Financial Information
Average Cost of Child Care
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Range of Costs(per week) for Child Care in Nassau County |
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Type of Care |
*Range |
Mean |
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Infants (6 weeks-18 months) |
$195-410/$936-$2001 |
$308/$1328/$15,936 |
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Toddlers (19 months-35months) |
$140-385/$500-$1842 |
$282/$1157/$13,884 |
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Pre-School (3-5 year olds) |
$135-340/$500-$1606 |
$253/$1035/$12,420 |
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Infants (6 weeks- 23months) |
$150-400/$680-$1350 |
$255/$1077/$12,840 |
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Toddlers (2 year olds) |
$150-365/$400-$1350 |
$246/$992/$11,904 |
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Pre-School (3-5 year olds) |
$125-350/$430-$1350 |
$240/$1005/$12,060 |
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Before School |
$160-$450 monthly |
$290 monthly |
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After School |
$175-$530 monthly |
$342 monthly |
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***Before School(School-Age Programs) |
$99-$228 monthly |
$179 monthly |
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*** After School (School-Age Programs) |
$80-$550 monthly |
$272 monthly |
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Each year, Child Care Council contacts child care centers and family child care homes to update the information we have in our database. From that survey, we can compute the average cost of child care in Nassau County. Keep in mind, however, that we do not get a high level of response AND Nassau County is a complicated and economically diverse county so there is a wide range in the cost of child care.
Summer programs range from free for a community-based program through over $450 a week for a fully-equipped sports/recreational day camp.
*As some programs charge by the month and some by the week, the range of weekly and monthly fees do not necessarily coincide. When too few programs reported weekly fees, we included monthly fees only.
**Family and Group Family fees are negotiable
***This care takes place in registered school-age programs(either in school buildings or stand-alone programs.)
Financial Resources and Benefits
No one is ever prepared for the high cost of child care. Although fees vary greatly, you should expect to spend 10% to 20% of your gross income on child care. Child care, along with housing, food and taxes, is a major family expense. In addition to weekly fees, some programs charge more for transportation, meals, and trips. Some impose penalties for late payments, and most will expect payment even if a child is absent. Be certain you understand exactly what the fees include. It’s wise to ask when fees were last raised and by how much; that can help you to anticipate future fee increases.
Read below to learn about several financial resources and benefits that are available to help families manage the high cost of child care.
1. Income Eligibility Standards for Child Care Subsidy
Subsidized child care assistance is provided by the Nassau County Department of Social Services for the following reasons: to enable a parent or caretaker to work or engage in work-related activities; to enable a teen parent or caretaker to attend high school or equivalent training; because a parent or caretaker is physically or mentally incapacitated; or because family duties away from home necessitate a parent caretaker relative's absence.
TO APPLY: Please call the Nassau County Department of Social Services/Day Care Unit at 516-277-7976.
Eligibility effective 06/01/2021
Family Size Annual Income
Family of 2……….....…….................. $34,840
Family of 3……………………………..$43,920
Family of 4……………………………..$53,000
Family of 5……………………………..$62,080
Family of 6……………………………..$71,160
Family of 7……………………………..$80,240
Family of 8……………………………..$89,320
Each additional family member add $ 9,080.00 per person annually/Cada miembro adicional de la familia agrega $ 4,080.00 por persona anualmente.
2. Fiscal Year 2019 Federal and State Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
The Earned Income Credit Tax Credit is a refundable tax benefit offered by the federal government. NYS also has a refundable EITC of 30% of a qualifying taxpayer’s federal EITC. The federal and state EITC are for working people who earn low or moderate incomes. They have several purposes: to reduce taxes for these workers, to supplement wages, and to make work more attractive than welfare. The combined federal and state EITC credit may be worth up to $6,239.
Workers who qualify for the EITC can get back some or all the income tax that was taken out of their pay during the year. They may also get extra cash back from the IRS and from NYS if their EITC is worth more than the taxes they owe.
| EITC Eligibility | Earned IncomeLess Than: | Claim an EIC up to: |
| Families with 3 or more qualifying children | $50,162 ($55,952 MFJ)* |
$6,557 |
| Families with 2 Qualifying children | $46,703 ($52,492 MFJ)* |
$5,828 |
| Families with 1 qualifying child | $41,094 ($46,010 MFJ)* |
$3,526 |
MFJ: Married Filing Jointly
How to Apply
For the Federal EITC:
Workers raising children 2014 must file either Form 1040 or 1040A and must fill out and attach Schedule EIC. Workers with children cannot get the federal EITC if they file Form 1040EZ or fail to attach Schedule EIC with their return to get the EITC. Married workers must file a joint return to get the EITC.
Workers who were not raising children in 2015 can file any tax form - including the 1040EZ. These workers write "EIC" (for the dollar amount of their credit) on the Earned Income Credit line on the tax form. They should not file Schedule EIC.
For the State EITC:
Workers claiming the state EITC must have filed for the federal EITC. They must also complete NY State's Form IT-215, Claim for Earned Income Credit and attach it to their state income tax return.
Workers don't have to calculate their own EITC. If they choose, both the IRS and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will do it for them OR to find out where you can get FREE assistance with your tax return, call the Health & Welfare Council of LI at 483-1110.
3. Federal and State Child and Dependent Care Credit
The federal Child & Dependent Care Credit is a special tax benefit for working people who pay for child or dependent care. Qualifying families can get back some or all of the federal taxes taken out of their paychecks during the year. New York’s Child & Dependent Care Credit is even more valuable. Eligible families get extra cash back from NYS if their Child & Dependent Care Credit is worth more than the state taxes they owe. Even workers whose earnings are too small to have paid State taxes can get the NYS Child & Dependent Care Credit. Although it is most beneficial to families earning up to $50,000, all families with out-of-pocket expenses for child care benefit from the credit. This credit may be worth up to $3,000 for one child ($6,000 for 2 or more children) from the federal C&DCC and up to $2,100 from the NYS C&DCC.
4. Child Tax Credit
The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a refundable tax benefit offered by the federal government for taxpayers raising dependent children under the age of 17 and may be worth up to 1,000 per child. it may be used to reduce/eliminate a taxpayer's federal tax liability and can provide cash back to the taxpayer after any federal taxes are paid.
TO APPLY: To get the Child Tax Credit, workers must either file form 1040 or 1040A and attach the Child Tax Credit worksheet. If the CTC eliminates their income tax, they must complete Form 8112, "Additional Child Tax Credit", to determine if they qualify for an additional refund.
5. Employer Programs
Many employers provide special programs to help families with child care costs. Ask your Human Resource Department if they provide any of the following programs:
- Dependent Care Spending Account: Money is set aside from an employee's gross salary into a nontaxable spending account to pay for child care. Neither the employer nor the employee pays taxes on the amount of salary reduced for child care. The employee is thus able to pay for child care expenses with tax-free dollars.
- Flexible Spending Plans: Also called a "cafeteria plan", these programs allow employers to offer a range of benefits. Employees choose from a menu of benefits and customize their benefits package. For example, some employees may have health insurance provided by a spouse's employer and may choose a child care benefit instead.
- Child Care Vouchers or Reimbursements: An employer may offer workers a child care allowance or subsidy that families can use toward a child care arrangement of their choice.
6. Additional Programs
Child Health Plus (CHP): a health insurance plan for children under 19 not eligible for Medicaid with no other health insurance. The program is open to all NYS residents, regardless of income/employment.
To Apply: To obtain information on insurance carriers in the region who offer CHP, and to find out if you are eligible, call the Health & Welfare Council of LI at 516-483-1110 ext.428 or visit www.health.ny.gov/
Medicaid: a federal/state health insurance program for individuals and families who can not afford to pay for medical care. To be eligible for Medicaid, you must be a NYS resident and meet income eligibility guidelines and limitations on assets.
To Apply: Obtain an application form through Nassau County Department of Social Services. Bring proof of identity for all household members, income sources and amounts, citizen support payments you've received (if any), and information regarding your household expenses.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): formerly known as Food Stamp Program, SNAP is a federal program to help working or unemployed families and individuals to meet their food needs. SNAP benefits can be used like money at most places to buy food. Eligibility is based on income and financial resources. Any US citizen and certain cases of legal aliens may receive SNAP benefits.
| Houshold Size | Monthly Gross Income | |||
| 2 | ..........$1,726 | |||
| 3 | ..........$2,177 | |||
| 4 |
...........$2,021 |
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Each additional member
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.........+ $451 | |||
To Apply: Call the Nassau County Department of Social Services at 516-227-8093 or the Health & Welfare Council of LI at 516-483-1110 ext.431.