LETTER Family caregivers need support: why a tax credit is crucial for financial relief

To the Editor,

As a family caregiver, I have always put my family first. Thirty years ago, I promised my father, who was passing from brain cancer, that I would care for my mom if she became ill. In 2016, my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. For six years, I cared for her until she passed away in 2022. While fulfilling my promise felt good, caregiving was overwhelming and financially burdensome.

The numerous medical appointments, emergency room visits, and daily care tasks were challenging. Eventually, my mom needed 24/7 care, and I had to stop teaching to become her full-time caregiver, using my savings to cover her health care needs. Her needs added up quickly, making it difficult to buy groceries and pay bills for my family. As a caregiver, you suffer from your own health problems, worsened by stress and lack of sleep. You struggle to keep yourself functional enough to hold down your job and take care of your own family needs.

Thankfully, President Trump has a solution to help hardworking family caregivers with a tax credit. The Credit for Caring tax credit would support families like mine without creating a big government program. It’s time for Congress to put money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans by including a tax credit for family caregivers in the president’s tax package.