# Family Caregivers Now Spend $11,508 a Year Out of Pocket, AARP Finds > The figure is up 59 percent since 2021 and averages nearly a third of household income, with the heaviest burden on lower-income families. - Publication: New England Anti-Aging (https://newenglandantiaging.com) - Section: Longevity - Author: Lena Whitcomb, Contributing Writer, Mind and Sleep - Published: 2026-10-29 - Lead photograph: A caregiver helping an older woman walk with a walker, by Age Cymru on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/photos/caregiver-assists-elderly-woman-with-walker-2obyM4zYt3Y) - Canonical URL: https://newenglandantiaging.com/longevity/caregiver-costs-aarp-2026/ ## The Short Version Americans caring for an aging parent, spouse or other adult now spend an average of $11,508 a year of their own money doing it, according to a [study released this week by AARP](https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/family-caregivers-cost-survey-2026/). That is up from $7,242 in the group's 2021 survey, an increase of 59 percent. The costs equal about 31 percent of caregivers' household income on average. For households earning under $40,000, the share rose to 76 percent. Most of the money goes to basics rather than medical bills. Housing and household expenses such as rent, mortgage payments and food made up the largest share, averaging $4,797 a year, [AARP reported](https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/caregiving-out-of-pocket-cost-study/). Household and medical costs together accounted for 71 percent of spending. The survey also found caregivers absorbing the costs in ways that affect their own futures, including cutting back on retirement contributions, dipping into savings and taking out loans. Spending was highest in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, where caregivers in states such as New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania averaged $15,845 a year, [according to Stateline](https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2026/10/30/the-cost-of-caring-for-aging-parents-is-going-through-the-roof/). About 63 million Americans provide ongoing care to a family member or friend. AARP is pressing for refundable tax credits, paid family leave and wider options to pay family caregivers. Rhode Island is among the states with a paid family leave program, Temporary Caregiver Insurance, which covers time off to care for a seriously ill family member. Caregivers can also contact the state's Office of Healthy Aging for information on respite and support programs. The toll is not only financial. Caregiving is linked with isolation and poor sleep, two risks we covered in our story on [loneliness as a health metric](/mind-sleep/loneliness-is-a-health-metric/). ## Notes and Sources 1. Caregiving Out-of-Pocket Costs Study 2026. AARP Public Policy Institute, 2026. https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/family-caregivers-cost-survey-2026/ 2. New AARP Report, Caregiver Out-of-Pocket Spending Rises 59 Percent. AARP, 2026. https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/caregiving-out-of-pocket-cost-study/ 3. Caring for aging parents is getting more expensive. Stateline via Anchorage Daily News, 2026. https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2026/10/30/the-cost-of-caring-for-aging-parents-is-going-through-the-roof/ --- Published by New England Anti-Aging, the health and longevity magazine of Align Wellness, 250 Centerville Rd, Building E, Warwick, RI 02886. General information only, not medical advice.