Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Minnesota?
Yes — Minnesota lets a spouse be paid.
Minnesota is one of the states where the person who needs care can hire their own husband or wife and have the program pay for it. You do the caring you are already doing. The state pays you for it.
What has to be true
- Your spouse lives in Minnesota and needs long-term care help at home.
- Your spouse has Medicaid, or can qualify. We check that with you for free.
- You pass a background check. No license or certificate is needed.
- The care your spouse needs is written into their plan — that is what the hours are paid against.
What Minnesota pays family caregivers
$22.74/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Minnesota Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What Minnesota's rule actually says
yes — since 10/1/2024 spouses can be paid CFSS/PCA workers (per MN DHS bulletin); spouses also hirable under CDCS
The programs this runs through in Minnesota: CFSS, CDCS, Elderly Waiver. Who runs them: Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS); county long-term care consultation teams; Senior LinkAge Line 800-333-2433
1.1 million people in Minnesota are 65 or older. Most of them are cared for at home, by a relative — usually without being paid for it.
How to start in Minnesota
Start with a MnCHOICES/long-term care consultation assessment through your county (or call the Senior LinkAge Line); also apply for Medical Assistance (MA-LTC application).
fiscal support: CFSS offers an agency-provider model or a self-directed budget model with a Financial Management Services (FMS) provider; CDCS requires an FMS provider for payroll/taxes
See if you qualify →Spouse questions in Minnesota, answered
Can I get paid to care for my husband or wife in Minnesota?
Yes. Minnesota allows it. The published rule: yes — since 10/1/2024 spouses can be paid CFSS/PCA workers (per MN DHS bulletin); spouses also hirable under CDCS
Why do some states allow this and others don't?
Medicaid has long treated care between spouses as a family duty rather than paid work. Self-directed programs changed that in many states by making the person who needs care the employer — they choose their own worker, and in some states that can be a spouse. It is a state-by-state policy choice, not a federal rule.
How much would I earn in Minnesota?
Reported pay in Minnesota runs around $22.74/hr, though your exact rate is set by the program and the care plan.
Does my spouse need Medicaid first?
Yes. These are Medicaid programs, so your spouse has to qualify for Minnesota Medicaid and need long-term care help. Many families assume they earn too much and never apply. The rules for long-term care are not the same as regular Medicaid — check before you rule yourself out.
Is there a waitlist in Minnesota?
CFSS is a state-plan entitlement — no waitlist; Elderly Waiver capped (~40,083/yr) — waitlist can form
How do we start?
Start with a MnCHOICES/long-term care consultation assessment through your county (or call the Senior LinkAge Line); also apply for Medical Assistance (MA-LTC application).
Sources: mn.gov · content.govdelivery.com · medicaidplanningassistance.org · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Minnesota caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Minnesota — pick yours for the local picture.
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