How much do family caregivers get paid in Montana?
Montana doesn't publish one flat rate — and we won't invent one.
Your pay comes out of a care budget that Montana sets from your relative's assessed needs. Any site quoting you a single Montana hourly figure is guessing. We get you the real number before you enroll.
What Montana pays family caregivers
Rates vary — check with the program.
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Montana Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
hybrid — member hires/fires the caregiver but a financial management services / provider agency handles payroll, taxes, background checks; agency-based model also available
- Spouse can be paid?
- Sometimes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Montana it runs through Big Sky Waiver (self-directed), Community First Choice & PCS, administered by Montana DPHHS, Senior & Long Term Care Division (406-444-4077); Public Assistance Helpline 888-706-1535
239,400 people in Montana — 21% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 56 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 Montana program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Montana 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 Montana: Apply for Montana Medicaid at apply.mt.gov or a local Office of Public Assistance (helpline 888-706-1535); Mountain Pacific Quality Health does the functional assessment (800-219-7035).
Montana pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Montana?
Montana does not publish a single rate. Pay is set from your relative's assessed needs and the program's budget. Anyone quoting you one flat Montana number is guessing — we get you the real one before you enroll.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Montana program they are on, and who administers the payroll. hybrid — member hires/fires the caregiver but a financial management services / provider agency handles payroll, taxes, background checks; agency-based model also available
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 Montana?
limited — yes under Big Sky Waiver self-directed option; prohibited under CFCS/PCS (spouses and parents of minors excluded there) There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Montana.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Montana?
no under CFCS/PCS (explicitly prohibited); Big Sky Waiver serves adults — parent-of-minor not addressed
Is there a waitlist in Montana?
BSW: yes, limited slots (~2,800/yr, waitlist forms when full); CFCS/PCS: entitlement, no waitlist
How do I apply in Montana?
Apply for Montana Medicaid at apply.mt.gov or a local Office of Public Assistance (helpline 888-706-1535); Mountain Pacific Quality Health does the functional assessment (800-219-7035).
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Montana →
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · medicaidplanningassistance.org · dphhs.mt.gov · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Montana caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Montana — 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.