Does anyone use a phone app to pay their aides? I am looking for something that would eliminate leaving checks in the house. Any suggestions?

I'm not sure what type of phone app you are talking about that has been recommended to only use with someone you know. Most of the apps that I deal with are for making money transfers without either side seeing the other person's banking info. My two favorites are Amex Serve (backed by Amex) and Chime Visa which is backed by BanCorp banking and FDIC insured. Both allow you to send money to anyone based on a smart phone number or email address. The person receiving the money must open or already have an account with the service. If the person receiving money already has an account they immediately have access to the funds or they can transfer it to their own bank to access in 2-4 days, depending on how quickly their bank processes electronic transactions. Neither app requires linking a bank account, you can "load" your debit card account at a variety of merchants including Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. Amex has a $4.95 monthly service fee unless the account receives an electronic deposit, then it's free. Chime has no monthly service fee. You can also send checks for payment from either app, much like online banking. Personally I have a portion of my check deposited into Amex Serve (meeting the deposit requirement for no service fee) and use this card with no links to my actual bank accounts for internet and gas station purchases. Occasionally when I need more funds between deposits, I withdraw money from my bank ATM and then load the card at a CVS or Walmart I pass on the way home. If I need to use a Visa because some business doesn't accept Amex, then I "transfer" money from Amex Serve to Chime. Unless you just like the Amex brand or need it's "sub-account" features, I would recommend using Chime primarily because of the no fee structure. Your Chime account must have been opened for 30 days before you can make electronic transfers.

Hi
you can try Venmo. However the caregiver needs to have it as well. It’s easy and works great.

I’m not so sure Venmo is appropriate. It’s not a payroll app. You need a paper trail don’t you? And are you withholding taxes and paying quarterly taxes, etc? I would hope this isn’t cash under the table because it can bite you later....

Check with your bank, you may be able to pay by getting their email address and sending a payment that they go in and redeem. Neither of you have access to the others private information and it is really safe.

Google Pay.
No cost to send or to receive.
Anyone with gmail account, find the $ at bottom when composing e-mail.
Use debit card for immediate funds transfer.
Checking account takes longer.

It sounds to me she needs to be in an assisted living facility, nursing home, or she needs to live with you and you care for her. Leaving her by herself under those circumstances--allowing strangers in her home--leaves her vulnerable to theft and abuse. If you are using a licensed and insured agency, you pay the agency and not the aide. If you are not using an agency, you are putting your mom at grave risk, because you do not know who you are allowing in her home. NOBODY IS SAFE. There are "all kinds" out there. Also, if you are not using an agency, I hope you are paying taxes..if you use the same aide there is a "nanny tax" and if she claims she gets injured in your mom's home the aide can sue the estate. She can also sue you for unemployment if you let her go. I don't know how you are getting her "help" but an ad in the paper and just letting anybody in is an open invitation to disaster. The elder population is "open game" to drug addicts who will steal..or even do violent crimes against them. Happens all the time.

I used to work for the Department of Corrections and I seen all kinds of crimes against the elderly ranging from robbery, physical abuse to rape..and even murder. I really hope you are not allowing strangers in her home--meth and crack addicts are everywhere. Use an agency--they are at least screened, licensed, and insured.
We are living in very dangerous times. Trust nobody.

Use a professional payroll service to take care of this, all withholding taxes, etc., so you don’t have a problem with the IRS and/or heirs. Whatever fees they charge is money we’ll spent. Photocopy every receipt for expenses before they smudge and become illegible. Keep perfect files. I took care of my parents alone in their home (I lived nearby). Of course, I had to hire caretakers. Over ten years I paid three caretakers with check or cash. After my parents died, my mostly absentee sibs (who had only rarely helped or visited) started questioning every last line item regarding all expenses. They accused my caretakers of wrongdoing. They accused me viciously in more than one court case. I had to produce receipts and an accounting and explanation for every penny spent. I had to even recreate what my parents spent on their own when I was not with them. I was able to get it all together. My parents’ wonderful caretakers testified for me and I prevailed in all cases, but it was incredibly stressful when I was living under threats. Ny siblings told me they would put me in jail—unreasonable and irrational, but a nightmare. This experience was terrible for the caretakers too. My siblings accused and legally attacked the caretakers to a similar extent (probably in an attempt to intimidate) so they would be too frightened to testify. All this while I was grieving for the loss of my parents. In the end, I had to pay costly experts to help me organize the expenditures because the time demands were impossible to otherwise meet. The situation was terrifying. It took a toll on my health and well being. I wish I could go back and organize all the paperwork better from the beginning.

Hi. Yes, I use Venmo to pay the Aides. I use to use PayPal but the younger aides use Venmo. I like the record keeping of it as well.

We use Zelle through our bank, it is easy, and one can track the use very easily.
It takes one to two days for delivery directly to their account.

Would a "re-loadable" debit card work?
If you have their information, name address you could do an on line bank check to them. It would take a few days to be sent. At least with my bank if they send a check there is a lag time, but I guess even with an electronic payment there is a lag as well. (at least with my bank maybe not with all)
a professional payroll service might be better. There is documentation, taxes will be taken out so there is no question as to what was paid. It might cost a bit more but peace of mind is worth it.
Or get the "temp aids" through an agency so the agency is responsible for the payment and taxes. The agency can bill you, or mom for the days the temps are filling in.

I do home care for my parents 5 days a week. I found this great little app you might like called:
Ontheclock. All the info is on their website with a (.com)
1-3 employees are free.
Very helpful in tracking hours.
The only thing it doesn't withhold tax, but as you are the administrator, your employees can just sign on to there phone.
You can always send the money to your caregivers through Bank of America or PayPal. BOA has their own app, something with a Z??? And I think it's free?
Hope this helps you.

I use Zelle.
Just do not pay twice I one day.
I did a payment then I did another to same person and I had to go to bank to unfreeze it. It is a safety measure which is good.

Pay via etransfer through your online banking. It is easy peasy, you need either their email address or their cell number. I do it for all sorts of transactions from paying my bills to paying for beef at a local farm.

Cheques are incredibly rare in Canada now.

Caregivingstuff, these are all great answers but sometimes people can get lost in the weeds. As an older man, I tend to look at the simplest interpretation first.
It sounded to me like the query was for that very occasional, temp fill-in, not someone you might be paying regularly.
If you don’t pay any one person more than $600/year you don’t have to file anything or provide them a 1099. Just keep a journal as to their time, date and name.
As to paying in those situations, almost every bank in the country provides a Quick Pay service; most use Zelle as their software source, and the banks all interconnect via Zelle.
If you have a smart phone or mobile banking, you do it with that. The money is in their account, if they have a bank account somewhere, within minutes, not days. There is a small amount of set-up they do on their end for the first transfer but after that is it all quick and easy, and no cost at the majority of banks.
Some have mentioned Venmo and I think the younger crowd uses that a lot but I’m not a member of that club 😁

.

Venmo

Venmo - especially if their younger & the amounts are smallish.
Zelle - if it’s a regular or semi-regular & bigger amount.
I’d suggest if your going to use Zelle, that you open a separate checking account that is what Zelle gets funded from.

If your unfamiliar with these, ask any family member who is in college or early 20’s how to do and do basically a tutorial with you. My kid is in college and everybody uses Venmo.

Please please re-read Tacys post regarding tax implications on caregivers being viewed as employees. My understanding of IRS regs is that in-home caregivers cannot be considered contract labor. So you cannot 1099-Misc to them for income if you pay them over $600 yr.

I use PayPal a lot, they have more recently revamped a bit to compete with Venmo and the other service some banks are using so that payment is made instantly even when it isn't in you PayPal account yet. I have used Venmo as well but I happen to like the readouts and services along with the protection you can get from PayPal but then I've been using longer too. My bank is one that has started using the other service mentioned here, I have not tried it personally because I have the other two options and haven't needed to but my suggestion would be to find the one YOU like best and that stores the info in a way that you can retrieve it for taxes or expenditure proof whenever you might need that and then let the relief caretakers know what you will be using so they can set up an account if they don't already have one. Easy peasy.

I know of at least one, there are probably more, services that list "independent" caretakers and let you know which have been through what kind of vetting, that provide an avenue for this exact type of payment too. I would be careful to make sure you know who you are hiring through this system but if you are using people recommended by your regular caregivers for instance maybe they could even list themselves on this service and then you hire and pay them that way. I don't know exactly what or if it costs the providers to list themselves and use the system but it seems like it might be worth checking out. It's kind of like Uber for caregivers but you can select the driver and use the same ones. Care.com I think it is... Again, I am not saying this is the way to hire help I'm just saying it might be worth exploring especially if you already have occasional replacements picked out.

Check into the app Venmo. I use it all the time. The care giver can send you a request for payment and after a click of a button, they are paid.

Venmo is the easiest way to send money and keep a record of it.

I use PayPal. I helped the 2 caregivers that help my mom set up their PayPal accounts. There's a 'notes' section when you go to make a payment where you can enter details such as hours worked.

Venmo

Tacy, can you help me understand what is required for a person working one or 2 days as a caregiver, would you be required to set them up as an employee or could you pay them cash because they wouldn't meet the threshold for filing a 1099.

We are small business owners and our requirements are extensive but less so than a large business.

I am asking you because I know you do this as a business and are very trained and certified and understand the requirements. I think doing it right is the best policy but I don't want to go to a bunch of unnecessary expense and work if there are exceptions.

Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

PayPal is a safe app to use.

zelle goes direct from your bank to theirs no muss, no fuss

I have used an app called VEMO once then there’s also a way to pay out thru PAY PAL. Just do some research on both of them before you go ahead and decide to do it.
I have personally used the VEMO app myself to pay someone and receive the money right away. It was very easy too use and I had no problems with it. Now this being said my daughter had the PAYPAL app and was hacked twice. She never received anything back from the company. Just be careful what app you use. You are going to need the aides pertinent information to have the money put directly into a account them. Some of the aides may already have these apps or one like it. Is it possible to ask the aides to see what type of app they have bc they are going to need it too. This can also pose a problem depending on what kind of phone the aides have bc some aides have phones that can’t hold too much. Meaning they are very cheap phones and can’t download too many things. I have run into this with the work that I do.
You can find these apps either in the Apple App Store or in the Google play store.
If this were me I would try to use the VEMO app with the aides if possible. The person received the money right away however I think there was a little bit of a fee but its probably the same thing with the other one too.
You can also go to google and do a search to see what is safe and what isn’t. It will come right up.
On another note please be safe on the fill in aides you have coming in to take care of your loved one. If you don’t know anything about them ie: how much experience they have, where they are from, name, address, phone number ect then you you don’t know if your loved one is getting the correct care.
It’s just an issue we have run into. I wanted to pass my experience along too you.
I know it’s difficult when you can’t be there.
Try searching for good apps on google. This is probably the best way to get a good old.need.
Good luck!

You could use the google pay app.
Its really easy also you can add a note of what type of payment plus it’s free

I use PayPal. You can send invoices and all you need is the persons email address. Plus it keeps a record of everything so it is super easy.
You can do most everything the bank does right from your phone. I love it

I request all of my private care text me the dates and the hours that they work at the end of the two week period. I print out their text and and put with their ck that I mail them, work week ends on Friday and their ck is mailed on Sat. If they work as a fill in or a temp then at the end of their shift (say 1 shift) they send me the day and hours text and I make out their ck and mail it the next day. It seems to have worked pretty well. At the beginning I used to make out the checks and leave in a sealed envelope at my mom's but I worry about that.