WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today introduced the Americans Giving Care to Elders (AGE) Act to provide financial relief to family caregivers by creating a tax credit for the costs of caring for an aging relative. The AGE Act allow families to qualify for a tax credit to help offset expenses—ranging from purchasing assistive technologies and devices to fees for a care center to making necessary modifications to a home—of up to $6,000 per year.
“Millions of families already find themselves coping with the challenges and costs of caring for elderly parents—and the numbers will continue to grow,” Klobuchar said. “The AGE Act will ensure that family caregivers won’t have to decide between paying the bills and caring for their aging loved ones.”
Klobuchar first introduced the AGE Act in 2015. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI).
“The American Heart Association is pleased to endorse the Americans Giving Care to Elders (or AGE) Act of 2018. Caregivers are indispensable assets to our health care system and often play a significant role in the recovery and well-being of heart disease and stroke survivors,” said American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown. “As the nation’s population ages, the need for caregivers will escalate. Senator Klobuchar’s legislation is a critical first step to ensuring that those who care for elderly parents or relatives have the resources necessary to maintain the health and wellbeing of their families. We applaud her leadership on this important issue.”
Throughout her time in the Senate, Klobuchar has been fighting to ensure that all Americans have safety, dignity, and good health in their senior years. In October, the bipartisan Court-Appointed Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act Klobuchar introduced with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) was signed into law by the President as part of the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act. The law will help crack down on elder abuse by strengthening oversight and accountability for guardians and conservators. The bipartisan Seniors Fraud Prevention Act, which Klobuchar introduced with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), passed the Senate Commerce Committee last year. The bill would help fight scams designed to strip seniors of their assets by educating seniors about fraud schemes and improving monitoring of and response to fraud complaints.
Klobuchar has also been a leader in curbing the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, improving and strengthening Medicare, and protecting American consumers by leading major legislation, such as the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act—which has 34 Senate cosponsors—and the bipartisan Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act and Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act.
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