Eligible family caregivers may qualify for a maximum annual credit of $2,000, or up to $3,000 for those caring for a veteran or someone with dementia.

“You give so much of yourself and so much money and so much time,” says AARP volunteer Joyce Beck, who helped to advocate for the credit at the Nebraska Legislature last year.

Beck, 72, of Grand Island, retired early from her career as a hospital administrator to care for her husband, who had multiple sclerosis, prostate cancer and kidney failure. Getting $3,000 back would have helped her cope with the cost of home modifications or other needs, she says.

Providing relief for the state’s nearly 180,000 family caregivers has been a top priority for AARP Nebraska, which advocated for the credit, says Jina Ragland, advocacy director.

To be eligible, caregivers must have federal adjusted gross incomes of less than $50,000 for an individual or less than $100,000 for a married couple filing jointly. The person receiving care must need help with at least two activities of daily living, such as bathing or eating. AARP has an online tool—at aarp.org/necaregiving—to help caregivers determine if they may be eligible.

The pool of money available for the credit is limited to $1.5 million annually for the first two years, and then is capped at $2.5 million each year after that. Once those limits have been hit, the credit for that year will go away, so it’s important to file early, Ragland says.

Democratic state Sen. Eliot Bostar, of Lincoln, who introduced the tax credit bill, says he will work to boost available funding in the future. —David Lewellen

Voices for change AARP Oklahoma is seeking volunteers to advocate on issues important to older residents during the 2025 legislative session, which begins in February.

Volunteers can help out either in-person or virtually. Priorities for this legislative session include protecting the vulnerable against financial fraud and abuse; expanding access to quality home- and community-based services; improving the quality of care in long-term care settings; and fighting to prevent residential utility rate hikes.

AARP will also host Senior Day at the Capitol on Monday, March 3, where volunteers will meet with lawmakers, as well as learn about local and statewide resources for older adults.

Find out how to become a volunteer or register for Senior Day at aarp.org/OKAction.

Paid leave AARP this year will again urge state lawmakers to pass legislation guaranteeing paid family and medical leave for New Mexico workers.

A measure that would have provided up to 12 weeks of paid leave for eligible employees passed the state Senate but not the state House last year.

“There is hopeful anticipation of getting it through this time,” says Othiamba Umi, AARP New Mexico’s advocacy director.

It’s important that paid leave is available not just for new parents but also for the state’s family caregivers, Umi says. “Many caregivers opt to leave the workforce because there aren’t resources that allow them to do both,” he says.

If employers were required to grant paid family medical leave, then caregivers could take the time they need to get a loved one through a serious illness without losing their job, he says.

Learn more about the paid leave legislation and follow its progress at aarp.org/nm. —DL