Hawai‘i Voters Ages 40 and Older Support a State Income Tax Credit for Family Caregivers

In 2020, nearly one in five Americans (19%), roughly 47.9 million people, were providing care to someone age 18 or older. In Hawai‘i, an estimated 154,000 caregivers are providing 144 million hours of care to their loved ones each year. This AARP survey of adults 40-plus sought to learn more about Hawai‘i caregivers and Hawai‘i voters' support for a state income tax credit for family caregivers.

Nearly half of Hawai‘i adults 40-plus (45%) have experience providing care to a family member or friend. Most Hawai‘i caregivers feel or felt stressed emotionally due to their caregiving situation.

Nearly all Hawai‘i current and former caregivers have incurred some expense while providing care. Nine in 10 caregivers say they have incurred expenses in at least one of the 10 cost areas asked about in our survey.

Given the choice between financial support that would help cover caregiving costs or support that gives them more time, Hawai‘i caregivers overwhelmingly chose financial support. The majority of voters in Hawai’i do not believe that the Hawai‘i State Government offers enough support for unpaid family caregivers.

Nine in 10 voters in Hawai‘i support a limited state income tax credit for family caregivers. Such a credit would help ease the financial burden of caregivers who incur expenses for the care and support of a family member living in Hawai‘i. The majority of all Hawai‘i voters — Republicans, Democrats, and Independents — support a limited state income tax credit.

Methodology
AARP surveyed 1,002 Hawai‘i registered voters age 40-plus to learn more about Hawai‘i caregivers and Hawai‘i voters' support for a state income tax credit for family caregivers.

For more information, please contact Terri Guengerich at tguengerich@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.