HR 8274
Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act of 2026
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Sign in to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill would allow certain family caregivers to contribute to a Roth IRA. Specifically, it defines a ‘qualified family caregiver’ as an individual who dedicates at least 500 hours to caregiving for a child or an adult with special needs, while having fewer than 500 hours of paid employment. If meeting these criteria, caregivers can contribute to a Roth IRA without the usual income limitations. The bill also addresses coordination with spousal IRAs.
Key provisions
- Allows family caregivers to contribute to a Roth IRA.
- Defines a ‘qualified family caregiver’ based on hours of caregiving and paid employment.
- Requires caregivers to have dedicated at least 500 hours to caregiving.
- Excludes paid employment from the 500-hour requirement.
- Caregiving includes assistance with various daily needs.
- The definition of ‘family caregiver’ includes foster parents and unpaid adults.
- Addresses coordination with spousal IRAs.
- Effective date is January 1, 2027.
Who is affected
- Family caregivers
- Adults with special needs
- Children
- Unemployed or severely underemployed adults
- Taxpayers
Notable changes
- Creates a new category of eligible individuals for Roth IRA contributions.
- Establishes specific criteria for determining a ‘qualified family caregiver’ based on hours dedicated to caregiving.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
Reasons to oppose this legislation.
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yoursRead the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 8274
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow certain family caregivers to contribute to a Roth IRA.
This Act may be cited as the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act of 2026
.
Subsection (c) of section 408A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
In the case of an individual who is a qualified family caregiver as of the close of the taxable year, in applying section 219 for purposes of paragraph (2), the limitation of paragraph (1) of section 219(b) shall be equal to the dollar amount in effect under section 219(b)(1)(A) for the taxable year.
For purposes of this paragraph—
The term qualified family caregiver means an individual who, during the taxable year—
has completed 500 or more hours as a family caregiver, and
has completed fewer than 500 hours of paid employment (including self-employment).
The term family caregiver means an unpaid family member, a foster parent, or another unpaid adult, who is unemployed or severely underemployed (as determined by the Secretary) and who provides in-home care, monitoring, management, supervision, or treatment of—
a child, or
an adult with a special need (as defined in section 2901 of the Public Health Service Act), including an elderly adult who requires care or supervision due to an age-related condition.
An individual shall be treated as serving as a family caregiver during the hours in which the individual is engaged in caregiving tasks, including assistance with bathing or grooming, dressing, laundry, food shopping or preparation, housekeeping, managing medications, transportation, and mobility assistance.
In the case of an individual to whom section 219(c)(1) applies for the taxable year, subparagraph (A) shall be applied notwithstanding such section.
The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.