Caregivers Should Consider These Tax Breaks

Caring for a spouse or a parent can be stressful emotionally and financially, but there are a number of tax breaks that you could benefit from.

A woman pushes a man sitting in a wheelchair.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

There are plenty of ups and downs if you’re caring for an elderly parent, disabled spouse or another adult family member. On the one hand, making a loved one’s life better can be rewarding. On the other, the time and effort it takes can wear you down. There are financial costs as well. For instance, you may be paying all or part of a family member’s medical or daily living expenses. Plus, you might be losing income because you can’t work—or work a full schedule—while caring for them.

Some organizations will help you cope with the emotional toll of caregiving. But what about assistance with the financial impact? That’s where Uncle Sam steps in with a collection of federal tax breaks, some of which have been enhanced for this year. You won’t necessarily qualify for each one, but you should at least check them all out. Here are the basics.

Rocky Mengle

Rocky Mengle was a Senior Tax Editor for Kiplinger from October 2018 to January 2023 with more than 20 years of experience covering federal and state tax developments. Before coming to Kiplinger, Rocky worked for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting, and Kleinrock Publishing, where he provided breaking news and guidance for CPAs, tax attorneys, and other tax professionals. He has also been quoted as an expert by USA Today, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Reuters, Accounting Today, and other media outlets. Rocky holds a law degree from the University of Connecticut and a B.A. in History from Salisbury University.