✚ cares-ai ← cares-ai home
Caregiver Money — new from cares-ai

Family caregiving is unpaid work.
In many states, it doesn't have to be.

Medicaid, VA, and state programs quietly pay family caregivers $40–$80 a day, hourly wages, or monthly stipends up to ~$3,300 — but the rules are a maze and the paperwork never stops. We map the programs, check what you may qualify for, and keep the care log the programs require.

Check what you qualify for — free 60-second quiz →

Three ways families get paid

  1. Structured Family Caregiving (11 states): a live-in family caregiver gets a daily stipend (~$40–$80/day) through a Medicaid-approved agency — Indiana, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota.
  2. Consumer-directed care (most states): the person needing care hires their own caregiver — often an adult child, sometimes a spouse — paid hourly for approved hours (California IHSS, New York CDPAP, Texas CDS, Florida PDO, and more).
  3. VA programs (nationwide): spouses and family of eligible veterans can receive a monthly stipend (PCAFC) or be hired through a veteran-directed budget (VDC) — federal VA funding, separate from Medicaid.

Pick your guide

Indiana~$50–$80/day Georgia~$50–$75/day Connecticut~$500+/week Massachusetts~$9k–$18k+/yr tax-free Louisianadaily stipend (varies) Missouridaily stipend or ~$13–$16/hr Nevadadaily stipend (varies) North Carolinadaily stipend (varies) Ohiodaily stipend (varies) Rhode Islanddaily stipend (varies) South Dakotadaily stipend (varies) California~$16–$20/hr (county-set) New York~$18–$23/hr downstate Texas~$10–$15/hr (CDS) Floridahourly (varies by plan) Veterans (all states)up to ~$3,300/mo (PCAFC) Parents of children with disabilitiesvaries by state

Don't see your state? Join the waitlist below and tell us where you are — state guides are being added in order of demand.

We'll find the money your family qualifies for

cares-ai is building a Caregiver Money companion: answer a few questions, see every program you may qualify for (Medicaid, VA, tax credits), and keep the care log these programs require — in one place. Join the waitlist and we'll email you when your state's guide is ready.

✓ You're on the list — we'll email you when your guide and eligibility checker are ready. No spam, ever.

Free to join. We never sell your email. Unsubscribe anytime.

Common questions

Is it really possible to get paid to care for a family member?

Yes. Medicaid programs in most states, VA programs nationwide, and several state programs pay family caregivers — as a daily stipend (roughly $40–$80/day in structured family caregiving states), hourly wages (consumer-directed programs like California's IHSS or New York's CDPAP), or a monthly VA stipend. Eligibility rules are strict and paperwork-heavy, which is why most eligible families never collect.

Which states pay the most?

Connecticut's Adult Family Living stipend (~$500+/week) and the VA's PCAFC stipend (up to ~$3,300/month for high-need cases) are among the strongest. California's IHSS pays county-set hourly wages and is the largest program in the country.

Can a spouse be a paid caregiver?

In some programs, yes — California IHSS, Florida's Participant Direction Option, Indiana's Structured Family Caregiving, and VA programs allow spouses in many cases. Most other Medicaid programs exclude spouses but allow adult children and other relatives.

What's the catch?

Documentation. Every program requires assessments, daily care notes, timesheets, or electronic visit verification — and payments get delayed or denied when records slip. That documentation layer is exactly what cares-ai is building.

Heads-up on timing: federal Medicaid funding changes passed in 2025 mean states are reviewing home-care budgets through 2026–2027. Programs, rates, and waitlists can shift — get enrolled or waitlisted early, and keep documentation airtight.