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jsalyer 06:18 PM 07-06-2009
I'm considering opening up a home daycare in Northern VA so I am able to stay home with my two kids. I have a ton of questions so I'm hoping I can get some insight.

If licensed, you can only have up to 16 "points"--is it really profitable to be licensed in this case? How long does it usually take to go through the licensing process?

What are the benefits of being licensed/unlicensed?

If I open a non-licensed home daycare-are you still able to deduct home expenses on your taxes?

Do I need to become an LLC in order to claim deductions?

Thanks for all your help!
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mac60 03:04 AM 07-07-2009
I can answer a couple of your questions here.

No, you do not have to be licensed to deduct expenses on your taxes. So yes, unlicensed providers get the same tax write offs as licensed.

How many children are 16 Points?

You need to decide how many children you want to care for, how many dollars you need to make, etc, to determine if being licensed if profitable for you. You may find that caring for 4 or 5 children gives you the income needs you are looking for, along with a comfortable group of children in your care, without the hassle of licensing nosing around and telling you how to run your business.

In my state we do not have to be licensed. If we were forced into it, it would seriously cause a rate increase, as there would be a lot more expense involved in my daycare then. It is hard to put a dollar amount on the BS a person goes thru to become licensed. Each state is different, so just maybe your state is easy to become licensed, you will have to check on that. Where I am at, it is not. Stupid rules that make no sense.

Good luck on this.
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jsalyer 05:59 PM 07-07-2009
Originally Posted by mac60:
I can answer a couple of your questions here.

No, you do not have to be licensed to deduct expenses on your taxes. So yes, unlicensed providers get the same tax write offs as licensed.

How many children are 16 Points?

You need to decide how many children you want to care for, how many dollars you need to make, etc, to determine if being licensed if profitable for you. You may find that caring for 4 or 5 children gives you the income needs you are looking for, along with a comfortable group of children in your care, without the hassle of licensing nosing around and telling you how to run your business.

In my state we do not have to be licensed. If we were forced into it, it would seriously cause a rate increase, as there would be a lot more expense involved in my daycare then. It is hard to put a dollar amount on the BS a person goes thru to become licensed. Each state is different, so just maybe your state is easy to become licensed, you will have to check on that. Where I am at, it is not. Stupid rules that make no sense.

Good luck on this.
Thanks for sharing this info with me. It will certainly help in guiding me through this process. As for the point system they break it down as 4 points per infant (0-15 mos) 2 points per toddler and 1 point for afterschool cared children. I may be a bit mistaken on the latter part but I will double check and edit my post if I am

Another question that came up today was whether or not I need to acquire a small business license or LLC in order to claim deductions on my taxes.

thanks again for your advice..
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GretasLittleFriends 05:01 AM 07-08-2009
No, you do not need an LLC or a small business license to claim the deductions from your daycare business on your taxes.
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Unregistered 09:05 PM 07-27-2009
Originally Posted by jsalyer:
I'm considering opening up a home daycare in Northern VA so I am able to stay home with my two kids. I have a ton of questions so I'm hoping I can get some insight.

If licensed, you can only have up to 16 "points"--is it really profitable to be licensed in this case? How long does it usually take to go through the licensing process?

What are the benefits of being licensed/unlicensed?

If I open a non-licensed home daycare-are you still able to deduct home expenses on your taxes?

Do I need to become an LLC in order to claim deductions?

Thanks for all your help!
I, too, am in the process of starting a home daycare in Northern VA. After careful consideration, I have decided to become licensed. I agree with a lot of people on this forum in that being licensed does not guarantee quality care however, until the parents understand that, I am hoping that being able to say I am licensed will benefit me. Espeicially since I'm just starting out and don't have many references.

According to Virginia Minimum Standards for Licensed Family Day Homes you do not have to be licensed if you are caring for less than 6 children. The points are calculated as follows:
Children from birth through 15 months of age count as four points each;
Children from 16 months through 23 months of age count as three points each;
Children from two years through four years of age count as two points each;
Children from five years through nine years of age count as one point each; and
Children who are 10 years of age and older count as zero points.

Depending on what county you live in you may need an occupational license/permit to run your daycare out of your home. I am in PW county and we need one regardless of the number of children.

Once you attend the two orientation sessions (which are offered once a month) and submit your completed paperwork, the licensing office has 60 days to make a decision. Overall I would say 3 months minimum to get licensed. I submitted my paperwork about a month ago. I received an email acknowledging receipt. Now I am just waiting for a call to set up the initial inspection.

Good luck.
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