Will I lose disability if I get paid to care for my mother?

My brother gets disability payments and also got paid (a little) for doing my mother's laundry and cleaning. He has gone on to do limited caregiving for others.

I think there is a lot of "it depends" involved in this answer. You best bet is to talk it over with your disability case worker. My brother's case worker encouraged him to do some work within his abilities and for limited hours.

Munelmo, who would be paying you for the caregiving? If you could do even small part of what they are eligible for, such as housekeeping help, and not lose your disability that would be a little extra money for you, comforting for you family to have you do some tasks, and (hopefully) not too big a burden for you.

Talk to your case worker!

(And I am so sorry about your mother and brother. This must be a very stressful time for you.)

Munelmo, are you on SSI or Social Security Disability? The effect of having income is different for each program. You can and are encouraged to work while on SSD. See the Ticket to Work program. What is the nature of your disability? Would your disabled status vome into question? Why not use the benefits of your family's benefit programs to get aid in the household rathervthan do it yourself and complicate your finances?

The reason for getting disability benefits is that you are too ill to work anywhere. You could lie about getting paid for caregiving, but if social security finds out, you will have to pay back your already paid benefits. If your mother can pay and your brother can pay, then let them pay someone else...

Working while on SSD means light duty. Caregiving will become very physically demanding as your mother and brother decline. How can you be disabled and transfer either of them? Being a caregiver is strenuous on able bodied people. How can you be disabled and help execute all the necessary activities of daily living for two additional people?

Sorry. I was going to add to that but got distracted and have since lost my train of thought. If the train passes by again I finish. Senior moment?!!!

My bro in law is on SSDI for traumatic brain injury, and believe me he needs it. Very bad car accident where he lost his son. However, he is allowed to work, but only part time. Caregiving is work, but depending on your state, you need to find out XX amount of dolars and XX amount of hours you are allowed to work and still keep your own SSDI.

Christine, paying under the table can backfire upon the family member who needs the care, especially when the time comes that the person needs Medicaid to help pay for a continuing care facility. Buying a care, paying someone else's rent/mortgage would be considered "gifting" by Medicaid.

And what if that kind soul doing the caregiving becomes hurt on the job [not unusual for that to happen], will the homeowner's policy help cover? It might not, unless there is a "workman's comp" rider attached to the homeowner's policy.... but the caregiver would have to show proof he or she was an "employee".

If you are paid by medicaid or medicare on a waiver demonstration, and through a caregiver agency and your mother lives in the same residence, that wage is a vendor payment as is excludable from Federal Income tax and SNAP benefits.
Search IRS Bulletin 2014-7 and
CFR 273.9 - Income and deductions. see sub. (E vi)

I feel I am qualified to answer this question since a) I am disabled. and b) I take care of my mom 24/7. In the last month, that has changed somewhat. My mom is qualified for a program here in CT called CCCI. I forgot what the initials mean, but it has been a life saver for me and my mental help. The state pays 91% per hour for a qualified person to come to my mom's part of the house and Mom and I pay 9%. If you do the math on that: An agency usually wants $20 an hour for a person who can help with meals, bathing, dressing, light housekeeping, and being good company for a 92 year old woman. (conversation, puzzles, watching Family Feud and shouting out answers, going for walks when it is not 7 degrees outside.)
The state program pays about $18 and that leaves $2/hour for me and mom. Right now I use the help two hours in the AM and two hours in the PM three days a week. It is a nice break for me and I can be more her daughter then her caregiver these 12 hours a week.
You ask how can I qualify for disability AND take great care of my mom? Easy. My mom is not my "employer". She knows I will leave the room when she is difficult. She knows that sometimes I will go for a walk as long is she is comfortable in her chair and not going to get up and do her leg exercises without me or Vera. Although she obviously wants me 24/7, she understands that for me to take care of her, I need to put myself first. (proper eating, sleeping, taking my meds, and seeing my doctors). Just like a stressed out mom. If a mom always puts her kids first, before herself.... the whole family unit falls apart. There is a middle place to look for. An employer would not allow me to go outside when ever I wanted, or sleep next to her in another chair for the whole day, (available to wake up in a second if she needs the applesauce top opened.)
For four hours a day, three times a week, Vera comes into her part of the house. She is an angel. WE picked her. Not anyone else in our family that knows nothing about our situation. WE pay her, not family money that my mom does not want to touch. WE are in charge of our own future.
Some of you on this site might know of our troubles in 2013 and 2014. Once again, I will strongly suggest to have lawyers and outside people involved when family does not agree on how to care for elderly parents. yes. I am disabled. yes. I might have to rest for days at a time. Yes. I am the best person for the "job" of caring for our mom until she passes. yes. I have my "own life". The man I am dating knows that our time together will always be at my place, and not his. He understands that we might need to pause the TV show if my mom needs me to fix the phone. (not broken, mom just put the receiver back on the cradle backwards).
My mom has income. A pension and social security. We get by together. We communicate. She knows my limits. An employer would have a hard time paying me for what I can do and can't do.

I hope this long response has helped in explaining to people how a person can do a GREAT job taking care of a family member and also be disabled in regards to the state. I take A LOT of crap from society when it comes to discrimination for having a mental illness. Never in my life did I imagine I was going to have to take even more CRAP from my two older brothers. I often wonder how they can sleep at night.....

Bless your heart foxmolder! I have a friend with RA taking care if her mother who has Ca, COPD, and beginnibg stages of dementia. She gets exhausted and some days it is difficult for her to help her with meals.i will look into the programs u mentioned. Thank you. I totally understand how one can be disabled and be a primary caregiver.