General planning information. Family circumstances do not replace the wording of documents, titles, and current law.
A family caregiver arrangement should distinguish gifts, wages, reimbursements, room and board, agency services, and fiduciary transactions.
People and promises to put on paper
- Written terms can clarify duties, schedule, payment, taxes, termination, substitutes, and documentation.
Assets and authority to coordinate
- care log, time, expenses, payments, and service descriptions
- written agreement, powers of attorney, benefit rules, and tax records
Conflict-prevention questions
- Is the payment compensation, reimbursement, rent, or a gift?
- Could the arrangement affect Medicaid eligibility or create a conflict of interest?
Risks to pause on
- Large undocumented transfers to a caregiving child can later be treated as gifts, exploitation, or disputed compensation.