MMK Actual Vs Attendance Hours?

[jojosmommy]

Can you explain how MMK calculates hours when you have to choose attendance or actual? I seem to get vastly different numbers when I switch between the two but have kids at my house 6:30-5:30 M-F with the exception of occassional holidays?

I have all their information updated on thier indiv. profiles so I can not make sense of the difference.

Also, if you have had to buy 2 new garbage cans in a matter of a couple months (1st one was old and broke, second one was from walmart- enough said, finally this one has lasted a while) is that something you could get challenged on if the irs were to audit you? I am so nervous to write things off like this in fear of what the irs might say if I get audited.

[TomCopeland]

Tracking hours

Minute Menu allows you to calculate your time-space percentage using either the actual hours the children were recorded as being in attendance in your program or the hours your program was open. The actual hours will track the moment the first child arrived and the last child left. If you didn't enter some attendance hours some days your totals will be off. Make sure you recorded hours for each day you were open. If you still can't figure it out, call me and I'll go online to see if I can find the problem.

If you bought 2 garbage cans, claim 2 garbage cans! Don't worry about the IRS. Write a note to yourself as to why you did so - just like the note you wrote here. That's enough.

[legomom922]

Wouldn't look better though to the IRS to claim the time the kids were actually there?

Because if for example I was open 7-6, but my last kid left at 430, how can I claim t/s for "open hrs" when all the kids are gone and I am then not working? If I start cleaning, then I lose that extra time because I would still be considered "on the clock" so to speak..

I input each child drop off time & pick up time, and go by that. I guess I am confused now on why anyone would use the actual vs attendance..:confused:

[Cat Herder]

I guess I am confused now on why anyone would use the actual vs attendance..:confused:

I agree, Legomom. I have to be here, working 10 hours a day whether they all show up/leave early or not....

I would love to not have to type in all those individual times, once the procrastinating sets in, it becomes time consuming and frustrating...::

I also don't want to up my chances of an audit since my free time is very rare as it is...

Which is the better choice?

[TomCopeland]

Hours

The basic point is that whatever method you use to record hours, it must be accurate. Recording actual hours is more accurate than "hours open". But, I realize that many providers won't be recording actual hours on a regular basis throughout the year and will therefore want to use "hours open". If your hours open are fairly accurate then I wouldn't worry about this.

[legomom922]

But, I realize that many providers won't be recording actual hours on a regular basis throughout the year and will therefore want to use "hours open".

Why wouldn't a DCP record actual hrs anyway? Why would they want to use the hrs open? Is there a advantage? I feel like i am missing something here...

[marniewon]

Why wouldn't a DCP record actual hrs anyway? Why would they want to use the hrs open? Is there a advantage? I feel like i am missing something here...

My guess is that it's much easier to say I'm open from 6-6 m-f, so 12x5x52 is way easier than entering actual hours on a daily basis and adding it all up at the end of the year. That would be my take anyway.

[Abigail]

My guess is that if someone picks up a few hours early one day of the week, then they still count that "open hours" time because they'll make up those hours throughout the week cleaning. In the end, it's best to keep actual hours because 1. it's the right thing to do--2. you'll end up with close to or a lot more time if you do count all the after hours you work. Ultimately, if someone just claims the 10 hours a day they're open five days a week, they're being lazy to not record how long they clean, organize activities, and do meetings/phone calls after hours, etc.

HA HA, after I posted and checked again, Marniewon posted at the same time I did, but sumed it up better!

[marniewon]

My guess is that it's much easier to say I'm open from 6-6 m-f, so 12x5x52 is way easier than entering actual hours on a daily basis and adding it all up at the end of the year. That would be my take anyway.

Especially if you're like me, and didn't use any type of program to track hours worked all year long. I have my sign in sheets, and now will have to go through them for the entire year to add my actual hours. UGH!

[legomom922]

Ugh............I have to redo ALL of my expenses because I did them without the sales tax and I havent updated them since Aug...........

[Cat Herder]

Eh, I am going to use my Grandmas advice. "Just do the work, the easy way never got nobody anywhere." ::::

I just hope I am not losing out on tax return money I could have had otherwise, that is all.

I seem to have a way of always giving myself the short stick when it come to finances.

[TomCopeland]

Record Keeping

Abigail is correct. Hours open can be abused by providers whereas hours of attendance are entered more often and are more likely to be precise.

During this wonderful season of record keeping and tax preparation, let's remember that you will probably be earning more per hour doing record keeping than you earn per hour caring for children. Does that help?