Why Use a Nanny Share Calculator?
Childcare costs keep rising. Daycare can feel impersonal or have long waitlists; a private nanny is often the gold standard but comes with a premium price tag. Ananny share bridges the gap: two (or more) families share one nanny, splitting time and cost while the nanny earns more than she would with a single family. Our nanny share calculator helps you see exactly how much you save compared to hiring solo, and how employer taxes andnanny share overtime rules affect the numbers.
How to Use This Calculator
Select your state so we can apply the correctnanny share taxes (state unemployment and federal rules). Enter your standard hourly rate—what you would pay the nanny if you hired her alone—and the share premium (e.g. 25%), which is the typical markup nannies charge when caring for two families. Then set theschedule: shared hours (when the nanny watches both families’ children together), and solo hours for Family A and Family B.
The Economics of Nanny Sharing: The 2/3 Rule
In a typical nanny share, each family pays roughlytwo-thirds of the solo rate for the shared portion of care. Parents often save around 25–35% on their portion compared to hiring the nanny alone, while the nanny earns about 25% more than she would with one family.
The Tax Interaction: Household Employer Rules
In a nanny share, each family is a separate household employer. That means each family must handle nanny taxes on their own: withhold and pay FICA, file Schedule H, and payFUTA and SUI. Importantly,FUTA and SUI wage base caps are not split between the two employers. The first 7,000 of wages each family pays is subject to FUTA; each family’s SUI is calculated on their own wages up to the state’s full wage base.
Overtime Rules in Nanny Shares
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, overtime is due when a single employer has an employee work more than 40 hours in a workweek. In a nanny share, the two families are typically separate employers, so overtime is only owed by a family if that family employs the nanny for more than 40 hours in the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do we handle sick days in a share?
Agree in advance in your nanny share contract. Common approaches: the nanny uses a set number of paid sick days per year, or unpaid sick days with no pay from either family.
Do we need two separate contracts?
Yes. Each family should have its own employment agreement with the nanny reflecting hours, rate, pay schedule, and policies.
Is a nanny share cheaper than daycare?
It depends on your area and the share setup. Use this calculator to get your share cost, then compare to local daycare options.
Data Sources & Last Updated
Tax rates and wage bases are from the IRS, Tax Foundation, and state tax agencies for 2026. Labor rules come from the FLSA, IRS Publication 926, and state departments of labor. Data last updated: 2026-02-01. This calculator is for estimation only.