Family caregivers often have questions and concerns when it comes to the legal and financial issues that arise over the course of caregiving. How do I cover the cost of care? Are there programs to assist with paying for care? What are the legal issues that impact my role as a caregiver? What do I do if the person I'm caring for isn't able to make decisions?
Local
For information and resources in local communities, contact the Family Caregiver Support Program. They can put you in touch with a resource specialist who will help you find the local legal resources to meet your needs.
State
Advanced Directives
State resources for finding information and advance directives forms.
Alzheimer's Family Caregiver Support Program
Funds are available in each county for qualified individuals to provide temporary caregiver respite care and purchase goods and services needed to help care for someone with irreversible dementia.
Caregiver Respite Grant Program
Provides financial support for family caregivers for up to 5 days of respite care within 30 days of application approval. This grant allows approved applicants to hire the respite care provider of their choice for the care recipient.
Disability Benefit Specialist Program
State resource for learning about and finding a Disability Benefit Specialist.
Elder Benefit Specialist Program
State resource for learning about and finding an Elderly Benefit Specialist.
Elder Law & Advocacy Center
Operated by the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc., the Elder Law & Advocacy Center supports the Elder Benefit Specialists in Wisconsin and provides information on elder law issues.
FoodShare Wisconsin
Helps low-income families and individuals buy nutritious food. Apply online or ask at the ADRC.
Free Legal Clinics for the Public: There are several recurring legal clinics throughout the state on a variety of topics. There may be others in addition to this list; check with the State Bar or your local bar association to find out if there are other free or low-income legal services in your area.
Homestead Credit
State resource providing information on the Homestead Credit.
Respite Care Association of Wisconsin
Grants & programs to promote, support, and expand quality statewide respite care across the lifespan.
Supplemental Respite Grant Program
Supports primary caregivers by providing funding for supplemental respite services. This grant allows you to hire the person of your choice to help you with housekeeping, meal prep, laundry, lawn care, snow removal, transportation, and technology.
Wisconsin Guardianship Support Center
Operated by the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc., the Guardianship Support Center provides information about guardianship, protective placement, advanced directives, and other issues that impact people who are helping to make decisions for an incapacitated adult.
Wisconsin Spousal Impoverishment Protections
State information regarding income and asset protection for married couples when one spouse is in a nursing home or participating in a community waiver program and the other spouse is not in a nursing home or other medical institution.
Wispact
A private, nonprofit organization that administers pooled and community Special Needs Trusts for people with disabilities.
National
Adoption & guardianship - Comparison Chart
This chart is designed to help kinship foster parents compare adoption and guardianship as two options that you and the children in your care can pursue to exit foster care and create permanent families in Wisconsin.
BenefitsCheckUp® connects millions of older adults and people with disabilities with benefits programs that can help pay for health care, medicine, food, utilities, and more. See what's available in your area by entering your ZIP code.
Find low-cost internet & computers in your area.
Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network - Legal Options
When a child comes into your care, there are so many practical needs to deal with right away. Food, clothing, school, a place to sleep. You may also have concerns about legal issues and the paperwork you need to access supports for the child. Here are some issues caregivers often think about, and where to go for help.
Grandfamilies.org serves as a national legal resource in support of grandfamilies within and outside the child welfare system.
Social Security Administration
Information on Social Security and other federal income maintenance programs.
Special Needs Alliance
National organization comprised of attorneys who can help answer questions about public benefits, speicaal needs trusts, guardianships/conservatorships, planning for disabilities and special education issues.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Pays benefits to people who can't work because they have a medical condition or disability.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
A federal nutrition program that protects and improves the health of nutritionally at-risk infants, children up to 5 years old, and pregnant and postpartum individuals from households with low incomes. As a grandparent or other caregiver raising children whose parents cannot, you can apply for WIC for infants and children up to age 5 in your care. If approved, your local WIC clinic will give you an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card to purchase a food package tailored to the infant or child’s needs.
WISER Caregiver
Caregiving page on WISER (Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement) with downloadable information and links to other caregiving sites.
USA.gov - Legal Resources
Learn about programs and organizations that give free legal advice and may help you find a free or low-cost attorney.
Other
American Parkinson Disease Association
Offers a patient aid scholarship program designed to provide financial support to people with Parkinson Disease (PD) and their families. Approved applicants will be eligible to be granted up to $500 per calendar year (January – December). Funds are limited and will be awarded on a first come basis.
Home Care Recharge Respite Grant
For those with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or related dementia, currently living at home and havea financial need, emotional need, and who need access to social support.
The ALS Association of Wisconsin Chapter - Brain Trinastic Memorial Grant Program
Assists with the needs of those individuals living with ALS. The Chapter does not receive federal or state funding. The Grant Program is solely funded through private donations, memorials, Chapter sponsored and Community/Family events.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration
FTD imposes a severe economic burden on persons diagnosed and their families. AFTD offers Comstock Grants for respite care, quality of life, and travel grants as direct assistance to people in the FTD community.