A discreet planning framework for moving a household from Abu Dhabi to Miami, separating staff authorization, employee classification, federal and Florida payroll obligations, and residence-vendor readiness.
For a family rebasing from Abu Dhabi to Miami, continuity means more than bringing familiar people into a new home. It requires separate decisions about who may work, who employs them, how they are paid, and who controls access to the residence. Those decisions deserve the same attention as the property itself.
The objective is a settled household that does not depend on informal arrangements. Appoint one transition lead-a family-office representative or household manager-and maintain separate employment, payroll and vendor files. This is a recommended organizational framework, not a substitute for jurisdiction-specific legal advice.
For a Brickell buyer considering Una Residences Brickell, the operational question extends beyond whether the residence suits the family: can the proposed staffing model work within the property's confirmed access and service arrangements? Ask before committing to an operating plan.
Treat departure obligations and future U.S. employment as distinct workstreams. Ask Abu Dhabi counsel to establish what must be resolved under each existing arrangement, while U.S. immigration counsel evaluates any proposed employment in Miami. A trusted employee cannot be assumed to transfer simply because the family is relocating.
Before scheduling work, obtain individual advice on authorization. Completing Form I-9 verifies identity and employment authorization; it does not create permission to work or establish a transfer pathway.
Household employers generally must complete Form I-9 for regular domestic employees. A limited exception applies to domestic services that are sporadic, irregular or intermittent. Do not equate a short weekly schedule with that exception without reviewing the actual arrangement.
The transition file should identify each person's proposed role, anticipated start date, authorization-review status and responsible adviser. Keep sensitive employment documents separate from information shared with residence management. Prepare a contingency staffing plan so the household's arrival does not depend on an unresolved authorization decision.
A worker is generally a household employee when the family controls both what work is done and how it is performed. Calling someone an independent contractor does not override that relationship.
By contrast, a genuinely self-employed service provider controls how the service is delivered. Apply this distinction before deciding whether someone belongs on payroll or in the vendor-payment system. An invoice alone does not resolve classification.
For every proposed role, document:
The duties and who directs their performance.
The intended schedule and reporting relationship.
Whether the worker or household controls how services are delivered.
The classification decision and any questions requiring professional review.
This exercise is especially useful when a household combines recurring personal service with occasional specialist work. A familiar job title does not determine treatment. Review the working relationship, then align the contract and payment process with it.
Federal household-employer obligations can include Social Security, Medicare and federal unemployment tax. Assess these separately from Florida reemployment tax. Have the payroll adviser confirm the applicable tax-year thresholds and treatment before the first payment.
Federal income-tax withholding follows a different rule: household employers generally do not have to withhold it, but may do so when the employee requests withholding and the employer agrees. That choice does not eliminate separate Social Security and Medicare obligations.
For the practical setup, agree on the employing party, pay schedule, wage terms, payroll administrator and process for recording work. Ask the adviser to document required registrations, filings and payment responsibilities. Do not assume a payroll service automatically handles every obligation.
Before payroll begins, review a sample calculation with the employee so gross pay, deductions and net pay are understood. Have the appropriate adviser review working terms and insurance needs separately; tax setup is not a complete employment-compliance review.
Florida's domestic-employer reemployment-tax threshold is at least $1,000 in cash wages in any calendar quarter of the current or preceding year for covered domestic services. These include maids, cooks, chauffeurs and caretakers. The threshold is not an annual allowance for each worker.
The new-employer rate is 2.7%, applied to the first $7,000 of wages paid to each employee in a calendar year. Confirm the household's applicable rate and current rules before finalizing the budget. Florida reemployment tax is employer-paid and must not be deducted from employees' wages.
The standard quarterly wage report is Form RT-6. Qualifying domestic employers may elect annual wage reporting and contribution payments, generally due January 31, subject to statutory requirements. Annual reporting is an eligibility-based election; it is not automatic for a private household.
Ask the payroll administrator to confirm the appropriate filing route and current filing system, then assign responsibility for monitoring deadlines. Keep federal and state obligations distinct in the household budget, even if one provider administers both.
Vendor readiness deserves its own checklist. For each independent provider, consider documenting the scope, pricing approval, scheduling contact, access permissions and completion sign-off. Insurance certificates, written contracts and access controls are recommended diligence measures here, not universal legal requirements.
For a Miami Beach purchase under consideration at The Perigon Miami Beach, ask the property's representatives which procedures would govern outside service providers. Confirm arrangements for deliveries, service access and work scheduling rather than assuming them. These are questions for the specific residence, not statements about that project's policies.
Apply the same discipline when considering Park Grove Coconut Grove in Coconut Grove. Request the relevant residence-management information and build the vendor plan around confirmed procedures. Neither an address nor a residential brand replaces written clarification of who can enter, when, and with whose approval.
Share only the information necessary for a vendor's assignment. As an operational recommendation, designate one person to approve access changes and withdraw permissions when an engagement ends.
A 60-90-day planning window can provide a useful structure, but it is neither a statutory timetable nor a promise that immigration matters will be resolved within it. Begin with departure advice, authorization review and role classification. Follow with payroll setup and residence-specific vendor coordination.
Before arrival, review whether each work arrangement is ready, the first payroll has been checked, and vendor access has been confirmed. Keep unresolved items visible, each with a named decision-maker and a contingency plan. The final handover should leave the family with clear responsibilities, not a collection of disconnected contacts.
For a considered approach to your South Florida residence search, explore MILLION.
If branded residences are on your mind — as a home or as an allocation — we would be glad to share what we are seeing, privately.
Begin a quiet conversationDo not assume an automatic transfer. Obtain separate advice on Abu Dhabi departure obligations and each person's authorization to work in the United States.
A worker is generally a household employee when the family controls both what work is done and how it is performed. An independent-contractor label does not override the actual relationship.
No. Classification depends on the working relationship, including who controls how services are delivered, rather than the payment format alone.
Household employers generally must complete Form I-9 for regular domestic employees. A limited exception applies to domestic services that are sporadic, irregular or intermittent.
No. It verifies identity and employment authorization; it does not create authorization or establish an immigration pathway.
The threshold is at least $1,000 in cash wages in any calendar quarter of the current or preceding year for covered domestic services.
The listed new-employer rate is 2.7%, applied to the first $7,000 of each employee's annual wages. Confirm the applicable rate and current rules before budgeting.
No. It is an employer-paid tax, and deductions from employees' wages for it are prohibited.
Qualifying domestic employers may elect annual wage reporting and contribution payments, generally due January 31, subject to statutory requirements. The standard quarterly wage report is Form RT-6.
Generally, no, but withholding is permitted when the employee requests it and the employer agrees. Social Security and Medicare obligations must be assessed separately.
