Pros and Cons of Hiring Your Spouse in Your Dental Practice

Many people enjoy keeping their personal lives and their work lives separate, which it totally normal. You need a break from work and a break from home as well. However, other people find the prospect of working alongside family to be very appealing, both personally and professionally. Dentists are no exception to this. In fact, it’s very common for the spouse or children of a dentist to have jobs working in the dental office.

There really isn’t a solid answer to the question of whether it’s a good idea to hire family in your office. It depends on your own personal preferences and relationships. However, there are a few pros and cons you should consider before making the hire, and that list is below:

Pros

• Social Security savings: In addition to your spouse making extra income for your household, they will also be making payments into Social Security. Based on the amount of time they spend working, the benefits could be high.
• Child-care tax credit: Any children you have enrolled in daycare or after school programs will allow you to be eligible for a tax credit. However, this credit would only be valid if both of the child’s parents were employed. Employing your spouse could help you reach eligibility for this credit, saving you money.
• Peace of mind: Hiring your spouse would help you avoid the process of hiring a new employee to do the same work. Not only could this save you money, but it would allow you some peace of mind in knowing exactly who you’re hiring and their dependability and work ethic.

Cons

• Possibility of conflict: Hiring your spouse won’t guarantee that drama will be caused, but it is a possibility you need to consider. Hiring your spouse will change the dynamic of your office, not always in a positive way. Make sure you’re sensitive to the feelings of your other employees.
• Keeping things separate: If you’re having conflict with your spouse at home, you cannot take that conflict to work with you and vice versa. If you don’t think you can successfully keep home and work issues separate, it might not be a good decision to hire your spouse.

Think carefully before making any final decisions. The choices you make for your practice will be some of the most important you ever make. For help with these decisions, feel free to contact Dental Bookkeeping – we want you to be as successful and profitable as you can be!

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