Get paid to care for your family member in Massachusetts
You're already doing the work. Massachusetts has programs that can pay you for it.
Key facts
- Program
- Adult Foster Care (AFC) program
- Typical pay
- a tax-free stipend commonly reported between roughly $9,000 and $18,000+/year based on care level
- Spouses?
- No — spouses and legal guardians are excluded from MA Adult Foster Care. Adult children and other relatives can be paid.
- Live-in required?
- Yes — caregiver and care recipient must share a home.
How it works
Massachusetts' Adult Foster Care (AFC) program pays a live-in family caregiver a tax-free stipend for daily hands-on care, funded through MassHealth. Two care levels set the stipend amount. An AFC agency provides a nurse and case manager who visit regularly — and the daily care log you keep is a core program requirement.
Steps to get started
- Confirm MassHealth (Medicaid) eligibility for your loved one.
- You must live in the same home (yours or theirs).
- Enroll through a MassHealth-approved AFC agency.
- Keep daily care notes; expect monthly nurse/case-manager visits.
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 as soon as the Massachusetts eligibility checker opens.
Common questions
Can spouses be paid caregivers in Massachusetts?
No — spouses and legal guardians are excluded from MA Adult Foster Care. Adult children and other relatives can be paid.
How much does it pay?
Adult Foster Care (AFC) program pays a tax-free stipend commonly reported between roughly $9,000 and $18,000+/year based on care level. Exact amounts depend on assessed care level and current program rates — treat published figures as estimates until confirmed in writing.
Do I have to live with the person I care for?
Yes — this program requires the caregiver and care recipient to share a home.
What documentation is required?
Nearly every caregiver-pay program requires ongoing documentation — daily care notes, timesheets or electronic visit verification, and periodic assessments. Missing or sloppy records are the #1 reason payments get delayed or clawed back. (Keeping this record effortless is exactly what cares-ai is building.)