Receipt / proof of this expense?

[happy_ira]

I have collected all the supplemental documentation the US Trustee has asked for, except for one item. That is, he wants to see one-year (or close to it) receipts for the childcare worker watching the disabled baby. Unfortunately, we do not get a receipt each week when we pay her cash. NO FAMILY who pays cash to a childcare provider gets a weekly receipt. The best I have been able to get from the worker is a letter that states, literally:

"I, ______, have been working for the ____ family since Summer 2007 and have been watching their disabled baby, ___ _____. They pay me $___ weekly. Thank you."

What else am I supposed to do to prove this? Make her backdate and sign 52 weeks worth? (Not sure if she would want to do that.) Will the letter be enough?

Thoughts?

[jktrading]

Maybe also how you got the "cash" you paid her with. The withdrawals from the bank just previously, a paycheck cashing, whatever. That's what Judge Judy asks for sometimes.

[WoodSprite]

Aside from any tax implications - for both you and the caregiver - of having this in writing (!?), I can't imagine that the trustee could ask for anything more from you.

[bkrelief22]

Just a thought...would it help to have the statement notorized??

bk22

[happy_ira]

Aside from any tax implications - for both you and the caregiver - of having this in writing (!?), I can't imagine that the trustee could ask for anything more from you.

Yes, I agree. I'm not sure if he is out of touch with reality or just had to ask this anyway; *no one* gets a weekly receipt for this kind of stuff. And almost all of NYC is full of these kinds of workers who get paid in cash. Actually, this is true of the whole country. By and large, I do not agree with circumventing the tax system, but if I were to go through the proper channels and pay her "on the books" it would cost me *twice* as much for a child who really needs someone to watch her and help her eat, give oxygen, etc.

In fact, it has been *well* documented in several politicians lives that they had "off the books" people working for them (though not for disabled childs).

[happy_ira]

Just a thought...would it help to have the statement notorized??

bk22

Great idea! I will look into this.

[kmb]

Our daycare provider provides us with a year end statement of what we pay her, thought we usually pay by check, not cash. Do you have anything like that you can send to the trustee?

[WoodSprite]

*no one* gets a weekly receipt...

Shoot...I was hoping I was mistaken. I'm happy for you that you've found someone you can rely on, but shoot. Well, I guess all you can do is rely on the syndrome of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. It may just be one of the few things anyone can count on from our government these days. 'Nuff said.

[Confused14]

I definitely think some people are out of touch with reality. You can't get a receipt for everything you pay for, that's just how it is. For example, my kids have a hot lunch program in school that is optional. If you want the service you have to submit the 2 weeks worth of payment which is about $36 each kid. I have 2 kids so that comes to $72 every 2 weeks. If I pay cash, I get no receipt, nothing. I have no way of proving that $72 went to the hot lunch program. So I understand where you're coming from.

I think the letter might be good enough as long as you both sign it and possibly have it notarized. The other thing I thought of was this. In Staples or OfficeDepot they sell receipt books, maybe from now on you can use that (or possibly back date them) for when you pay for childcare. You would just include the date, amount of money given (check off the cash bubble), to who it was given, why it was given and your signature. It's just like a receipt you'd get at the doctor's office. You would have a copy and childcare would have the original. I don't know if using it now would help, but I thought I'd just throw it out there anyway.