It’s that time of year again….football season! If you don’t have enough tickets to take your children to the game, MBF is here to help you secure childcare! Contact 
Houston Temporary
Nanny
Jenna
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By now, you have probably started to adjust to the shift in routine from summer sleep-ins to back to school busyness! As a mother of 4 (Grace-9, Kaitlyn-5, & twins James and Jordan - 16 mos), I had 3 back to school nights, 2 curriculum nights, 4 extracurricular activities to coordinate, napmats to monogram, lunch boxes and school supplies to purchase, and uniforms to fit. My nanny was and is a critical component to not only making this happen, but appear to happen seamlessly! Make sure to let your nanny know how much you appreciate her this month of September which traditionally includes National Nanny Recognition Week. There are many ways you can let your nanny know what a valuable contribution she is to your family: a special handmade card from the kids, a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant or shop, a spa certificate, time off, a small bonus, treat her to a special meal with the family, or just verbalize words of praise and affirmation. Sincerely Yours,
[ TOP ] Nanny Recognition Week Mom’s Best Friend Acquires We Care Nannies New Temp Nanny Pricing Effective October 1, 2006 [ TOP ] 10/09/06: Columbus Day (school holiday): book your temp nanny early
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[ TOP ] Please remember to refer your friends and associates to MBF! To thank you for your referral, MBF will send you a small token of our appreciation. We greatly appreciate your business and your recommendation! [ TOP ] By Kathy Dupuy, MBF President Q: “I am going on vacation for 2 weeks over Christmas and our nanny is not going with us. Do I still need to pay her during that time?” However, here are a few things you may want to consider: If you have questions you would like to ask Kathy or any of our panel of industry experts, please send them to leslie.chambliss@mbfagency.com. [ TOP ]
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If you were on an airplane in April, you may have seen an article featuring our company. If you missed the issue, click here to read the article and hear the answer to the question “Can one overscheduled, overburdened, toast-burning woman find true happiness in the warm embrace of a can-do personal assistant?” [ TOP ]
Tax Tips from Breedlove & Associates: Ask the Tax Expert By Stephanie Breedlove, founder of Austin-based Breedlove & Associates, Q: What are my financial and legal responsibilities as a household employer? A: If you hire an individual to work in your home (i.e. nanny, nurse, tutor, cook, housekeeper, gardener, personal assistant, etc.), you are considered a household employer. If you pay that person $1,500 or more in a calendar year, you have several tax and legal obligations. First, you must WITHHOLD taxes from your employee’s paycheck each pay period (specifically, Social Security, Medicare and Federal Income Tax). Second, you are required to PAY employer taxes (specifically, the employer match of Social Security & Medicare as well as state and federal unemployment taxes). All totaled, the annual employer taxes are 9-11% of the employee’s gross wages, but the good news is they can be largely offset — sometimes completely offset — by tax breaks. Third, you’re required to report and remit all of the taxes (your employee’s withholdings as well as your employer taxes) to the IRS and the state of Texas each quarter. Fourth, at the end of the year, you’ll need to prepare a Form W-2 for your employee, a Form W-3 for the Social Security Administration and a Schedule H for your personal income tax return. In addition to these financial responsibilities, you are required as an employer to adhere to federal and state labor law regarding issues like minimum wage, overtime, vacation, holidays and sick time. As a partner of MBF, we’re happy to give you a complimentary phone consultation. In about 15 minutes, we’ll walk you through your individual situation, provide legal and budgetary guidance, and help you maximize your tax breaks. While all of this sounds extremely daunting, please know that we can handle all of these obligations for you starting at a little more than a dollar a day. By paying legally, you’ll not only eliminate the risk of a very expensive visit from the tax man, you’ll also provide exceptional benefits for your employee. Founded in 1992 — by household employers for household employers — Breedlove & Associates has served more than 10,000 clients and processed more than $1 billion in household payroll. By focusing on the unique needs of household employers, Breedlove & Associates’ expertise and efficiency has been recognized in The Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s, Business Week and SmartMoney.com. For more information or a free phone consultation compliments of MBF, call 1-888-273-3356 or [ TOP ] Organizing Tips from Living Order: By Lorie Marrero, Chief Executive Organizer of LivingOrder®, Central Texas' leading team of Professional Organizers since 2000, serving both Austin and San Antonio.
Most children in Texas are back in school already, and families are still getting adjusted to their new routines. Here are three designated areas you can set up in your home to help everyone feel more organized and less stressed: The “Destination Station.” Set up your Destination Station at the place where you enter and leave the house. Family members should have a shelf where they can place backpacks, purses, phones, and other items when they walk in the door. Also helpful here are phone chargers, a shelf for errand items such as library books and DVDs, and hooks for keys. This station is where you should place everything in the evening to be ready to leave the next morning. The “Education Station.” Set up this area for doing homework and centralizing school supplies. Make sure you have a pencil sharpener, erasers, paper, and good lighting. It is best if this area is not the kitchen table, since the workspace may interfere with the timing of meals. Having a kitchen timer stored in this area can be really helpful to keep kids on task. You can tell them to focus on their work for 15 minutes and then take a break. The “Donation Station.” Back-to-school time often means buying new school clothes and taking stock of the clothing that may have been outgrown. This time of year is excellent for setting up a permanent area where donations can be gathered before calling for a pickup from your favorite charity. You can use paper sacks, shopping bags, or cardboard boxes to gather your items. Also helpful here is a clipboard, paper, and pen if you choose to make a list of your donated items for tax deduction purposes. We highly recommend saving some money by using www.itsdeductible.com for ascertaining the value of your donated items. LivingOrder provides hands-on services to organize your home and set up systems that you and your household staff can maintain. Give us a call at 512-301-2426 for a free consultation, and visit our website at www.livingorder.com. [ TOP ] Family Events: Fun Fall Outings 
Looking for an exciting outing for your family during the fall? Here are just a few fun fall events in Houston: Pippi Longstocking Opera for Young Audiences: Babes in Toyland Buffalo Bayou Regatta ArBOOretum 2006 The Gingerbread Man Performance The Mayor’s Official Downtown Holiday Celebration [ TOP ] To Unsubscribe from the Client Newsletter or for questions regarding
any of the content, please email Leslie Chambliss.
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