Can You/Do You Require Late Fees In CASH?

[Crazy8]

I am really cracking down on late fees. I created a little form that says the time they arrived, the late fee and they have to sign it. I want payment in cash when they arrive, if they don't have it (I don't want them being even later to stop for cash!) they will have to bring it the next morning or I will not accept the child. I am getting super firm on this.

Can I require this payment be in cash only? Normally they pay their tuition by check. I assume I have to claim this as part of their payments each week??

[Cat Herder]

I want payment in cash when they arrive, if they don't have it they will have to bring it the next morning or I will not accept the child.

Can I require this payment be in cash only?

I assume I have to claim this as part of their payments each week??

I do ($1 a minute) and yes, you absolutely can.

I went from 1 late a month to 1 late per child enrollment (typically 4 years) this way. Well worth it. You only have to be tough once per family....well, usually. ::::::

I do add the "fee" to their receipts (MMK statements), and my taxable income . Usually I just buy a book or something with it for the daycare (for the full write off). It all balances out.

[Cradle2crayons]

Yep, yep, and yep

I charge cash, the parents already know how much it's going to cost them.

I require they hit the ATM in the way and it only takes 2 minutes. And they pay for the 2 minutes it takes to hit at danged ATM too .

I don't accept excuses.

But I will say this. I have a mom who lives an hour from here. She drives her kids an hour here and then goes back towards home 45 minutes from here to work. She works double shifts and two different jobs. She's an awesome mother. And a single mother at that. I do a lot for her and her kids. I do a lot for all, but this family is very special. I take the dcg to doctors appointments and PT, ST sometimes as well. When dcg is inpatient I stay with them at night if I'm able so mom can take a break. I would do ANYTHING for this family. WHY? Because they don't expect me to. Se never asks. Ad she doesn't expect "special".

She does pay late fees the few times its happened.

One time a few months ago, we were under a state wide burn ban. She was on the way home from work mid day and four fires had broken out in the medians of the highway. Traffic was backed up for miles in every direction and all alternate routes were the same. She was 30 minutes late for pick up. She had cash in hand for the late fee. She didn't say what happened. She had already texted saying she was running late. I knew what had happened.

I told her it wasn't her fault and I didn't take her money. The next day I went out to my car to take the kids to school. There was an envelope from her in my car with the money in it. It was obvious she was insistent I was taking that money .

So I took that money and bought dcg some new outfits and a pack of cute earrings .

Then that day right before pick up, I ripped all the tags off the clothes so she couldn't return them, and put a new pair of earrings in dcg. Wasn't much mom could do about that .

We still joke about it.

But to finish up my ramble. There's nothing wrong with asking for cash for a late fee, even if they pay by check.

For instance, if you bounce a check, they make you pay that fee in cash. I know not the same but just saying.

And yes, even though its a late fee, it's still income.

[Unregistered]

littlemissmuffet here...

I charge cash ONLY for everything - monthly childcare fees, late pick up fees, late payment fees, etc. Late pick ups are charged at $1/minute - due at pick up in cash only. I will not accept the child back into care until the late fee is paid in full.