A mounting financial burden costing American families thousands of dollars a year is emerging as an overlooked issue in the 2026 midterm elections as new polling suggests that the expense of caring for aging relatives could influence voters in some of the nation's most competitive congressional races.
While inflation, the Iran War and border security dominate the national debate, the growing cost of family caregiving has attracted comparatively little attention.
An estimated 59 million Americans provide unpaid care for an adult relative, friend or neighbor, according to AARP. A recent Edward Jones study found that financial caregivers who are not fully reimbursed spend an average of $8,737 annually out of pocket, forcing difficult decisions about household budgets and long-term savings.
The financial strain is also evident in retirement accounts. Research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that 34% of caregivers have less than $10,000 in savings and investments, compared with 25% of non-caregivers.
Moreover, the AARP survey conducted across 43 competitive congressional districts found that 77% of likely voters age 50 and older said they would be more likely to support a candidate advocating tax credits for unpaid caregivers. Additionally, 75% expressed greater support for candidates backing assistance that allows relatives to remain in their homes rather than enter institutional care.
Older Americans also appear especially motivated ahead of Election Day. The same survey found that 83% of voters age 50 and older described themselves as extremely motivated to vote, compared with 66% of younger voters.
President Donald Trump pledged to address the growing issue during his 2024 campaign, promising a tax credit for Americans caring for aging parents and other loved ones.
"It's about time that they were recognized, right?" Trump asked during a Madison Square Garden rally at the time.
However, the proposed caregiver tax credit was ultimately left out of Trump's sweeping tax-and-spending legislation signed in July 2025, while bipartisan legislation that would provide eligible working caregivers with a tax credit of up to $5,000, has gone no where in Congress.