10/09/2026
If you own a business and your kids are old enough to legitimately help out, putting them on payroll may be worth discussing with your CPA.
And no, we’re not talking about paying them just to create a tax deduction. They need to perform real, age-appropriate work for your business and receive reasonable compensation for it.
Think tasks like:
→ Filing or organizing paperwork
→ Helping with inventory
→ Cleaning the office
→ Packing orders
→ Appearing in marketing content
→ Basic administrative tasks
→ Other legitimate work appropriate for their age
So, why can this be a smart tax-planning strategy?
Depending on how your business is structured, wages paid to your child may be a deductible business expense, which can reduce the business’s taxable income.
There can also be special payroll-tax treatment in certain situations. For example, wages paid by a parent’s sole proprietorship to a child under 18 generally aren’t subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes, and wages paid to a child under 21 generally aren’t subject to federal unemployment tax. Different rules can apply to corporations and partnerships.
And the money your child earns?
It can give them an opportunity to start learning about saving, investing and managing their own earned income. Earned income may also make them eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA, subject to the applicable rules and contribution limits.
The important part is doing it correctly.
Your child should actually perform the work, compensation should be reasonable, and you should maintain the same kind of documentation and payroll records you would for another employee.
Tax planning isn’t just about filing a return. It’s about understanding the opportunities available to you before the year is over.
If you own a business and have children who could legitimately work in it, this is a conversation worth having with your tax professional.
MK Tax & Accounting can help you determine whether this strategy makes sense for your business and how to structure it properly.