--- title: The Real Cost of Hiring a Personal Assistant Yourself description: Considering hiring a personal assistant yourself? Here's the real cost, payroll tax, insurance, training, and what happens when they quit. image: https://www.queenoftodo.com/hubfs/Expert%20Articles.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/real-cost-hiring-personal-assistant-yourself#main-content) [![Queen of To Do "Life's hassles, handled." logo](https://www.queenoftodo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(28).png?width=1200&height=400&name=Untitled%20design%20(28).png)](https://www.queenoftodo.com) - [Plans](https://www.queenoftodo.com/plans) - [Services](https://www.queenoftodo.com/household-support) Show submenu for Services - [Comprehensive Services Lists](https://www.queenoftodo.com/total-lifestyle-management-discover-our-extensive-concierge-services) - [Home Manual](https://www.queenoftodo.com/manual) - [Household Support](https://www.queenoftodo.com/household-support) - [Laundry](https://www.queenoftodo.com/laundry) - [Errands](https://www.queenoftodo.com/errands) - [Relocation Concierge](https://www.queenoftodo.com/relocation) - [Holiday](https://www.queenoftodo.com/holiday-decor) - [FAQ](https://www.queenoftodo.com/faq) - [Our Company](https://www.queenoftodo.com/about) Show submenu for Our Company - [About Us](https://www.queenoftodo.com/about) - [Core Values](https://www.queenoftodo.com/values) - [Franchise Opportunities](https://www.queenoftodo.com/franchise) - [Referral Program](https://www.queenoftodo.com/queen-of-to-dos-referral-program) - [Book Kate as a Speaker](https://www.queenoftodo.com/book-kate-ginsberg-inspiring-keynotes-on-empowerment-balance) - [Client Case Studies](https://www.queenoftodo.com/clients) - [Blog](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog) - [Podcast](https://www.queenoftodo.com/podcast) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Plans](https://www.queenoftodo.com/plans) - [Services](https://www.queenoftodo.com/household-support) Show submenu for Services - [Comprehensive Services Lists](https://www.queenoftodo.com/total-lifestyle-management-discover-our-extensive-concierge-services) - [Home Manual](https://www.queenoftodo.com/manual) - [Household Support](https://www.queenoftodo.com/household-support) - [Laundry](https://www.queenoftodo.com/laundry) - [Errands](https://www.queenoftodo.com/errands) - [Relocation Concierge](https://www.queenoftodo.com/relocation) - [Holiday](https://www.queenoftodo.com/holiday-decor) - [FAQ](https://www.queenoftodo.com/faq) - [Our Company](https://www.queenoftodo.com/about) Show submenu for Our Company - [About Us](https://www.queenoftodo.com/about) - [Core Values](https://www.queenoftodo.com/values) - [Franchise Opportunities](https://www.queenoftodo.com/franchise) - [Referral Program](https://www.queenoftodo.com/queen-of-to-dos-referral-program) - [Book Kate as a Speaker](https://www.queenoftodo.com/book-kate-ginsberg-inspiring-keynotes-on-empowerment-balance) - [Client Case Studies](https://www.queenoftodo.com/clients) - [Blog](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog) - [Podcast](https://www.queenoftodo.com/podcast) - [Get started](https://form.typeform.com/to/TR4tC8mx?utm_source=website&utm_medium=header_button&utm_campaign=get_started) [Get started](https://form.typeform.com/to/TR4tC8mx?utm_source=website&utm_medium=header_button&utm_campaign=get_started) 8/14/26, 8:00 AM # The Real Cost of Hiring a Personal Assistant Yourself ![Picture of Queen of To Do](https://www.queenoftodo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%203xxxhdpi-1.png?width=50&name=Asset%203xxxhdpi-1.png) [Queen of To Do](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/author/queen-of-to-do) Share: [Share this page on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/real-cost-hiring-personal-assistant-yourself) [Share this page on Facebook](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/real-cost-hiring-personal-assistant-yourself) [Share this page on Facebook](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/real-cost-hiring-personal-assistant-yourself) [Share this page on Facebook](mailto:?body=https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/real-cost-hiring-personal-assistant-yourself) ![Expert Articles](https://www.queenoftodo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Expert%20Articles.png?width=1200&height=630&name=Expert%20Articles.png) We've covered [the ROI of hiring a personal assistant](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/link), what your own time is actually worth, and what it costs you not to have help. This is the other side: once you've decided help is worth it, what does it cost to get that help by hiring someone yourself instead of going through a company built for it? ## The Number You See vs. The Number You Pay |   | Hiring Directly | Through Queen of To Do | | --- | --- | --- | | Hourly rate | Lower on paper | Higher on paper | | Payroll tax setup | Your responsibility | Included | | Workers' comp | Your responsibility | Included | | Liability insurance | Your responsibility | Included | | Background check | Your cost, your research | Included | | Training | Your time | Included | | Coverage when they're sick or on vacation | None, unless you find it yourself | Built in | | Coverage when they quit | Back to square one | A teammate steps in | ## The Part Nobody Mentions When You Post the Job Listing Employing someone directly means you're now an employer. What that means is that now you are dealing with payroll tax obligations, workers' compensation, and liability if something goes wrong in your home while they're working. None of that is optional once someone is legally your employee. Layer on the background check, the interviews, and the training period. ## What Happens When They Quit Week 1: Your assistant gives notice. Week 2–4: You're back to posting a listing, screening candidates, running background checks. Week 5–8: A new hire starts. You're training them from zero. Meanwhile: everything they used to handle is back on your plate. We've seen this. Repeatedly. It's actually one of the more common reasons people come to us in the first place: the previous person who used to hold it together left, and they had no backup plan.   ![Issa Rae Assistant GIF by Insecure on HBO](https://www.queenoftodo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Issa%20Rae%20Assistant%20GIF%20by%20Insecure%20on%20HBO.gif?width=549&height=309&name=Issa%20Rae%20Assistant%20GIF%20by%20Insecure%20on%20HBO.gif) ## What Second Bill? With Queen of To Do, the higher hourly rate is the whole bill. That covers: insurance, background checks, training, and coverage. And when your assistant is out or moves on, we'll have someone on standby. Included in the first bill. ## Which Job Do You Actually Want? Which of these are you actually set up to manage: running a small HR department for one household employee, or paying a rate that already accounts for everything a direct hire would eventually cost you anyway? [![Kate Ginsberg, CEO and Founder of Queen of To Do](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/21849568/interactive-295678088921.png)](https://www.queenoftodo.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJBoLuvkA10NG%2Fji1Zh6g2WmZyAx0hHtEVVm79xoBbXgnpQKsvt0es%2F37GFBWhIg1DNzgd9TP1CBv6Y8sK5bEKvhs8jXzUtIkpUdLvK3fGAGpSSXwzJZI6copV%2BZBgLAhOsl9bQIn%2BE9EiufZzblWgdGDl6t50%2BcB5Y9i%2BEz1yMrM1%2FCrwfWMAv62rghot1cMHrk7%2FGtZHevYMV65jjP48jltIuSHti39ex0%2Blvdjk%2BSvmfZuz4zRsznahcDQWWX8%2BgQg%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=295678088921&portalId=21849568)   [home management](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/tag/home-management), [austin personal assistant](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/tag/austin-personal-assistant), [hiring a personal assistant](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/tag/hiring-a-personal-assistant), [W2 Personal Assistant](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/tag/w2-personal-assistant), [household employer costs](https://www.queenoftodo.com/blog/tag/household-employer-costs) ## 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