Caregiver Programs in Georgia: Paid, Respite & Support (2026)

Georgia pays a live-in family caregiver a tax-free daily stipend through Structured Family Caregiving, plus respite grants and VA benefits.1

If you are caring for an aging parent, a spouse, or an adult child with a disability in Georgia, the hard part is rarely whether help exists. It is knowing what is there and where to start. This guide maps every major caregiver program in the state for 2026.

You don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to fund all of it from your savings.

In This Guide

• Georgia Caregiver Programs at a Glance
• Programs That Pay Family Caregivers
• Respite Care Programs
• Support, Training, and Area Agencies
• VA Caregiver Benefits in Georgia
• Taxes for Georgia Caregivers
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Learn More

Georgia Caregiver Programs at a Glance

Programs That Pay Family Caregivers

Structured Family Caregiving (SFC)

Georgia's flagship paid-family pathway is Structured Family Caregiving, offered under the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and the Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment (SOURCE) Medicaid 1915(c) waivers. A live-in caregiver provides daily personal care and support and receives a tax-free daily stipend of roughly $80 per day through a contracted provider agency.1

CCSP Personal Support Consumer Direction (PSCD)

The CCSP also offers Personal Support Consumer Direction (PSCD), an hourly self-directed model in which the member hires and directs their own personal support worker. Georgia additionally runs the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) and the developmental-disability New Options Waiver (NOW) and Comprehensive Supports Waiver (COMP), which have their own family-hire rules.1

The spouse rule: Georgia applies a uniform spouse-bar across all its Medicaid rails, so a spouse cannot be the paid caregiver. Adult children and other relatives can be hired. For spousal pay, the VA programs below are the route.1

For the full guide to who can be paid and how, see: How to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in Georgia.

Respite Care Programs

Medicaid Respite (CCSP and SOURCE)

The CCSP and SOURCE waivers can authorize in-home respite and adult day services within the member's care plan. Ask your care coordinator to include respite.2

NFCSP Grants Through Georgia's 12 Area Agencies on Aging

The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), funded by Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, flows through the Georgia Division of Aging Services to 12 regional Area Agencies on Aging. Services include in-home respite, adult day vouchers, caregiver training, and counseling, with no income test for respite services. Georgia also funds the REACH dementia-caregiver program. Call 1-866-552-4464 (Georgia Aging Access).2,2

For the full respite guide, see: Respite Care in Georgia.

Support, Training, and Area Agencies

Georgia's 12 Area Agencies on Aging are the front door for most caregiver support that is not tied to a Medicaid waiver. They deliver NFCSP services, the REACH dementia-caregiver program, adult day referrals, caregiver training, and counseling.

Call 1-866-552-4464 (Georgia Aging Access) to reach your regional AAA, or dial 211 for the broader social-services network. These calls are free. A counselor will identify what is available in your county and help you start an application.2

VA Caregiver Benefits in Georgia

Veterans enrolled in VA health care in Georgia have access to caregiver support programs that are separate from Medicaid and often more generous. Because Georgia's Medicaid programs bar paid spouses, the VA programs are the main route through which a Georgia spouse can be paid.

VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)

The PCAFC pays a monthly stipend to the Primary Family Caregiver of an eligible veteran. The stipend is calculated from the federal GS-4, Step 1 annual rate for the veteran's locality, divided by 12, then multiplied by a level factor. It is federal tax-free and allows paid spouses. To qualify, the veteran needs a service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or higher, a need for in-person personal care for at least six continuous months, and enrollment in VA health care.3

VA Aid and Attendance Pension

Wartime veterans and surviving spouses who meet the functional criteria and have countable assets and income under the net-worth limit ($163,699 in 2026) may receive the Aid and Attendance pension. A single veteran with Aid and Attendance receives up to $2,424 per month ($29,093/year); a veteran with one dependent up to $2,874 per month. The pension goes to the veteran, who typically pays a family caregiver from it.4

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service and county Veterans Service Officers help file at no cost.

VA Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274

Taxes for Georgia Caregivers

IRS Notice 2014-7

If you live in the same home as the person you care for and are paid through a Medicaid program, your wages may be excluded from federal gross income under IRS Notice 2014-7. The SFC stipend is structured as tax-free. Talk to a tax preparer familiar with the rule before filing.

Georgia State Income Tax and the Caregiving Credit

Georgia offers a Qualified Caregiving Expense Credit (O.C.G.A. § 48-7-29.2), a modest state income-tax credit for documented caregiving expenses. Georgia also protects kin-care sick leave under the Family Care Act, though this is not a paid-family-leave program. Confirm current credit amounts and rules with the Georgia Department of Revenue or a tax preparer.1

VA PCAFC Stipend

The PCAFC monthly stipend is federal tax-free and is not reported on a W-2.

Learn More

• Medicaid Self-Direction and Consumer-Directed Services
• The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP): A Complete Guide
• How to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in Georgia
• Respite Care in Georgia
• Caregiver Burnout: Signs, Stages, and How to Get Support
• VA Aid and Attendance in Georgia
• Medicaid Planning Strategies

Find personalized help navigating Georgia caregiver programs at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.