How much do family caregivers get paid in Florida?
Around $15–$25/hr — and here is what moves that number.
Your pay is not a posted wage. It comes out of a care budget that Florida sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers in the same town can be paid differently.
What Florida pays family caregivers
$15–$25/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Florida Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
PDO is self-directed with the plan/fiscal agent handling payroll; CDC+ is self-directed with a state Fiscal/Employer Agent; FHHA requires employment through a licensed home health agency
- Spouse can be paid?
- Sometimes
- 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 Florida it runs through SMMC-LTC Participant Directed Option, CDC+, Family Home Health Aide (children), administered by Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) administers SMMC-LTC/FHHA; Dept. of Elder Affairs/ADRC screening (Elder Helpline 1-800-963-5337); APD runs CDC+ (helpline 1-866-761-7043)
5.1 million people in Florida — 22% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 67 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 Florida program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Florida 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 Florida: Call the local Aging & Disability Resource Center (Elder Helpline 1-800-963-5337) for the phone screening that sets the priority score; CARES assessment + Medicaid application follow when a slot opens. For children/FHHA contact a participating home health agency; for CDC+ go through APD.
Florida pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Florida?
Figures reported for Florida land around $15–$25/hr, 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 Florida program they are on, and who administers the payroll. PDO is self-directed with the plan/fiscal agent handling payroll; CDC+ is self-directed with a state Fiscal/Employer Agent; FHHA requires employment through a licensed home health agency
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 Florida?
limited — yes under SMMC-LTC PDO (must be 'extraordinary care' beyond normal spousal duties, background screening required); no under CDC+ There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Florida.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Florida?
yes — FHHA program pays a trained parent $25/hr (up to 8 hrs/day) for a PDN-eligible child under 21; 1915(j) also lets parents of minors on iBudget be paid for self-directed personal care via CDC+
Is there a waitlist in Florida?
yes — SMMC-LTC is not an entitlement: waitlist ranked by frailty priority score (not wait time); iBudget/CDC+ waitlist is years long (10+ yrs for non-crisis categories)
How do I apply in Florida?
Call the local Aging & Disability Resource Center (Elder Helpline 1-800-963-5337) for the phone screening that sets the priority score; CARES assessment + Medicaid application follow when a slot opens. For children/FHHA contact a participating home health agency; for CDC+ go through APD.
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Florida →
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · ahca.myflorida.com · apd.myflorida.com · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Florida caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Florida — 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.