How much do family caregivers get paid in Arkansas?
Arkansas doesn't publish one flat rate — and we won't invent one.
Your pay comes out of a care budget that Arkansas sets from your relative's assessed needs. Any site quoting you a single Arkansas hourly figure is guessing. We get you the real number before you enroll.
What Arkansas pays family caregivers
Rates vary — check with the program.
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Arkansas Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
self-directed (Cash & Counseling model) — participant is employer; a financial management service (FMS) handles tax withholding and caregiver payroll
- Spouse can be paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Arkansas it runs through IndependentChoices, ARChoices in Homecare, administered by Arkansas Department of Human Services (Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services); Choices in Living Resource Center 866-801-3435; Division of Medical Services 501-682-8292
562,800 people in Arkansas — 18% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 75 counties. The programs on this page exist because caring for them at home costs the state far less than a nursing home does.
From first call to first paycheck
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions tell you which Arkansas program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Arkansas confirms your relative qualifies and how much help they need. The hours in that assessment become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enrol and hire
Your relative enrols, then names you as their caregiver. Background check, paperwork, done.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
How to start in Arkansas: Apply online at Access Arkansas or at a local DHS county office with the Long-Term Services and Supports application, or call the Choices in Living Resource Center at 866-801-3435; then elect IndependentChoices.
Arkansas pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Arkansas?
Arkansas does not publish a single rate. Pay is set from your relative's assessed needs and the program's budget. Anyone quoting you one flat Arkansas number is guessing — we get you the real one before you enroll.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Arkansas program they are on, and who administers the payroll. self-directed (Cash & Counseling model) — participant is employer; a financial management service (FMS) handles tax withholding and caregiver payroll
How many hours a week can I be paid for?
Hours come from the care assessment, not from how many you actually work. That is the single biggest thing families get wrong — an honest assessment is worth more than any negotiation later. We help you prepare for it.
Is family caregiver pay taxable?
Usually yes — it is normally treated as wages, with taxes withheld. One exception is worth asking about: the IRS difficulty-of-care rule can make some payments tax-free when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care.
Can I be paid to care for my spouse in Arkansas?
no — spouses and legal guardians are prohibited from being hired; other relatives including adult children can be paid There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Arkansas.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Arkansas?
no pathway found — IndependentChoices serves adults (18+); no parent-of-minor payment provision located
Is there a waitlist in Arkansas?
IndependentChoices via State Plan Personal Care is an entitlement (no waitlist); the ARChoices waiver is capped (~11,500 slots/year) and can form a waitlist
How do I apply in Arkansas?
Apply online at Access Arkansas or at a local DHS county office with the Long-Term Services and Supports application, or call the Choices in Living Resource Center at 866-801-3435; then elect IndependentChoices.
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Arkansas →
Sources: humanservices.arkansas.gov · medicaidplanningassistance.org · pplfirst.com · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Arkansas caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Arkansas — pick yours for the local picture.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.