Hi there. I have quite a few questions. My parents are getting to that age where they will need care. They already live in my house, which I own. I have seen online that the way to be a paid caregiver for family is that you have to get training and actually be hired by a home care agency. My first question is, after completing training, why can't family directly hire me? Why must I be working for an agency? I might be misunderstanding, but this is what I have read. My second question is, how invasive are the home assessments? How much of my own privacy gets invaded in this process of becoming a paid home caregiver? Besides a criminal background check and occasionally inspecting my home, are my personal financial documents asked for? I just want to know the process so I can prepare myself and have clarity in the decision making process. Please any explanations or shared experiences will be helpful. I see this as the next major part of my life I am trying to plan for. I am an only child, so it is up to me. Thank you all so much.
How States Are Implementing the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNRpy4oNPT0
”home care”, certifications, “ family health providers”. Or contact your local department of aging or look up information on a career website.
hope you find this information helpful.
Also, when people reach "social security age" they are not suddenly pardoned from paying US taxes. Where did you get that faulty information? My husband and I are "social security age" and have been for some time. We pay taxes on our social security benefits, pensions, other income, etc. etc. The money we (and everyone else in the United States who pays taxes) contribute via the IRS keeps this country running.
There's no free lunch. Pay your share of taxes.
However, I encourage you to see an accountant who can guide you through the payroll process. If you end up working for your parents for years, with no reportable income, and no tax deductions, you will cheat yourself out of Social Security credits for your future. It's also very hard to get a loan when you have no reported income. Working directly for your parents, either you will be paying self employment taxes, or your parents will be paying employer taxes plus state unemployment and worker's comp insurance.
I worked years at an accounting firm before quitting work to stay home and take care of my bedridden husband. Unless you have experience with self-employment taxes, it really pays to have an accountant or payroll service manage that for you!
I think you are referring to Medicaid's Home and Community Based Services, which will pay a family member or anyone chosen by the recipient to provide certain care services in the member's home.
While Medicaid is a Federally funded program, Every state has it's own rules and requirements for distributing those payments. So, it depends where you live.
I am currently in Arizona, where training and certification are required to work for an In-Home Care Agency. There is no reason your parents can't pay you directly, if they have the funds. You shouldn't need to complete any training for your parents to hire you, although it would be helpful to prepare you for things you haven't seen or done before.
In Arizona, the Medicaid HCBS program only pays a caregiver working through a contracted agency provider. The agency I work for is great! They provide and pay for all the training, First Aid and CPR certification.
It was a little different when we lived in Minnesota before moving to Arizona. But, similarly, I had to be employed through a Fiscal Management Service provider. The contracted company which pays you, bills to Medicaid for the services, then pays you through payroll. You, as an individual, are not able to bill Medicaid directly for providing care services to your family. So, that answers why you need to be working through an agency.
Also be aware that your parents must be eligible, financially and medically, to qualify for Medicaid Home and Community Based Services. You can talk to your local county Health And Human Services representative to find out more.
After you complete the process of getting your parents approved for Medicaid paid services, if you live in the Phoenix area, pm me and I will refer you to an agency. They will provide the necessary training for you to be employed.
Another option is a private caregiver contract where your parents pay you directly from their savings, which keeps the government and agencies out of your personal business. This way, you can avoid the invasive home inspections and financial disclosures that come with state-funded programs, while still getting compensated for your time.
What income do your parents have now? Did they sell a house to move in with you and if so, do they have the money still or has it been spent? Are they contributing to your household expenses since moving in with you?
Your parents will have to be Medicaid eligible for ihss to even apply. If it does, the state will likely pay you local minimum wage for 40 hours max. There is no overtime, and there are no benefits.