Senator Bostar Receives AARP Nebraska’s 2024 Champion for Family Caregivers Award

In recognition of National Family Caregiver Month this November, AARP Nebraska presented Senator Eliot Bostar with the 2024 Champion for Family Caregivers award. This AARP award honors a select, bipartisan group of elected officials and partners nationwide who have championed support for family caregivers, ensuring they have the resources needed to care for their loved ones.

Senator Bostar is being celebrated for his work on the Caregiver Tax Credit Act (LB937), as well as making it his primary bill during the 2024 session. The Nebraska Legislature passed the bill during final reading on April 18, and it was signed into law by Governor Jim Pillen on April 24. The tax credit is effective January 1, 2025, for the 2025 tax year.

Nebraska’s Caregiver Tax Credit provides a nonrefundable tax credit for out-of-pocket costs incurred by the unpaid family caregiver for a limited set of services. The expenses must be directly related to assisting the family caregiver in providing care to an eligible family member. The tax credit is capped at $2,000 per year for most participants. Individuals caring for veterans or those with a dementia-related diagnosis will receive up to a $3,000 tax credit. There are no age restrictions to qualify for the tax credit.

“Family caregivers are the backbone of our nation’s long-term care system. As the second state to establish a caregiver tax credit, this is a huge victory for Nebraska’s 179,000 family caregivers and those who will become caregivers in the future. Thanks to Senator Bostar’s efforts, family caregivers are in a stronger position today,” shared Jina Ragland, AARP Nebraska’s Associate State Director of Advocacy and Outreach.

To check your eligibility for the tax credit and to learn more about how AARP Nebraska is overcoming barriers for caregivers in Nebraska, visit aarp.org/NEcaregiving.