisor or might be issues that need to be explored:

• Au pairs are here on a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa. According to the IRS website, au pairs are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes as well as Federal Unemployment Tax.
• Au pairs are required to pay income tax with the exception of Social Security. However, depending on the time of year that the au pair arrives or departs, they may not make the minimum level of income required for taxation in that calendar year.
• The weekly stipend and the fees paid to Cultural Care may qualify as a tax deductible childcare expense.
• The IRS does not require host families to file Schedule H (Form 1040).
• Host families and au pairs may want to inquire about obtaining a social security number for the au pair. In order to qualify for a social security number, the au pair must provide proof of her participation in the au pair program with a letter from Cultural Care. In addition, they will need their passport, I-94 card and DS 2019 form. Please contact us if you need assistance with this.
• We strongly recommend that you inquire with your professional advisor about specific state laws and requirements which may include, but not be limited to workers’ compensation insurance and state unemployment taxes.
• We also suggest that you inquire at the state level as to whether your au pair needs a drivers’ license in your state in addition to a drivers’ license from his/her home country.

Account statement
A statement/receipt of payments made to Cultural Care Au Pair is available in your online account’s Payment Center. Please contact your Program Director if you have any questions about payments made or credits owed.

Flexible Spending Accounts
Many employers offer their employees the benefit of a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), such as a Dependent Care Spending Account. You should determine if the program fees and/or au pair stipend qualify for your employer’s program.

Please note that this is intended to be a guide only and is in no way an exhaustive list of the issues you should explore nor is it intended to be legal or tax advice.

Cultural Care Host Families give their cheerful opnion about us!

Posted by: aferreira on May 20, 2010

We surveyed….host families responded.  98% are happy they chose a Cultural Care Au Pair.  Find out full details at:  http:/www.hostfamilysurvey.com.

Our Host Families Talk…

Many of our families embraced sharing their feedback with us through the Customer Satisfaction survey since it was launched in spring of 2008, and their comments, positive or negative, have helped and will continue to help us shape the future of our program and enhance the experience of our participants. See our detailed survey results.

…We Listen!

In response to the feedback we have received, we have implemented many exciting program changes. We recently launched:

Showcase Sites
In an effort to provide our program participants with the information they are looking for as well as to offer more transparency, we have launched several showcase sites dedicated to specific areas of our program.

3 Ways to Match
In addition to our personalized, exclusive matching option as well as consultative matching appointments with our Placement Managers, Cultural Care Au Pair is now offering our families a third way to match! Our new “Search and Select” method is for parents who prefer to search through available au pair profiles online independently. Learn more about the exciting “Search and Select” feature.

Pay-as-you-go option
Whether you prefer to pay the program fee all at once or as-you-go, Cultural Care Au Pair can accommodate your family’s needs. Now families can choose to pay our $7,095 program fee using our Full Payment Plan or Extended Payment Plan.
Read more…

Many thanks to those host families who responded with such valuable feedback…

Eleven tips for using your insurance

Posted by: aferreira on March 29, 2010

1. Find a Doctor:  Look up an Aetna provider on http://www.aetna.com/docfind/erika - this will save you money if you use a participating provider.

2. Aetna vs. Erika Insurance:  Call the doctor’s office and say you have “Aetna” (not Erika insurance because they will not recognize the Erika name).

3. Insurance Card:  Bring your Insurance Certificate Card with you to the doctor’s office

• ID number:  Give the doctor’s office your CCAP booking   number - this is your insurance ID number (do not give them the policy number 10462 or 11190 as your id number because all au pairs have the same policy number). 
  • Your name:  Provide the doctor’s office with your FULL name (as it appears in your passport or visa) - Including all of your family names.
  • Billing address:  If the doctor does not send Aetna the bill, they will bill YOU instead. Tell your doctor to send bills to:

Aetna Student Health

P.O. Box 15719   

Boston, MA 02215

• Deductibles:  Do not pay the Aetna provider’s office for the visit except for your deductible:  $65 for Basic and $35 for Extended.

4. Call Aetna if the doctor’s office can’t find your name:  Be sure to have the doctor’s office call Aetna at 800-783-7447 to confirm your insurance benefits and coverage dates.  Have them call while you are there in the office so you can have the insurance pay for the visit.  If they cannot reach someone or give you difficulties, be sure to take down the name of the person in the doctor’s office and we can contact them during the next business day. Call Aetna yourself and ask them to contact the doctor’s office on your behalf.

5. If Aetna does not have your name: Call Cultural Care at 800-448-5753 and they will confirm your eligibility with Aetna. All au pairs have insurance coverage while participating on the program, so do not panic! It is usually just a clerical mistake that can be easily fixed.

6. Emergency Room:  Remember that you have an extra Emergency Room deductible if you go to the ER:  $150 for Basic and $50 for Extended, plus your normal deductible of $65 or $35. 

7. Routine Care:  Remember that routine care is NOT covered - if you go for a doctor’s visit because you do not feel well, or something is wrong, remind the doctor’s office that routine visits are not covered and they must send Aetna a bill explaining why you needed treatment.

8. Hospitalizations or Accidents while driving:  Be sure to contact the Assistance Company in the event that you have to go to the hospital or are in an accident with your car.  The Assistance Companies are open 24/7 and the phone numbers are on your insurance card and in the policy booklet. 

9. If you get a bill at home:  if you receive a doctor’s bill at home, please contact the insurance at 800-783-7447 to be sure the insurance has also received the bill to pay it.  Otherwise, the doctor will expect payment from you and you may begin to receive Collection Notices.  To prevent this from happening, contact Aetna immediately after you get a bill.

10. Prescriptions:  If you have a prescription, you must first pay for it and then send in a claim form with the receipt from the pharmacy (both the cash register receipt and the medication information label attached to the prescription.)  You will be reimbursed for all medications except for acne, birth control or medication that you take for a pre-existing condition.

11. Claim Forms: Go to www.erikainsurance.com and you can download claim forms.