One in eight Arizonans – about 804,000 people – spends at least one hour per week helping an elderly friend or relative get by. Stephen Jennings, associate state director at AARP Arizona, said he supports a tax credit for those who are doing so much.

“Your typical caregiver spends around $6,000 of their own money taking care of the loved one over the year,” Jennings said. “And we’d like to see the Legislature pass a $500-a-year tax credit for people taking care of others.”

Recently, Representative Heather Carter Sponsors $1,000 Family Caregiver Income Tax Credit – HB 2209

Specifics:

• Taxpayer must be a resident of Arizona
• Gross income may not exceed $75,000 for a single person or a married person filing separately or $150,000 for a married couple
• Care must occur during taxable year
• 50{6b49c37fd8eab0bc15be20755210b2b23baec09c926f746112670cd0e90b73d7} of the qualifying expenses incurred but not more than $1,000 for these purposes:
  • Making improvements or alterations to the primary residence (either owned or leased by the taxpayer) to enable or assist care recipient to be mobile, safe, or independent
  • Purchasing or leasing equipment to enable or assist the care recipient to carry out one or more activities of daily living (ADLs)
  • Employing outside care from an in-home caregiver or adult day care
  • Procuring transportation, legal, or financial services or assistive care technology  to assist the taxpayer in caring for the care recipient.

Let’s get behind this initiative and support Rep. Heather Carter.

Read full bill here.