Tax Write-Offs for Self-Employed Babysitters & Nannies
First, an important distinction: many nannies are legally household employees who should receive a W-2 from the family, and this guide does not apply to that arrangement. If you genuinely work for yourself — multiple families, your own rates and schedule, control over how you provide care — you're running a business, and business rules apply. A self-employed sitter's costs pile up quietly: craft bins and picture books hauled between houses, CPR renewals, background checks, platform fees on Care.com or Sittercity, and miles driven between families. Here's where those expenses land on Schedule C.
14 deductions self-employed babysitters & nannies should track
Each write-off below shows the IRS Schedule C line (or form) it maps to.
01CPR and first-aid certification
Other expenses — Line 27aFamilies expect current CPR and first-aid credentials, and course fees to obtain or renew them for your existing childcare business are generally deductible. Infant-specific and water-safety add-on courses fall in the same category.
02Activity supplies (crafts, games, books)
Supplies — Line 22Construction paper, glue sticks, board games, puzzles, and picture books you bring to engagements and use with the children in your care are business supplies. Items that end up in your own household's toy bin are personal, so keep the work kit separate.
03Driving between client families
Car and truck expenses — Line 9Going from a morning engagement with one family to an afternoon with another is business mileage, as are trips you make transporting children as part of the job (with the family's authorization). The commute from your own home to the first family of the day is generally not deductible.
04Background-check fees
Other expenses — Line 27aSitters routinely pay for their own background checks, fingerprinting, or trust-line registration to reassure new families or satisfy platform requirements. When you foot the bill as part of marketing your services, the cost is generally deductible.
05Care.com, Sittercity, and platform fees
Commissions and fees — Line 10Premium-membership charges and booking fees on sitter platforms are what you pay to be found by families. These platform costs are generally deductible, whether structured as subscriptions or per-booking fees.
06Snacks bought for the children you watch
Supplies — Line 22Food you buy specifically for the children in your care during working hours may be deductible as a business supply, and it's not subject to the meal limits that apply to your own meals. Anything you or your family eat is personal, so receipts that cover only the kids' snacks are the cleanest support.
07Liability insurance for childcare
Insurance (other than health) — Line 15A liability policy covering injuries or accidents while children are in your care protects a business where the stakes are unusually high. Premiums for childcare liability coverage are deductible.
08Business-use share of your phone
Utilities — Line 25Parents expect texted updates, nap-time photos, and instant reachability the entire engagement, which makes your phone a working tool from drop-off to pickup. The portion of your plan attributable to the business is generally deductible.
09Safety equipment you provide
Supplies — Line 22Outlet covers, cabinet locks, a stocked first-aid kit, or a travel booster seat you supply for engagements are business purchases. If a family reimburses you for gear, treat the reimbursement as income and the purchase as the offsetting expense.
10Continuing education in child development
Other expenses — Line 27aCourses, workshops, and books on child development, positive discipline, or newborn care that maintain or improve skills in your existing sitting business are generally deductible. Education that qualifies you for a brand-new trade generally is not.
11Advertising and profile promotion
Advertising — Line 8Boosted platform profiles, local parent-group ads, flyers at community centers, and a simple website presenting your experience and rates are marketing costs. All of it is generally deductible advertising.
12Business license and local registration
Taxes and licenses — Line 23Depending on your city and the scope of care you offer, you may need a business license or local registration to operate legally. Those government fees and their renewals are deductible; note that caring for children in your own home may trigger separate daycare licensing rules.
13Scheduling and payment apps
Office expense — Line 18Apps you use to manage bookings across families, send invoices, and accept digital payments are ordinary business tools. Payment-processing fees withheld from what parents pay you generally qualify as well.
14Backup sitters you pay
Contract labor — Line 11If a family is your client and you pay another sitter to cover a date you can't make, that payment is contract labor. Sufficient payments to one person during the year may require you to issue a Form 1099-NEC.
Track these deductions automatically
Stop guessing which self-employed babysitter / nanny expenses count. Snap receipts, let AI map every expense to its IRS Schedule C line, and export a CPA-ready tax package at filing time. Free plan available — no credit card, no bank linking.
Self-Employed Babysitter / Nanny tax questions, answered
Am I actually self-employed, or am I the family's employee?+
Generally, if one family controls your schedule, sets how you do the work, and you work in their home on their terms, you may be a household employee entitled to a W-2 — even if everyone calls you a contractor. Self-employment typically looks like multiple families, your own rates and policies, and control over how you provide care. This guide's deductions apply only to genuine self-employment, so classification is the first question to settle.
Can I deduct snacks and meals I buy for the kids I watch?+
Food purchased specifically for the children in your care may generally be deducted as a business supply, separate from the 50% limit that applies to your own business meals. Your own lunch during an engagement is personal. Receipts that isolate the kids' food from your groceries make the deduction easy to support.
Are toys and craft supplies deductible if my own kids also play with them?+
Mixed use weakens the deduction — generally only the portion used in your business qualifies, and untangling that after the fact is hard. Many sitters keep a dedicated activity bag that travels only to engagements, purchased on separate receipts. That habit turns a gray area into a clean, documented expense.
Can I deduct my background check if a family asked for it?+
If you paid for the check yourself as part of offering your services to clients, the fee is generally deductible as a business expense. If the family paid the platform directly, there's nothing for you to deduct. Keep the receipt when the charge hits your own card.
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Disclaimer: This page provides estimates and general information for educational purposes only — it is not tax, legal, or accounting advice. Tax rules change and depend on your specific situation. Consult a qualified tax professional before making tax decisions.