If you are caring for an aging parent, a spouse, or an adult child with a disability in New Hampshire, the hardest part is rarely whether help exists. It is knowing what is out there and where to start. This guide maps every major caregiver program in New Hampshire for 2026: the Medicaid pathways that can pay a family caregiver, free respite, VA benefits, and how caregiver pay is taxed.

You do not have to figure this out alone, and you do not have to fund all of it from your savings.

In This Guide

New Hampshire Caregiver Programs at a Glance

Program What It Offers Pay a spouse? Cost to You
NH Medicaid self-directed personal care Pays a family member to provide in-home personal care Confirm with NH DHHS Free (paid by Medicaid)
NFCSP respite In-home respite, adult day, caregiver training, counseling N/A Free (grant-funded)
VA PCAFC Monthly tax-free stipend; can pay a spouse Yes Free (VA benefit)
VA Aid and Attendance Pension up to $2,424/mo to veteran; caregiver paid from it Pension to veteran Free to apply (VSO help)

Programs That Pay Family Caregivers

If money is the worry keeping you up at night, start here. When one person steps back from work to provide care, the lost income is often the heaviest part of the whole situation, and New Hampshire has ways to turn some of the care you already give into paid work.

New Hampshire funds Medicaid in-home personal care through the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Long-Term Supports and Services (DLTSS), with the Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services (BEAS) overseeing services for older adults. The state's main Medicaid home-based waiver for older and disabled adults is the Choices for Independence (CFI) waiver. Within NH Medicaid, a self-directed personal care option may let the person receiving care hire a family member as their paid personal care worker, so the care recipient directs who provides the care. Whether a specific relative, including a spouse, can be the paid worker should be confirmed with NH DHHS DLTSS through the ServiceLink network at 1-866-634-9412.

Medicaid enrollment and the care assessment behind it take time to complete. If your loved one's application is still pending, the free NFCSP respite below is the interim bridge, and it does not require Medicaid at all. For families of veterans, the VA programs further down are often the most reliable paid-caregiving route.

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

Respite Care Programs

Caring without a break is not sustainable, and respite is the one form of help almost every New Hampshire caregiver can reach, even without Medicaid.

The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), funded by Title III-E of the Older Americans Act and administered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), flows through New Hampshire's five Area Agencies on Aging. It funds in-home respite, adult day services, caregiver training, and counseling. Federal eligibility is defined by your caregiving relationship: it serves adult family and other informal caregivers of an adult age 60 or older, and caregivers of a person of any age with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. Because NFCSP is separate from Medicaid, you do not have to qualify for Medicaid to use it. Call 1-866-634-9412 (NH ServiceLink) to reach your regional agency, or dial 211.

New Hampshire Medicaid can also authorize respite within a member's care plan. For the full respite guide, see: Respite Care in New Hampshire.

Support, Training, and Area Agencies

New Hampshire's Area Agencies on Aging are the front door for most caregiver support that is not tied to a Medicaid waiver. They deliver NFCSP services, adult day referrals, caregiver training, counseling, and local resource information.

Call 1-866-634-9412 (NH ServiceLink) to reach your regional agency, or dial 211 for the broader social-services network. You can also start online at the NH DHHS Adult and Aging Care page. These calls are free and carry no obligation. A counselor will identify what is available in your area and help you begin an application.

VA Caregiver Benefits in New Hampshire

If the person you care for served in the military, slow down here, because this is often where the most generous help lives. Veterans enrolled in VA health care in New Hampshire have access to caregiver support programs that are separate from Medicaid and frequently pay more.

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 General Schedule GS-4, Step 1 annual rate for the veteran's locality, divided by 12, then multiplied by a level factor (Level 1 is 0.625; the higher Level 2 applies when the veteran cannot self-sustain in the community). It is federal tax-free and can pay a spouse. To qualify, the veteran needs a service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or higher, a need for in-person personal care, and enrollment in VA health care.

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. In 2026, a single veteran with Aid and Attendance receives up to $2,424 per month ($29,093 per year), and 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.

The New Hampshire state veterans office and county or town Veterans Service Officers help file at no cost. You can also reach the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.

Taxes for New Hampshire 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. This can apply to many New Hampshire self-directed caregiving arrangements where the paid caregiver lives with the person they care for. The IRS treats these qualified Medicaid waiver payments as excludable from the caregiver's federal gross income. Talk to a tax preparer familiar with the rule before filing.

New Hampshire State Income Tax

Here is a piece of genuinely good news for New Hampshire caregivers: the state does not tax wage income. New Hampshire has never taxed wages, and its only income-type tax, the Interest and Dividends Tax, was repealed for tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025. As of 2025, New Hampshire imposes no income tax of any kind, so caregiver wages are not subject to any New Hampshire state income tax. You may still owe federal income tax, and New Hampshire's property taxes remain relatively high.

VA PCAFC Stipend

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

Your next step Not sure which New Hampshire caregiver program fits your family? If your loved one is a veteran, start with the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274. Otherwise, call NH ServiceLink at 1-866-634-9412 to reach your Area Agency on Aging about Medicaid personal care and NFCSP respite. Or chat with Brevy's care navigator for a comparison built around your loved one's Medicaid enrollment, veteran status, and whether you are a spouse or non-spouse caregiver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get paid to care for my spouse in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire's family-member payment rules depend on the program. Whether a family member or spouse can be the paid worker under NH Medicaid's self-directed personal care option should be confirmed with NH DHHS through ServiceLink at 1-866-634-9412. If your loved one is a veteran, the PCAFC stipend can pay a spouse.

What if my loved one is not a veteran and not on Medicaid?

Reach for NFCSP respite first. It runs through New Hampshire's Area Agencies on Aging, it is separate from Medicaid, and eligibility is based on your caregiving relationship (caring for an adult age 60 or older, or a person of any age with dementia) rather than on Medicaid enrollment. Call 1-866-634-9412 (NH ServiceLink) or dial 211 to reach your regional agency.

Which VA programs pay family caregivers in New Hampshire?

The PCAFC stipend (for veterans with a 70 percent or higher service-connected disability rating, federal tax-free, and it can pay a spouse) and the Aid and Attendance pension (for wartime veterans and surviving spouses under the net-worth limit). Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.,

How do I reach my Area Agency on Aging in New Hampshire?

Call 1-866-634-9412 (NH ServiceLink) to reach your regional agency, or dial 211. They handle NFCSP respite, adult day referrals, and caregiver training.

Where to Get Help with New Hampshire Caregiver Programs

NH ServiceLink Aging and Disability Resource Center Reaches your Area Agency on Aging for NFCSP respite and connects you to NH Medicaid long-term supports. 1-866-634-9412 www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/adult-aging-care/servicelink/servicelink-medicare-support-services
NH DHHS Adult and Aging Care Apply for Medicaid in-home personal care and ask about the self-directed option to pay a family caregiver. 1-866-634-9412 www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/adult-aging-care
VA Caregiver Support Line Reach a VA Caregiver Support Coordinator about the PCAFC stipend and other veteran caregiver benefits. 1-855-260-3274 www.caregiver.va.gov

Learn More

CaregiverCaregiver Programs: The 50-State GuideA directory of caregiver programs in all 50 states: paid family caregiver pathways, respite, NFCSP grants, and VA benefits. Find your state's complete guide. CaregiverMedicaid Self-Direction and Consumer-Directed ServicesHow Medicaid self-direction lets a family member be your paid caregiver: employer authority, budget authority, the 1915(j) spouse rule, and how to get started. CaregiverThe National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP): A Complete GuideWhat the National Family Caregiver Support Program funds, who is eligible, and how to reach respite and caregiver support through your Area Agency on Aging. CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in New HampshireGet paid to care for a loved one in New Hampshire through Medicaid's Gateway self-directed option, VA PCAFC, or a personal services contract. CaregiverRespite Care in New HampshireWhere funded respite care in New Hampshire comes from in 2026: Choices for Independence waiver respite, free NFCSP grants, adult day cost, and VA options. CaregiverCaregiver Burnout: Signs, Stages, and How to Get SupportHow to recognize caregiver burnout, why it happens, and what actually helps, from respite care to evidence-based programs like REACH II and Powerful Tools. VA BenefitsVA Benefits for Seniors in New HampshireVA Aid and Attendance in New Hampshire for 2026: who qualifies, rates up to $2,874 a month, how to apply, and free help filing your claim in NH. MedicaidMedicaid Planning StrategiesSee which assets you keep, how the 5-year look-back works, and the legal moves that qualify you for Medicaid long-term care without losing the house.

Find personalized help navigating New Hampshire 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.

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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.