How much do family caregivers get paid in Indiana?
Around $46–$80/day — and here is what moves that number.
Your pay is not a posted wage. It comes out of a care budget that Indiana sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers in the same town can be paid differently.
What Indiana pays family caregivers
$46–$80/day
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Indiana Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
SFC: caregiver must enroll with an approved SFC provider agency that supervises and pays the stipend; attendant care may be agency-based or participant-directed, but LRIs are barred from self-directed attendant care (Indiana Code 12-10-17.1-10(b))
- Spouse can be paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Yes
- Waitlist
- Waitlists can be long — apply early.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Indiana it runs through Structured Family Caregiving (SFC), Attendant Care (PathWays & H&W Waivers), administered by Indiana FSSA (Division of Aging / Indiana Medicaid); intake via local Area Agency on Aging — INconnect Alliance 800-986-3505
1.2 million people in Indiana — 18% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 92 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 Indiana program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Indiana 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 Indiana: Contact the local Area Agency on Aging for intake, level-of-care assessment, and waitlist placement; apply for Indiana Medicaid through FSSA; PathWays members then select a managed-care plan and request SFC through their care coordinator.
Indiana pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Indiana?
Figures reported for Indiana land around $46–$80/day, but that is a range, not a promise. Your rate is set inside your relative's care plan and budget. We tell you your real number before you enroll.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Indiana program they are on, and who administers the payroll. SFC: caregiver must enroll with an approved SFC provider agency that supervises and pays the stipend; attendant care may be agency-based or participant-directed, but LRIs are barred from self-directed attendant care (Indiana Code 12-10-17.1-10(b))
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?
In Indiana, some of this pay is reported as tax-free under the IRS difficulty-of-care rules when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care. It depends on your household, so confirm with a tax preparer — but do ask, because many families overpay by not asking.
Can I be paid to care for my spouse in Indiana?
yes via SFC — a live-in spouse can be the paid SFC caregiver; no for Attendant Care since 7/1/2024 (spouse is a Legally Responsible Individual) There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Indiana.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Indiana?
yes via SFC on the Health & Wellness waiver — biological/adoptive parents, guardians, and stepparents of a minor may provide SFC; parents/guardians of minors may NOT provide attendant care since 7/1/2024
Is there a waitlist in Indiana?
yes — PathWays and Health & Wellness reached federally approved capacity (waitlist since Apr 2024; 10,000+ waiting in 2025; capacity hit again Dec 2025 with new invitations not expected before ~Jul 2026); FSSA runs an online waitlist dashboard
How do I apply in Indiana?
Contact the local Area Agency on Aging for intake, level-of-care assessment, and waitlist placement; apply for Indiana Medicaid through FSSA; PathWays members then select a managed-care plan and request SFC through their care coordinator.
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Indiana →
Sources: in.gov · in.gov · wfyi.org · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Indiana caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Indiana — 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.