See I don't think I am counted as unemployed as a homemaker. But I would like to get a job. The only thing is after childcare, transportation, clothing and other job related expenses it would be like operating a business at a loss. I am looking into doing more pickup work for extra cash. I am not so interested in childcare the liability vs the self-employed tax is so bad it isn't worth it.
You're not counted, you're exempt - for the purposes of their numbers. At least, the way I understand it. The workforce is defined by the process of elimination. You have an agreement in your household as a homemaker, as do many people. Thats a huge number they're not likely to overlook or factor into the formula.
When I was married, we went round 'n round about her working. It wasn't really necessary, but it helped and if the perfect gig could be found, she'd take it for a while. Usually it was more trouble than it was worth, and between daycare and taxes, and miscellaneous expenses like lunch and wardrobe and car, would amount to peanuts after those overhead expenses. Wasn't worth it to uproot the kids and runrunrun like a dog for a measly hundred bucks a week - maybe less- after all was accounted for.
But now, things have changed. Her status has changed. Her participation in the workforce is mandatory for survival. I take no pleasure in that.
Never overlook the power of the invisible elephant in the room, welfare. Just as mentioned above, it often seems the minimal return after taxes is less than she could get if she worked the system and signed up for every benefit she's eligible for. Its not really a lazy thing, its an economic consideration. She, and a lot of single moms in the same boat, know perfectly well they'd be rewarded with a better quality of life if they
didn't work. Fed, state and local taxes, S.S. Those deductions are a terrible encroachment on her wages.
If they wanted to make working worth more than welfare, they could do it. But I'm convinced they don't want to, because its a morass that creates government jobs a-plenty. Between the huge number of additional IRS employees needed for the people at low wages, welfare case workers, section-8 people, project housing people, and the trillions in taxes filtered through all those organizations... Its the biggest ponzi in the world.