President Donald Trump's campaign pollster, Tony Fabrizio, recently met with congressional Republicans to present new survey data from AARP. This data reveals that a proposed tax credit for family caregivers is the most popular proposal in the current tax reform debate among registered voters nationwide, including in 28 of the most competitive House districts for the 2026 elections.
The AARP-commissioned national survey showed strong overall support for the caregiver tax credit across all political parties, with 87% of Democrats, 84% of Republicans, and 82% of independents in favor of the measure. The surveys, conducted by Fabrizio’s Republican polling firm, Fabrizio Ward, and Democratic polling firm Impact Research, were carried out via SMS-to-web, phone, and online panel interviews between January 27 and February 1, 2025. The 28 House districts surveyed included those held by 15 GOP that were won by less than 5% of the vote in the 2024 elections, as well as 13 districts won by Trump that are currently held by Democrats.
In 2024, the bipartisan Credit for Caring Act (H.R. 7165) was introduced by Representatives Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Mike Carey (R-Ohio). This act proposed a nonrefundable tax credit of up to $5,000 to cover 30% of qualified long-term care expenses that exceed $2,000 in a taxable year. To be eligible, caregivers would need to have an income greater than $7,500 and incur care expenses for a spouse or dependent relative with long-term care needs. A Senate proposal (S. 3702) was introduced by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).
The issue of supporting unpaid family caregivers is also included in the Republican Party Platform, which states the GOP will “support unpaid Family Caregivers through Tax Credits and reduced red tape.” Trump expressed support for the policy during an October 2024 campaign rally in New York City.
The challenges faced by family caregivers are increasingly prominent and affect many voting-age Americans. A 2023 survey conducted by AARP and S&P Global revealed that nearly 80% of family caregivers struggle to balance their work and caregiving responsibilities. Almost 30% of those surveyed reported shifting from full-time to part-time work or reducing their hours, while 32% either turned down a promotion or temporarily stopped working altogether. The Council on Aging reports that employees lose up to $3 trillion annually in wages and benefits due to caregiving responsibilities, while employers face losses of $17-33 billion related to absenteeism and employee turnover. One potential solution is to establish an Employee Resource Group (ERG) for working family caregivers.
While there has been no update on the outcomes of the meeting with congressional Republicans, the statements made by the GOP, Trump, and the new national survey data suggest that this important issue will likely be addressed by either Congressional Republicans or the Trump Administration soon.
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