Do you accept money from family when doing favors for them? (spouse, siblings)

[diddlydudette]

Here are a few examples. If you are the one doing the favor, would you accept money from a family member if they offered to pay you or would you help just because that's what family does....help each other out?

• Family member is ill or older and can't mow their yard, so you mow it during the summer or for a month if they are sick/injured.
• Family member isn't technical, but you are. They ask you to purchase a computer (their money) and to set it up for them....add software, add contacts, add anti-virus and whatever else it needs in order to get them going. They pay for everything, you just do the labor part of it. Same for a cell phone if asked.
• Family member had their car at the garage getting work done and needs a ride to take it and pick it up. Would you accept their money if they offered to pay for gas?
• Family member invites other family to go on their boat for a day. Family members offer to pay money for gas.
• Family member is an accountant and they do your taxes for you.
• Family member is a realtor and they help you find a house.

[imagardener]

I would not want money from family for casual expenses or small favors.
Having taxes done by professional family member they should pay reduced rate.
Realtor services can be negotiable depending on how much work done as agent, important to talk about it advance.

Setting up a computer? Life-long calls for help can be wearisome. Suggest they hire a pro and take a class, become self-sufficient. No amount of money can pay that.

[rrah]

I definitely would not take money in these situations:

Family member is ill or older and can't mow their yard, so you mow it during the summer or for a month if they are sick/injured.
Family member isn't technical, but you are. They ask you to purchase a computer (their money) and to set it up for them....add software, add contacts, add anti-virus and whatever else it needs in order to get them going. They pay for everything, you just do the labor part of it. Same for a cell phone if asked.
Family member had their car at the garage getting work done and needs a ride to take it and pick it up. Would you accept their money if they offered to pay for gas?
Family member invites other family to go on their boat for a day. Family members offer to pay money for gas.

These two are employment/professions and go beyond the usual chores.
Family member is an accountant and they do your taxes for you.--I would insist on paying them.
Family member is a realtor and they help you find a house.--They will get paid by the seller when the house closes.

[nicky91]

Professional task in my field yes. Other favors no.

[The Dissenter]

Would I accept the money? Hell yes! I'm taking out of my day to help you out. If you want to monetarily gift me, I sure as hell ain't declining it.

[AKtoWAtoUT]

In most cases, yes. One time I even argued with my uncle one time until he paid me for shoveling his roof.

My dad told me that my uncle would pay me $150 to shovel off his roof. Took me a couple hours, and my uncle came up to help for about 5 minutes, which he thought absolved him of any financial responsibility.

Didn't like him anyway, so it was the perfect way to never see him again.

[diddlydudette]

I was thinking more of sisters, brothers, parents or spouses. When thinking of those family members, I would never charge for anything. That's what family is for...to do for each other. Everyone looks out for each other and helps each other out. To me it's an insult if a close family member tries to pay me for a favor I do for them.

I do a favor for you and later if I need something, I know they will do the same for me. Heck, I would even do for close friends and not expect payment because I know they'd help me out if I needed something. I don't try to profit off family or close friends.

[germaine2626]

Originally Posted by nicky91

Professional task in my field yes. Other favors no.

I agree, while you may give a "family discount", possibly even a huge family discount, it is important to charge for professional work. In fact, in some fields there may even be a legal reason to have documentation that you sent a bill for your services (? doctor, ? pharmacist).

Look at it this way, if you normally charge customers $250 to do their taxes, and you don't charge your sister, pretty soon, you will be expected to do the taxes for all of your siblings, their adult children, your parents, etc. etc. year after year and you won't have time to do everyone else's taxes where you get paid.

Now, if you write a bill for your sister with the real cost $250 and then give her a family discount, she will know the true value of your time.

And, it may also depend on the time that you spent. There is big difference between spending an hour or two one time helping someone fix something at their house, and perhaps spending 100 hours preparing for and representing someone in a trial or weeks of work helping someone sell their house.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by diddlydudette

I was thinking more of sisters, brothers, parents or spouses. When thinking of those family members, I would never charge for anything. That's what family is for...to do for each other. Everyone looks out for each other and helps each other out. To me it's an insult if a close family member tries to pay me for a favor I do for them.

I do a favor for you and later if I need something, I know they will do the same for me. Heck, I would even do for close friends and not expect payment because I know they'd help me out if I needed something. I don't try to profit off family or close friends.

So why are you asking? Did someone insult you by offering you money?

[Wartrace]

Never. My family rarely asks for favors and when they do they need help. Charge them money for it?