HI,

does anyone know if when you do childcare in your own home, and you give receipts, does it mess up your tax? Meaning will my hubby's tax be different when we declare our tax return next year. What are going rates? Does it differ from province to province? Any advice on subject would be helpful.

If you are running a business (which you are by the sound of it) then consult a real accountant. Yes, your taxes will be more complicated...but there should be lots of deductions available to those in the know.

I used to live with someone who was in that business. She packed it in when it became unlawful to accept money for childcare if you didn't have an ECE. That's a provincial regulation and, like most laws in Ontario, it's widely ignored but you should be careful, people will want to write off their childcare costs and that means you have to declare the income. That, in turn, means that you have to comply with regulation; H&S, public liability, on and on.

You file your own tax return anyway, but if you mean can your hubby deduct the spousal amount for you, no he can't if you do daycare. You can write off a fair bit of the household bills if the daycare kids are able to be in your home any time between say, 6 and 6, plus part of your vehicle costs etc. see below. Local licensing rules apply if you operate over certain numbers, including your own. I think that over two kids plus your own requires licensing in most provinces.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/p134/p134-e.html

http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/paal/comserv/paal055.asp

Costs vary - BC is cheaper than Ontario for example. I pay $750 a month for a baby with a $75 discount factored in due to two other kids using the same daycare. Four year old is $545 a month. Before and after school care is $241 a month. Phone a few local family daycares and a couple of group ones - fib a bit say you have an infant of 10 months, a two year old and four year old going into Kindergarten in September - get the rates for each as each represents a specific charging range <1 = infant (you can only have one baby if you are a family daycare), under 3's, preschoolers = over 3's and School Age Kindergarteners.

Thanks for quick replies. I am ECE trained so no problem there. Think will do as Iaink said and talk to an accountant. Have spoken to H&R block, and they said it won't mess up my hubby's tax returns. I can declare all expenses such as food, and gas and be self employed.
Wondered if rates are different in provinces.

The taxes are easy to do if you read the instructions for daycare businesses carefully - avoid H&R Block, they are utterly useless and have no liability if they give you wrong advice.

Are you thinking of having a change of direction Wendy?

Did the other job not work out? Or did you just fancy a change?

Hope things work out for you.

Again thanks for the great reply. I wasn't going to run a daycare. I work as a preschool teacher in the mornings. (not in my home). I am going to do some childcare for summer, 2 children and my one at home. I don't earn anything in june, july and August as preschool is closed. Then in September i have been asked for afterschool care with upto 4 to 5 children and my son, so would have 5 or 6 kids for about 3 hours. Don't think comes under a business of daycare, or am i wrong? They are all 5 and one 8 years old. Will have a good look at the websites you put up thanks.

Thanks, we found that out about H&R block when we did our first tax return. They messed up twice and still about 2 months on now still have not received our money.

HI,

I have worked as presschool teacher since we arrived, not got into schools, may look at it again this year. Depends if an EPA job comes up in a school in my area. Just want to get a bit more income coming in and afterschool and summer cares seems to be the best way.

Well good luck with that.

Hope you get the money that should be coming your way re your taxes too.

Take Care.

My partner is also an ECE trained, and currently working in Australia. How do you get your qualification recognized in Canada?
Thanks.
didik

Hi didik,

I had to give all my qualifications, certificates and everything i had about work to community services here in NS, then took about 4 weeks for them to tell me that my qualifications were equivalent to ECE here in NS.