Elder Care Cost Planning
Split parent care costs between siblings.
Share a parent's monthly care cost three ways: equal shares, in proportion to income, or equal shares after crediting each sibling's unpaid caregiving time. See what each person pays.
Your numbers
Result
Fill the form and press Calculate.
Equal split: total / number of people. Income split: total x each person's income / combined income. Time credit: (total + value of everyone's unpaid hours) / number of people, minus your own credit. For a $3,000 month shared by three siblings that is $1,000 each when equal.
Not financial, legal, insurance or medical advice. This is arithmetic on the numbers you enter. It is not a care assessment, a quote, or a recommendation. Talk to a qualified financial planner, elder law professional, insurance adviser or your care team before you commit money or choose care.
Worked example
Care costs $3,000 a month. Sibling A earns $6,000 a month and gives no hours, B earns $4,000 and gives 10 hours, C earns $2,000 and gives 40 hours. Equal: A $1,000.00, B $1,000.00, C $1,000.00. By income: A $1,500.00, B $1,000.00, C $500.00. Time credit at $20 an hour: the 50 hours are worth $1,000, so the pool is $4,000 and each fair share is $1,333.33; after credits the cash shares are A $1,333.33, B $1,133.33, C $533.33, which still add up to $3,000.
How it works
Equal: share = total / n. Income: share = total x income / sum of incomes. Time credit: credit = hours x hourly value; pool = total + sum of credits; share = pool / n - own credit. A negative share means that person has already given more than their fair share and would be paid back by the others. This is a conversation starter for the family, not a legal or tax calculation.
Sources
Arithmetic on the numbers you enter. No external figures or rates are used.
FAQ
How should siblings split the cost of parent care?
There is no single rule. Families commonly use equal shares, shares in proportion to income, or credit for unpaid caregiving time. This tool shows all three so you can talk it through.
What is the time credit method?
Each sibling's unpaid caregiving hours are valued at an hourly rate the family agrees on. The credited time and the cash cost are pooled and divided equally, then each person's credit is subtracted from their share.
Can a share come out negative?
Yes, in the time method. It means that sibling has given more time than their equal share is worth, so the others would reimburse them.
Which hourly value should we use?
That is for the family to agree on. Some use the wage of a paid caregiver, some use a lower figure. This tool does not set one.
Is this legal or tax advice?
No. Any family agreement about money should be written down, and a lawyer or accountant can advise on tax and legal effects.