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The top reason to form an LLC for a babysitting business is to gain access to the personal asset protection provided by this business structure. Whether you babysit for a couple of families in your neighborhood or you have a more comprehensive childcare business, you need the limited liability protections that an LLC can provide.
As an example, let’s say that a child in your care injures themselves while you’re babysitting them. If you operate your business as a sole proprietorship or general partnership, your personal assets — like your house, car, personal bank accounts, etc. — would be at risk if that child’s parents decide to sue you.
On the other hand, if you form an LLC for your babysitting business, and you operate and maintain that LLC in a compliant fashion, the scope of your customer’s lawsuit will be limited to your business assets. In other words, your personal assets will be protected by the business structure you’ve chosen.
However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the advantages of the LLC for a babysitter. Another important aspect is taxation. The LLC actually provides its owners with a selection of options regarding how they want the business to be taxed, which can save you a considerable amount of money compared to simply operating as an informal business entity.
Your babysitting LLC can be taxed as a sole proprietorship (for single-member LLCs) or general partnership (for multi-member LLCs), which is the default option. With this tax structure, your business itself does not pay taxes, but rather the profits are passed through the business entity and you pay taxes on that money when you file your own personal taxes.
You can also choose for your babysitting service to be taxed as a C corporation, although this option isn’t very popular because it subjects your business to what’s known as double taxation — meaning that your profits are taxed first on the corporate level and again on the personal level when they’re distributed to you.
The other option is S corporation taxation. There are quite a few limitations to electing S corp taxation, but most babysitters have no trouble meeting these requirements — your business cannot have more than 100 owners, they all must be either residents or citizens of the United States, etc.
In theory, S corp taxation can help your babysitting business save money by reducing your self-employment tax burden. Instead of paying self-employment taxes (a 15.3% tax that includes the employer and employee portions of Medicare and Social Security) on all of your business income, you can pay yourself a reasonable salary for your role and only pay self-employment tax on that portion of your income, while you can reinvest the rest of it into your business without paying this tax.
The problem with electing S corp taxation for babysitters is that you simply don’t have many business expenses to invest that extra money into. Therefore, the IRS might (rightfully) have some questions if it sees you leaving lots of money in your business structure.
Finally, an LLC structure can enhance the credibility of your babysitting business venture. Informal business entities don’t have exclusive assumed business names and typically operate under the personal name(s) of their owner(s). For instance, if your name is Johnny Smith and you operate a sole proprietorship for your babysitting service, your company’s name is also “Johnny Smith.”
In this scenario, you could register a DBA (doing business as) name to give your business the ability to operate under an assumed business name, but DBAs have no exclusivity regarding their naming rights in many states. This means that if another babysitter wants to use your DBA name as their own, they’re not only allowed to do so, but they can actually register a formal business entity with that name, preventing you from continuing to use your own assumed name.
With an LLC, you not only have the rights to exclusive use of a business name, but you will also have either the phrase “limited liability company” or the letters “LLC” in that business name. This provides your business with a jolt of respectability because customers respect the professionalism displayed by an LLC. Also, they typically feel more comfortable writing checks to a business entity rather than to an individual.
Whether or not this enhanced credibility matters to you depends on the scope and scale of your babysitting business. If you just provide casual childcare services for a family down the street, you probably couldn’t care less about the credibility of your business. However, if you’re trying to attract more customers, they might be impressed by your professionalism.
For more information on what an LLC is, see our LLC definition page.
The formation process for LLCs varies depending on which state you’re forming one in, but in general, the process has some universal steps that need to be taken no matter what state your business is located in. If you want a comprehensive overview of all the steps required to form an LLC, check out our complete LLC guide on the topic.
Coming up with the perfect name for your new LLC is an important step. You’ll need to choose a name that represents your company and describes what you do, and you’ll also have to make sure it isn’t already in use by checking your state’s business database.
Your LLC’s registered agent (which can be an individual or a professional service) is responsible for receiving important document deliveries from the state — like service of process, annual report reminders, etc. — and forwarding them to you. The registered agent ensures that the state always has a reliable point of contact for your business.
The form used to create an LLC is usually called the Articles of Organization, although the name can vary (some states call it the Certificate of Formation or something similar). You’ll need to provide the state with some basic information about your business and its owners. In exchange, the state will formally create your LLC.
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax ID number that essentially functions as a Social Security number for a business. The EIN allows your business to hire employees, pay taxes, apply for bank loans, and more. You can easily obtain an EIN from the Internal Revenue Service free of charge.
Most states don’t require operating agreements but every LLC should have one regardless. This is an internal document that outlines several key operational aspects of your LLC. The value of the operating agreement is how it can help prevent ownership disputes down the line by clearly explaining how the LLC will be run.
You will need a business bank account for your LLC, and you’ll probably want a business credit card for work-related expenses as well. It’s also a good idea to use accounting software like QuickBooks or even hire an accountant to handle your bookkeeping for you.
Depending on your state, you may need a general business license to operate your LLC in compliance with state requirements. There are no official government licenses or permits for babysitters in most locations, but you might want to take a certification course regardless. Don’t forget to check with your state to see if there are franchise or privilege taxes assessed on LLCs, and also see if your municipal and/or county government entities have any further licensing requirements.
Again, these requirements can vary by state, but most states require some sort of regular report to ensure that your LLC’s info is up-to-date in the state’s business database. Some states require reports each year, while others only require them biannually or not at all. No matter what your state requires, you’ll need to stay on top of it to keep your LLC in good standing.
This list of the top ten resources for babysitters was compiled back in 2011, but all of the information in it remains highly relevant today. Find a Babysitter provides links to articles about the business side of babysitting, where you can sign up for training courses, as well as find blogs, general tips and tricks, and much more.
If you scroll down past the resources for parents, you’ll find a great selection of tools for babysitters on UrbanSitter’s blog. They provide some resources to help you use their own service — which pairs parents with reputable childcare providers — and they also have 13 links to various articles about everything from games and activities to how to deal with misbehaving children.
KidSit has an awesome printable resource guide for babysitters that provides ways for you to easily gather information from new customers. They have info sheets to get emergency contact info from parents, worksheets for special needs children, checklists for new customer interviews and questions babysitters should ask parents, and much more.
SafeSitter is one of the top online tools for babysitters, and their resource page has tons of great information. Here, you can learn how to handle emergencies, plan activities, provide snacks and meals, and change diapers, among other things. We also recommend SafeSitter’s babysitting courses because they can teach you about many important aspects of the childcare profession.
TipJunkie provides 13 “must-have” tools for babysitters, including kits, how-to guides, tutorials, ideas for games and activities, and instructions for various crafting projects. If you have a problem keeping kids entertained while babysitting them, TipJunkie has the info you need.
What liability risks do babysitters face?
Babysitters are not typically liable for minor injuries that could happen to a child at any time, such as a skinned knee or a bloody nose. However, if a serious injury occurs due to the sitter’s negligence while the babysitter is watching the child, the result could be a hefty lawsuit. In short, you should not operate your babysitting business as an informal business entity.
How much does it cost to form an LLC?
The costs of LLC formation can vary quite a bit depending on which state you’re forming one in. For in-depth information about LLC formation costs in your specific state, take a look at our comprehensive guide to state-by-state expenses.
What Is an LLC?
First off, let’s quickly outline what an LLC is. LLCs are formal legal entities that are typically taxed similarly to sole proprietorships and general partnerships, in that the owners include any company profits or losses into their personal returns — the LLC itself does not owe income taxes. An LLC may also elect to be taxed like a corporation, although this is not a very common option.
There are similarities to corporations too, especially when it comes to financial responsibilities. In an LLC, the owners or members are not usually personally accountable for the financial status of the business (see members definition). This means that if someone sues your LLC, your personal assets are not at risk.
Can I serve as my LLC’s registered agent?
You certainly can! Every state allows entrepreneurs to serve as their own registered agents. However, while the role of the registered agent can seem like that of an unnecessary middleman, there is more complexity to this position than some people realize.
For instance, you would need to be present and available at your business location during all standard business hours. In addition, if you serve as your LLC’s registered agent, you may need to make your home address a matter of public record. Not only does this have privacy concerns, but there’s also the matter of unwanted junk mail as well.
Why should I hire an LLC service when I can form my own LLC?
The DIY route is always an option for LLC formation. However, LLC services are so affordable that there’s really no good reason not to use one these days. In addition, some of these companies often throw in free bonus features that make them an even better bargain.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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