Mountain State Times

U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Michael Bennet have reintroduced the Credit for Caring Act, which aims to provide financial relief to family caregivers. The bill proposes a federal tax credit of up to $5,000 for eligible working family caregivers.

Senator Capito emphasized the importance of this initiative by sharing her personal experience with caregiving. "The Credit for Caring Act is a great tool to help ease the financial burden caregivers face," she stated. She noted that caring for her parents who had Alzheimer's gave her insight into the challenges faced by caregivers. The bill seeks to alleviate some of these challenges by reducing financial stress.

Senator Bennet highlighted the critical role family caregivers play, often at significant personal cost. "Family caregivers play a critical role in the lives of their loved ones, often at a significant financial cost to themselves," he said. He expressed gratitude for bipartisan support and stressed that Congress should facilitate easier conditions for these individuals.

In addition to Senators Capito and Bennet's efforts in the Senate, U.S. Representatives Mike Carey and Linda Sánchez have introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives.

Caregivers across America, including over 250,000 in West Virginia and more than 600,000 in Colorado, provide approximately $600 billion worth of unpaid care annually. The proposed tax credit would assist families with out-of-pocket expenses related to caregiving services such as home care aides and transportation.

The bill outlines provisions for creating a nonrefundable tax credit adjusted for inflation applicable to caregiving expenses exceeding $2,000 annually.