Tax Information for Au Pairs

Au Pair in America staff are not certified tax advisors, therefore we are not qualified to give you tax advice specific to your situation. We are providing you will the following information and resources to help you. Figuring out if you owe taxes and how to pay them may seem confusing, however, these resources will help make it easier!

The Basics

What Are Taxes? The U.S. government collects a portion of the money you earn in the U.S. This is a tax to support the nation’s services and facilities. In this document it is referred to as federal taxes. Many states collect a portion of the money you earn. This money is to support state or local municipality services and facilities. In this document it is referred to as state taxes.

IRS The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a government agency that is responsible for collecting taxes. This is a federal agency.  Depending on where your host family resided and how much you earned, you may be required to pay state taxes. These taxes would be paid to a tax collector in the state and not the IRS.

Why Do I Have to Pay? It is the law in the U.S. to file a federal tax form if you earned more than the personal exemption amount. For 2016, the personal exemption amount is $4,050. If you earned more than this amount in the calendar year 2016, then you will need to file a tax form and pay a tax on the amount over $4,050 that you earned. In some states it is the law to file a state tax form. Whether you owe state taxes may depend on how much you earned during the calendar year in the state and how much you paid in federal taxes.

Social Security Number You will need a Social Security number to file taxes. If you don’t already have one go to: www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/aupairs.asp for information on how to obtain one

1040NR-EZ Form 1040NR-EZ is a U.S. federal income tax form for non-residents. For most au pairs, this will be the correct form to use.  To access the form and instruction booklet go to: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040nre.pdf

www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040nre.pdf

Note: read the instructions carefully.

When Do I Have to Pay? You need to report what you earned in 2016 by April 18, 2017. If you have already returned home to your country, you are still required to file taxes if you earned more than $4,050 in 2016.

Resources to Help The IRS website has information regarding au pair and taxes. Go to irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/au-pairs.

H&R Block Expat Tax Services will help au pairs, for a service fee, to prepare the federal tax form and any state tax forms that may be required. Go to www.hrblock.com/expat-tax-preparation/au-pair.html for more information, including a Q&A specifically for au pairs. Au Pair in America is not affiliated with and is not responsible for the content on the H&R Block website.

Au Pair in America staff, including local community counselors, are not qualified to provide official federal or state tax information and recommends using the H&R Block Expat Tax Services or another tax professional.

Thanks for all who attended! I hope you enjoyed the laser show!

Education requirements: What every Au Pair needs to know!

Taking An Education Course Is Important!

The education component of the Au Pair program is a requirement of the State Department of the United States. The State department gives authorization for all Au Pair programs to exist. When an Au Pair does not achieve her requirement, this puts all Au Pair agencies at risk. Completing your education hours is an important part of being an Au Pair and is required by your contract with Au Pair In America. Taking a course will provide yet another level of experience during your year and yields many skills that you can use to further your personal goals. You may also make new friends and professional contacts! I hope you enjoy your educational courses. If you need assistance finding a course or have questions, please call or email your counselor.

Some Important Tips:

Any course can be taken as long as it is taught from a college, university or technical college. Only those schools approved by the State department can be accepted. All of the schools listed on your resource page on the Au Pair web-site are accepted http://www.aupairinamerica.com/state/georgia.asp

Your counselor can clarify any questions about a school.
Volunteer hours do not count towards your educational credits
Weekend courses do count, if only one half of the requirement is met through weekend sources. Some places offering weekend courses are not accredited. Ask your counselor before signing up.
The only online course currently being accepted by the State department is the UCLA Au pair advantage online course. NO other on line course can be accepted.
72-80 hours of education is required for standard Au Pairs.
144-160 hours for Educare Au Pairs.
For a second year Au Pair, 36-40 hours is required for a six month extension and 72-80 hours for a nine or twelve month extension.
Credits, hours and CEUs are different. Count the hours you are in a classroom this must be 72 hours.
At the end of your course, send your community counselor your documents showing the name of the school and the hours that you have achieved. Check your certificate. Some certificates do not show the number of hours. If the hours are not present on the certificate, you will need a letter from the school stating how many hours you have achieved. This information is needed by your counselor to insure your certificate is giving to you and to prevent issues with your flight home.
All education must be achieved one month prior to the end of your Au Pair term. Send all certificates or proof of your classes to your community counselor.
Host families reimburse tuition costs and costs of related materials (books and supplies) up to $500 for the first year. EduCare companions are reimbursed up to $1000 for the first year. If it will cost you more than $500 (or $1000 for EduCare) to meet the requirement, you must pay the additional expense, so plan carefully.
Your host family is required to provide transportation, including gasoline, parking, or public transportation costs (if applicable) to and from classes in your community. The cost of transportation is in addition to the $500/$1000 allocated to tuition and related fees. It is your host family’s responsibility to provide transportation or cover the transportation costs until you complete your educational requirement, even if the $500 education allowance has already been spent.
To extend your first Au Pair term, you will need to have proof of 72 hours. Send the documentation to your community counselor as soon as possible. You should plan to have your education requirement finished at the time you request an extension. This happens approximately three months before the end of your first term. Au pair In America requires 72 hours to be able to extend your Au Pair term. Without 72 hours completed one month prior to the end of your term, Au Pair In America will not accept your application to extend and you must go home at the end of your first year.
If you want to extend and have not completed all of the hours, but you do intend to have them finished before one month prior to the end of your first term, you will need to do the following:

1. Register for a class that will complete 72 hours of education one month before the end of your first term.

2. Send the registration confirmation or other documents showing proof of your registration to your community counselor as soon as possible. All proof of education must be given to your counselor before your deadline to extend.

3. At the time that you finish the course, another letter will need to be written by the school stating that you have now completed the course and the number of hours you have earned. This must be completed one month prior to the end of your first year.

Your counselor is the best person to ask questions about your education requirement. Courses and colleges are constantly changing. Your counselor is always researching new and exciting courses that are appropriate for you. If you are aware of a new resource, please let your counselor know!

For more information about your education requirement visit http://www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/education.asp#1

Stone Mountain Laser Light Show 2015

We always have a super time enjoying our annual host family and Au pair picnic and laser light show held at Stone Mountain. Put this year’s event on your calendar!

Hanukkah begins at sundown this Sunday, December 6^th and ends on Monday, December 14^th. 

Hanukkah is the Jewish Feast of Lights or Feast of Dedication. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means dedication. The holiday begins on the eve of the 25th day of the Hebrew Month of Kislev and lasts eight days. Hanukkah usually falls in the month of December, but occasionally can start in November.

The history

The books of the Maccabees tell the story of Hanukkah which occurred in 165 B.C. After three years of struggle, the Jews in Judea defeated the Syrian tyrant Antiochus. The Jewish people held festivities in the Temple of Jerusalem, and rededicated it to God. After removing all Syrian idols from the Temple, the Jews found only one small pot of oil to light their holy lamps. Miraculously, the small pot provided oil for eight days. Judas Maccabaeus, the Jewish leader, then proclaimed a festival to be observed by Jewish people.

Hannukah Traditions

The Menorah

The centerpiece of the Hanukkah celebration is the Hanukkah or menorah, a candelabra that holds nine candles. Eight candles symbolize the number of days that the Temple lantern blazed; the ninth, the shamash, is a helper candle used to light the others. Families light one candle on the first day, two on the second (and so on) after sundown during the eight days of Hanukkah, while reciting prayers and singing songs. The menorah — either store-bought or homemade and crafted of metal, wood, papier mache, or clay — is filled from right to left, but lit left to right so each new candle is lit first.

Singing Songs

Hanukkah — one of the most family-oriented of Jewish holidays — comes with its own set of carols sung around the glowing menorah. These celebrate everything from the glory of God and the ancient Temple of the Jews (“Maoz Tzur”) to the simplicity of a dreidel (see below), as in “Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel/I made it out of clay/And when it’s dry and ready/Dreidel I shall play.”

Yummy Treats

There’s nothing low-fat about Hanukkah – many of the traditional foods of the holiday are deep-fried. In honor of the oil-y miracle people celebrating Hannukah like to eat foods that are fried in oil like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganyot (jelly-filled doughnuts) and different fried breads.  Want to have a go at making something?  There are lots of recipes for yummy treats here: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/454611/jewish/Chanukah-Recipes.htm

Spinning Tops

It’s customary to play with dreidels (spinning tops) during the holiday, even wage gambling games in which players guess which side of the top will fall face up. Legend has it that during the Greek-Syrian dictatorship in Israel of yore, Jews got around the ban on reading the Torah by bringing spinning tops to study sessions so their oppressors would think they were just playing around. The Hebrew characters carved into the four sides of today’s dreidels are the first letters of “Ness Gadol Haya Po/Sham,” which roughly translates to “Great Miracle Happened Here/There” (depending on whether you’re in Israel or not).

For fun and educational activities for children go to http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/hanukkah/

Directions to play the Dreidel game (Play for Hershey kisses, a great way to have fun with the kids):  http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/hanukkah/dreidel-game.html

A very Happy Hanukkah to all!

We had a lot of fun preparing our apple pie and apple crisp desserts! I hope you all will continue to use this recipe and will have fond memories of your “Be thankful for pie cluster meeting!”  

Cranberry Apple Crisp

Apple, cranberries, and a crunchy oat streusel topping make this a comforting fall dessert and Thanksgiving favorite.

Filling:

6-7 Honey Crisp or Gala apples, peeled and sliced.

16 oz can  whole berry cranberry sauce

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all -purpose flour

Topping:

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Vanilla ice cream to serve on top.

Place apples in 9×13 baking dish. Combine cranberry sauce, sugar and flour. Place cranberry mixture over apples. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle topping over. Bake 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees.