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The Daily Insight

Is it legal to hire your spouse?

Author

Emma Jordan

Published Mar 24, 2026

Hiring your spouse As a sole proprietor, you can hire your spouse to be an employee. But, your spouse must be a legitimate employee. Don’t try to sneak around the IRS by adding your spouse as an employee when they aren’t doing the work of a legitimate employee.

Can I employ my spouse in my business?

Hiring your spouse to work as an employee in your business can save you big on taxes. Employee wages you pay your spouse are fully taxable. Your spouse-employee must pay federal and state income tax on wages. And you and your spouse must each pay half of the Social Security and Medicare tax on wages.

Can I pay my spouse as an employee?

Employee wages you pay your spouse are fully taxable. Your spouse-employee must pay federal and state income tax on wages. And you and your spouse must each pay half of the Social Security and Medicare tax on wages. As your spouse’s employer, you must withhold these taxes and pay them to the IRS.

Can you give your spouse a 1099?

You may not need to issue your wife a 1099, but you may need to change the way you file your tax returns. Under the provision, a qualified joint venture conducted by a husband and wife who file a joint return is not treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes.

Can husband give wife salary?

Thus, it is very clear that if the husband makes payment of commission or salary, etc. to his wife from his proprietary concern or a partnership firm or a corporate entity, then such payment of either a salary or commission paid to the wife would not be treated as the income of the wife because the same would be …

What kind of taxes do I have to pay when I work for my spouse?

One spouse employed by another. The wages for the services of an individual who works for his or her spouse in a trade or business are subject to income tax withholding and social security and Medicare taxes, but not to FUTA tax. Refer also to Husband and Wife Business.

How are wages paid to a parent subject to taxes?

Parent employed by child The wages for the services of a parent employed by his or her child in a trade or business are subject to income tax withholding and social security and Medicare taxes. Wages paid to a parent employed by his or her child are not subject to FUTA tax, regardless of the type of services provided.

Do you have to pay taxes on services of a child?

Payment for the services of a child are subject to income tax withholding, regardless of age. Covered services of a child. The wages for the services of a child are subject to income tax withholding as well as social security, Medicare, and FUTA taxes if he or she works for: A corporation, even if it is controlled by the child’s parent,

How are wages paid to a parent not subject to Futa?

Wages paid to a parent employed by his or her child are not subject to FUTA tax, regardless of the type of services provided. For additional employment tax information, refer to Publication 15, Circular E, Employer’s Tax Guide, and Publication 51, Circular A, Agricultural Employer’s Tax Guide.