Everyone wants to save money. Between taxes, household expenses, health care costs, and the costs of vehicle ownership, saving money is a priority for many families. You want the best for your mom or dad, but you also have a budget in mind for the senior care they receive at home.
Here are reasons why hiring an under the table or private caregiver is not always the best idea.
Senior Care Agencies Run Many Background Checks and Screenings
Agencies run full background checks. These background checks usually entail looking into the past to check for proper licensing, criminal backgrounds, and past work histories. In addition, an agency is going to run drug screenings. If you’re hiring a person who responds to your ad, you may not have those resources at your disposal. You might be able to run a background check, but are you able to pay for and have the caregiver complete a drug screening?
What Happens if the Caregiver is Injured While in Your Mom or Dad’s House?
If an accident happens at your parent’s house, the caregiver may file a claim against your parent’s homeowner’s insurance to cover medical costs. You might also be responsible for paying worker’s comp while the caregiver recovers. If the injury is serious enough to end the caregiver’s career, disability benefits may come into play, too. Caregivers sent by an agency are covered under the agency’s insurance plans.
Will You Be Required to Pay Taxes?
If you hire a person to be a caregiver for your mom or dad, you may be required to pay some of the caregiver’s taxes. To avoid this, you must make sure the caregiver agrees to work as an independent contractor and, as a result, knows he or she is responsible for paying all self-employment taxes. If you must cover the employment taxes, you’ll be paying your share of the unemployment, state, Social Security, and federal taxes and deducting the caregiver’s share from his or her paycheck. With an agency, you pay them and they pay their caregivers.
Many senior care agencies understand clients have budgets and work with them to arrange an affordable home care plan. As your mom or dad’s needs change, new plans can be created to ensure nothing gets overlooked. Call our senior care agency today and learn more about the range of services available to your mom or dad.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional Caregiver Services in Indian Land SC, please call the caring staff at BlueDot Cares today, (704) 586-9248.
Jimmy Clonaris is Managing Partner at BlueDot Cares, where he oversees operations, caregiver standards, and service delivery for in-home care across the organization. With more than 19 years of experience in healthcare and over a decade with BlueDot, he has been directly involved in building and scaling care programs that support individuals aging at home.
His work focuses on the practical side of care delivery. This includes caregiver training and oversight, care plan consistency, and coordination with families and local healthcare professionals. Jimmy is actively involved in ensuring that care is not only well-structured on paper, but executed reliably in the home.
Over the course of his career, he has worked with thousands of families navigating care decisions, from short-term recovery support to long-term in-home care. His approach is grounded in clear communication, accountability, and building systems that allow caregivers to deliver consistent, high-quality support.
Under his leadership, BlueDot Cares has grown to support tens of thousands of families while maintaining a locally operated, relationship-driven model. He continues to focus on strengthening the team, improving care standards, and ensuring families have a dependable partner when care is needed.
