Louisiana Nanny Tax Calculator

How does the calculator estimate Louisiana nanny taxes?

It adds up everything you owe as the employer in Louisiana, on top of your nanny's wages.

• Federal FICA: 15.3% combined, split between you and your nanny
• Federal FUTA: 0.6% effective on the first $7,000
• Louisiana SUTA: rates 0.09% - 6.2%
• Louisiana state income tax (when withheld)

Figures are 2026 rates and use the 2026 FICA threshold of $3,000.

Does Louisiana require state income tax withholding from a nanny's paycheck?

Usually not. Louisiana has a state income tax, but withholding it from a household employee is optional unless your nanny asks for it.

• It is usually optional, and your nanny elects it on Louisiana's W-4 equivalent
• If they do elect it, you owe quarterly remittance to the state and an annual reconciliation return that includes the W-2 you issued

What's the minimum hourly rate I can pay a nanny in Louisiana?

At least $7.25 an hour for a nanny in Louisiana.

• Louisiana sets no rate above the federal floor, so the federal minimum is what binds
• Some cities and counties may set a higher floor, so check your locality before you set a rate
• Overtime is 1.5x pay for hours over 40 in a week, under the FLSA
• Live-in nannies are exempt from FLSA overtime, but not from minimum wage

US DOL, State Minimum Wage Laws

Does Louisiana add disability or paid family leave premiums?

No. Louisiana does not require state disability insurance or paid family leave for household employees.

• Your obligations are the federal baseline: FICA, FUTA and Schedule H
• Louisiana state unemployment insurance still applies on the employer side

Why does my Louisiana nanny's net pay differ from the calculator total?

Because they answer different questions. The calculator's employer total is what leaves your account; net pay is what lands in your Louisiana nanny's.

• Federal FICA: 6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare, so 7.65% off the top
• Any federal income tax your nanny chose to have withheld
• Louisiana income tax, if your nanny elected it on the state W-4

Your own share, the employer FICA match plus FUTA and SUTA, sits on top of gross pay rather than coming out of it.