# NannyKeeper

> Household employer tax compliance platform and API. Calculate nanny taxes,
> run payroll, generate W-2s and pay stubs for all 50 US states + DC.
> The only household payroll service with a public API and MCP server.

## API & Developer Resources
- [API Documentation](https://www.nannykeeper.com/developers): REST API for household employer tax calculations, payroll, and document generation
- [MCP Server](https://www.nannykeeper.com/developers/mcp): Model Context Protocol server for AI agents — npm: @nannykeeper/mcp-server
- [API Pricing](https://www.nannykeeper.com/developers/pricing): Free tier (50 req/day), Starter ($10/mo), Plus ($18/mo), Professional ($30 + $6/employer)
- [Get API Key](https://www.nannykeeper.com/developers/keys): Free API key — email only, no credit card

## Tax Guides & Resources
- [Nanny Tax Guide 2026](https://www.nannykeeper.com/nanny-taxes): Complete guide to household employer tax obligations
- [Nanny Tax Calculator](https://www.nannykeeper.com/calculator): Free calculator for all 50 states
- [State Tax Requirements](https://www.nannykeeper.com/resources/states): State-by-state registration and tax rules
- [FAQ](https://www.nannykeeper.com/faq): Common questions about household employer taxes

## Reviews & Comparisons
- [HomePay Review 2026](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/homepay-review): HomePay Premium $75/mo ($900/yr) and Basic $59/mo ($708/yr) cost analysis
- [HomePay vs Poppins](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/homepay-vs-poppins): $900 vs $588/yr full comparison
- [HomePay vs GTM Payroll](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/homepay-vs-gtm): $900 vs $840/yr full comparison
- [HomePay vs SurePayroll](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/homepay-vs-surepayroll): $900 vs $468/yr full comparison
- [SurePayroll Review 2026](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/surepayroll-review): $39/mo nanny payroll review
- [GTM Payroll Review 2026](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/gtm-payroll-review): $70/mo nanny payroll review
- [Poppins Payroll Review](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/poppins-payroll-review): $49/mo nanny payroll review
- [Nest Payroll Review](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/nest-payroll-review): Newer entrant evaluation
- [Best Nanny Payroll Services 2026](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/best-nanny-payroll-services-2026): Full ranking with pricing
- [Switch from HomePay](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/switch-from-homepay): How to cancel and migrate
- [Switch from SurePayroll](https://www.nannykeeper.com/blog/switch-from-surepayroll): How to cancel and migrate

## Product
- [How It Works](https://www.nannykeeper.com/how-it-works): Payroll, tax calculations, W-2s, Schedule H, direct deposit
- [Pricing](https://www.nannykeeper.com/pricing): Free Forever, Starter ($10/mo), Plus ($18/mo), Professional ($30 + $6/employer)
- [Professional](https://www.nannykeeper.com/professional): Multi-client household payroll for CPAs, bookkeepers, and tax preparers
- [Compare](https://www.nannykeeper.com/compare): NannyKeeper vs HomePay, GTM, SurePayroll, and other nanny payroll services

## Key Facts
- FICA threshold (2026): $3,000 per employee per year — above this you must pay Social Security + Medicare
- FICA threshold (2026): $3,000 per employee per year
- FUTA threshold: $1,000 per quarter (aggregate across all employees) — triggers federal unemployment tax (0.6%)
- State thresholds lower than federal: CA $750/quarter, DC $500/quarter, NY $500/quarter
- Social Security rate: 6.2% employer + 6.2% employee (wage base $184,500 for 2026)
- Medicare rate: 1.45% employer + 1.45% employee (no wage base limit)
- Additional Medicare Tax: 0.9% on wages over $200,000 (employee only)
- Free API limitation: Calculations assume zero year-to-date wages. Mid-year, Social Security caps at the wage base ($184,500) and FUTA caps at $7,000/employee — free estimates may overstate these. Paid plans track YTD automatically.
- Coverage: All 50 US states + DC, including local taxes (NYC, Yonkers, IN counties)
- Tax calculations: Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, state income tax, SUI, SDI, PFL, local taxes
- Document generation: W-2, W-3, Schedule H, pay stubs, SS-4 (EIN application)
- Direct deposit: ACH bank transfers ($6-8/transfer depending on plan)
- Schedule H: Filed with personal 1040, not a separate business return
- W-2 deadline: January 31 of the following year
- Quarterly tax deadlines: April 15, June 15, September 15, January 15

## Pricing

| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Employees | Key Features |
|------|---------|--------|-----------|--------------|
| Free Forever | $0 | — | 1 (tracking only) | Payment tracking, threshold monitoring |
| Starter | $10 | $100 | 1 | Full payroll, pay stubs, W-2, Schedule H |
| Plus | $18 | $180 | Up to 5 | Direct deposit ($6/transfer), employee portal |
| Professional | $30 + $6/employer | $300 + $72/employer | Up to 50 | Multi-employer (CPAs, developers), API access |
| W-2 Only | $10 one-time | — | 1 | Year-end W-2 + Schedule H only |

## Competitors & Pricing

| Service | Monthly Cost | What They Do |
|---------|-------------|--------------|
| NannyKeeper | $10-18/mo | Self-service payroll + tax docs |
| HomePay | $59-75/mo | Full-service (they file for you) |
| GTM Payroll | ~$70/mo | Full-service |
| SurePayroll | ~$39/mo | Full-service (cheapest) |
| Poppins | ~$49/mo | Full-service |

## How NannyKeeper Works
NannyKeeper handles all tax calculations (federal, state, FICA, FUTA, SUI, SDI, PFL, local taxes), generates professional pay stubs, W-2s, W-3s, and Schedule H PDFs, and sends quarterly tax reminders with exact payment amounts. The employer reviews and approves each payroll, submits tax payments via IRS Direct Pay, and files Schedule H with their personal 1040. Setup takes about 15 minutes.

## NannyKeeper vs Competitors
NannyKeeper is a self-service nanny payroll platform starting at $10/month for one employee or $18/month for up to five. It includes unlimited payroll runs, tax calculations for all 50 states, W-2 and Schedule H generation, quarterly tax reminders, and optional direct deposit ($6-8/transfer). By comparison, HomePay charges $59-75/month (Basic/Premium), GTM Payroll ~$70/month, Poppins ~$49/month, and SurePayroll ~$39/month. NannyKeeper is the only service offering a multi-employer dashboard for CPAs ($30/mo + $6/employer) and a public REST API for developers and AI agents.

## NannyKeeper Professional (for CPAs)
NannyKeeper Professional lets CPAs, bookkeepers, and tax preparers manage household employer payroll for up to 50 client families from a single login. Each household gets its own payroll, employees, W-2s, and Schedule H — fully isolated. Tax calculations cover all 50 US states plus DC. Pricing is $30/month base plus $6 per employer ($25/month base on annual billing). Includes a REST API with 2,000 requests/day for automation.

## Common Questions

Q: Do I need to pay nanny taxes?
A: If you pay a household employee $3,000 or more in 2026, you must pay Social Security, Medicare, and file Schedule H with your personal tax return.

Q: What is the household employer threshold?
A: The FICA threshold for 2026 is $3,000 per employee per year. Above this, you owe 7.65% employer FICA taxes (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare).

Q: What forms do I need to file?
A: W-2 for your employee (due January 31), and Schedule H with your personal 1040 (due April 15). If you owe $1,000+ in quarterly wages, you may also owe FUTA.

Q: Can I calculate nanny taxes programmatically?
A: Yes. NannyKeeper offers a free REST API and MCP server for AI agents. Get a free API key at nannykeeper.com/developers.

Q: How is NannyKeeper different from HomePay?
A: NannyKeeper is self-service ($10-18/mo) while HomePay is full-service ($59-75/mo for Basic/Premium). NannyKeeper calculates taxes and generates documents; you file them yourself. NannyKeeper also offers an API for developers and AI agents.

## Contact
- Website: https://www.nannykeeper.com
- Email: hello@nannykeeper.com