Caregiver Programs in Utah: Paid, Respite, Support (2026)

In Utah, family members can be paid to provide care, and respite for a worn-out caregiver is free through the state's Area Agencies on Aging with no income test.1

If you are caring for an aging parent, a spouse, or an adult child with a disability, 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 Utah for 2026, from EPAS self-direction and Medicaid HCBS waivers to NFCSP respite grants and VA benefits.

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

• Utah Caregiver Programs at a Glance
• Utah Programs That Pay Family Caregivers
• Respite Care Programs
• Where to Get Help in Utah
• VA Caregiver Benefits in Utah
• Taxes for Utah Caregivers
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Learn More

Utah Caregiver Programs at a Glance

Utah Programs That Pay Family Caregivers

Employment-related Personal Assistant Services (EPAS)

EPAS is a Utah Medicaid self-directed service for people with disabilities who are employed and need personal assistance to remain working. The participant acts as the employer and selects, hires, and directs their own personal assistant, with payroll handled through the EPAS payroll system.2

The spouse rule: an EPAS personal assistant may not be the participant's legal guardian, which includes a parent of a minor child or a spouse. Adult children (the participant must be at least 18 to hire a parent), siblings, other relatives, and friends age 16 or older may be hired, provided they have a valid driver's license and automobile insurance. EPAS cannot be combined with a 1915(c) HCBS waiver.2

If you are a spouse hoping to be the paid caregiver, this is hard news, and it is the single most common disappointment families hit with EPAS. There is a route for you, though, and for many veteran households it is a more generous one: the VA's PCAFC stipend and Veteran-Directed Care both pay spouses. See VA Caregiver Benefits in Utah below.

How to Start EPAS in Utah

HCBS Waivers (Aging, Physical Disabilities, New Choices)

For people who are not employed or need a broader package of services, Utah's Medicaid HCBS waivers fund in-home personal care: the Aging Waiver (age 65+, with referrals routed through your Area Agency on Aging), the Physical Disabilities Waiver (which explicitly includes personal care assistance), and the New Choices Waiver (transition from institutional settings). Whether a specific family member can be the paid worker depends on the waiver's self-direction option; confirm with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) case manager.3

To start, a family requests a nursing-facility level-of-care assessment: eligibility for these waivers requires that the person would otherwise need institutional care. Financially, a single applicant in 2026 must have monthly income at or below the institutional standard of about $2,982 (300% of the federal Supplemental Security Income rate) and no more than $2,000 in countable assets; income above that standard can be spent down to the medically needy limit.7

For the full guide to paid pathways: How to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in Utah.

Respite Care Programs

Medicaid Respite (HCBS Waivers)

The Aging Waiver, Physical Disabilities Waiver, and New Choices Waiver can authorize respite within the care plan. Ask your DHHS case manager to include respite hours.1

NFCSP Grants Through Utah's Area Agencies on Aging

The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), funded by Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, flows through the Utah Department of Human Services Aging and Adult 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. Call 1-877-424-4640.4,1

For the full respite guide: Respite Care in Utah.

Where to Get Help in Utah

Utah'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, adult day referrals, caregiver training, counseling, and local resource information. If your loved one is already enrolled in EPAS or an HCBS waiver, the EPAS payroll agent or the DHHS case manager is your contact for adjusting the service plan, including adding respite or arranging a paid family assistant.1

VA Caregiver Benefits in Utah

Veterans enrolled in VA health care in Utah have access to caregiver support programs that are separate from Medicaid and often more generous.

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.8

Because EPAS excludes spouses, the PCAFC stipend and Veteran-Directed Care are often the routes through which a Utah spouse can be paid to provide care.

Utah VA facilities: The George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City is the main VA medical center, with community-based outpatient clinics across the state.

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.9

The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs and county Veterans Service Officers help file at no cost.

Taxes for Utah 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 may apply to some Utah EPAS arrangements where the assistant lives with the participant. Talk to a tax preparer familiar with the rule before filing.

Utah State Income Tax

Utah levies a flat individual income tax of approximately 4.45%. Because Utah starts from federal adjusted gross income, the IRS Notice 2014-7 exclusion (when it applies) generally flows through to the Utah return. Confirm the current rate with the Utah State Tax Commission.6

VA PCAFC Stipend

The PCAFC monthly stipend is federal tax-free and is not reported on a W-2.8

Learn More

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.