Paying other household help
Cooks, personal assistants, gardeners, drivers — if you pay someone directly to work in or around a parent's home, the same household-employment rules usually apply, whatever the job title. Here's the general picture.
The job title doesn't change the rule
Household employment is about the relationship, not the role. If you hire someone directly to do work in or around a home and you control how the work is done, they're generally a household employee — whether they're a cook, a personal assistant, a gardener, or a driver.
People who run their own independent business, offer services to the public, and control their own work are more likely to be contractors. The direct-hire, you-set-the-terms case is the household-employer one.
What usually applies
The same thresholds apply regardless of role: once you pay a household employee about $3,000 or more in a year, FICA generally applies and FUTA may apply above a separate wage amount, plus any state requirements.
If you employ more than one person around the home, each one is generally evaluated on their own — the calculator can help you total it up.
One way to handle all of it
Whoever you employ around a parent's home, the on-the-books steps are the same: correct withholding, pay stubs, and a year-end W-2 and Schedule H. Documented pay also keeps a clean record of money leaving a parent's account, which can matter for Medicaid.
KinPayroll handles any household employee the same way, and lets you manage more than one from a single account.
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Tax and Medicaid outcomes depend on your specific situation and your state's rules — confirm with a qualified tax advisor or elder-law professional before acting.