Caregiver tax credits are overdue

There is a reckoning coming.

Massachusetts, like the rest of the country, is growing older.

While it is certainly good news that Bay State residents are living longer lives, the uncomfortable, inevitable fact remains that with longevity comes infirmity. Older residents require more medical care, and more help with daily living.

In the vast majority of cases, that care falls on family members — spouses, children and grandchildren. And the emotional, physical and financial burden of providing that care is weighing heavily on generations of residents. It affects businesses, as well.

“Many people have to quit their jobs in order to care for somebody, and that not only affects their income but their retirement benefits, and then there’s the loss of productivity for the employer who may have lost a great person,” Debra Whitman, chief public policy officer at AARP, told The Associated Press. “Finding ways to support family caregivers is a huge employment issue right now.”

Addressing this issue will require a many-pronged solution, and one particularly sturdy prong should come in the form of governmental aid. Here in Massachusetts, however, legislation that could provide some small amount of financial relief for family caregivers is languishing on Beacon Hill.

The proposal from state Sen. Jo Comerford and state Reps. Michael Kusmerek and David Rogers would create a caregiver tax credit of up to $1,500 and authorize respite vouchers of up to $1,500. That’s not a lot of money, but it’s money that could go a long way for the people who need it most.

Nonprofessional caregivers in Massachusetts put in 730 million hours of unpaid work valued at $15 billion each year, according to a new AARP report. Caregiving includes duties that range from shopping, cleaning and cooking, to transportation and managing household finances.

When a loved one is suffering from a disease such as cancer or dementia, care can include bathing, feeding and the administering of medications. (It is estimated that roughly 11 million Americans were providing unpaid care for loved ones with dementia in 2023, contributing an estimated 18.4 billion hours of care valued at $346.6 billion.)

In many instances, taking care of a loved one is essentially a full-time, unpaid second job. And it comes at a steep financial cost.

“Most Massachusetts caregivers have worked while providing care and have needed to adjust their work schedules by going in late, leaving early, or taking time off while working for an hourly wage,” the AARP report said. “Three in four spend their own money to provide care, and over half face financial hardships.”

More than half of caregivers surveyed for the AARP report said they spent $100 to more than $1,000 a month providing care, and that “this is extremely, very, or somewhat difficult for them.”

The AARP survey found 85% of Massachusetts residents support a caregiver tax credit, and 74% back respite vouchers. Further, 71% support paying spouse caregivers.

It goes without saying that this would be a significant investment during uncertain economic times. Gov. Maura Healey’s proposed 2027 budget is a mixed back on the topic, with a proposed $92 million increase for the Executive Office of Aging and Independence, but cuts to MassHealth, including for personal caregivers.

Importantly, keeping the proposed legislation lodged in committee serves no one, and just adds to the inertia in the face of a problem that is only going to grow more urgent as the residents of Massachusetts age. As we, ourselves, age.

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