Work, Kids And Summertime
 By Lee S. Shaffer

Summertime means a fun time for most kids.

But for small-business owners, keeping those out-of-school kids entertained can be a job unto itself. During the summer you not only have clients calling and e-mails piling up, but also kids that need attention.

What’s a good parent and smart business owner to do? Here are 10 tips that might help.

1. Find half-day activities for the kiddos. Swim lessons and tennis lessons may be options. Look for local day camps, too.
2. Start a play club with other parents. You can share entertaining the kids for half a day.
3. Got relatives? Maybe the cousins or grandparents would enjoy hosting your kids for a three- or four-day vacation.
4. Keep your customers informed. Put your e-mail on auto responder to let clients and suppliers know when you’ll be out of the office and when you plan to return.
5. Expecting an important call while you need to be with the kids? Forward your business line to your cell phone.
6. If your work from home, plan to work more at night after the kids are settled in with a home movie or have gone to bed.
7. If the kids are old enough, drop them at the movie theater for the latest blockbuster. Then head to the closest coffee shop where you can work on your laptop or make phone calls for a couple of hours. You get work done while the kids have fun. And with your AFS Membership, you can buy discount movie tickets that are accepted nationwide at AMC Theaters and Regal Entertainment theaters.
8. Look around your city for children’s enrichment programs offered by museums, libraries, dance studios and music shops. Some offer day-long mini-camps. Others provide ongoing programs throughout the summer.
9. Depending on their ages, you might be able to put your kids to work in your small business. A tech savvy teen could help freshen up a Web site. A teen who drives could run errands. Younger kids could stuff envelopes or clean your home office.
   
   And you might even get a tax deduction! To get the write-off, you must pay the kids a reasonable wage and have them complete a time card. You must also pay them regularly, just as you would any other employee.
   
   If you’re a sole proprietor, the wages you pay your kid are deductible on the Schedule C you file for the tax year. And if your child is under age 18, the wages you pay aren’t subject to payroll taxes such as Medicare and FICA.
   
   Plus there’s more good news. If your child earns less than $5,600 during the year, he or she won’t have to file a tax return. That means the wages you pay are tax-free income for your kid.
   
   Have tax questions about hiring your kid? Get answers from the certified public accountants at ProTax. As an AFS Member, you have unlimited access to the CPAs at no additional charge. You can receive complete and confidential answers to your tax questions through the AFS website.
10. Don’t have any jobs for the kids, but still need to keep them at the office with you? Buy a used computer and load it with learning programs. The programs are fun for the kids and teach them at the same time.

(Posted July 2010)

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