Caregiving in Ohio— the questions adult children actually ask.

No on both counts. Ohio repealed its estate tax effective for deaths on or after January 1, 2013, and has never had an inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax applies, and the federal exemption (~$13.99M per individual in 2025) means the vast majority of Ohio families face no estate tax. This puts Ohio in line with most US states — only six retain inheritance taxes (PA, KY, NJ, MD, NE, IA), and Ohio is not one of them.

MyCare Ohio is one of the largest dual-eligible managed care programs in the US, operating since 2014 in 29 Ohio counties. It integrates Medicare and Medicaid benefits for individuals who qualify for both (dual-eligibles) through five managed-care plans: Aetna Better Health, Buckeye Health Plan, CareSource, Molina, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. MyCare Ohio plans coordinate medical, behavioral health, and long-term-care services through a single plan with one care coordinator. If your parent is dual-eligible and lives in a MyCare county, they're likely enrolled in or eligible for one of these plans.

For Medicaid long-term care (nursing-facility or PASSPORT waiver), the asset limit is $2,000 for a single applicant — the SSI-based federal baseline. The home is generally exempt up to the federal equity cap (~$752,000 in 2026), one vehicle is exempt, and a community spouse can retain a community-spouse resource allowance (~$157,920 in 2026). Most countable assets above the applicant limit need to be addressed through spend-down or other planning before approval.

PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options and Resources Today) is Ohio's primary Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services waiver for older adults, administered by the Ohio Department of Aging through the 12 Area Agencies on Aging. Eligible individuals receive in-home personal care, adult day services, home modifications, respite, and consumer-directed care — the option to hire and pay a caregiver (including an adult child, but typically not a spouse). PASSPORT is the alternative to nursing-facility Medicaid for those who can be safely served at home.

Yes, through the PASSPORT waiver's Consumer Directed Care option (Self Determination). Once your parent qualifies for Ohio Medicaid LTC and is enrolled in PASSPORT, the program can authorize self-directed care that allows the recipient to hire and pay a caregiver — including an adult child, but typically not a spouse. Hourly rates are set by the Area Agency on Aging and historically run $14-$17/hour. If MyCare Ohio applies to your parent, the consumer-direction option is also available through the managed-care plan.

Call the Ohio Adult Protective Services hotline at 1-855-OH-PETS (1-855-644-6277), open 24/7. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services administers APS through county departments, but the statewide hotline routes calls to the appropriate county. Reports can be made anonymously and can also be submitted online at jfs.ohio.gov. For immediate danger, call 911 first. For concerns specific to nursing home, RCF, or Adult Foster Home residents, the Ohio Long-Term Care Ombudsman (1-800-282-1206) is the appropriate resource.

Both are licensed under Ohio law but serve different purposes. A Residential Care Facility (RCF) is the larger assisted-living setting — typically 16+ residents — providing personal care, room, board, and limited skilled services (R.C. 3721 et seq.). An Adult Foster Home is a smaller residential setting (typically 3-5 residents, with some licensure flexibility) in a more home-like environment (R.C. 5119.34 et seq.). Services overlap substantially; the experience differs in scale and atmosphere. There's also an Adult Care Facility (ACF) license between the two. Pricing varies by setting type.

The Ohio state median for a private one-bedroom in an RCF/assisted living is approximately $4,800-$5,000/month in 2024 dollars. Range across Ohio metros is meaningful: Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati assisted living routinely runs $5,000-$5,800/month, while smaller cities and rural communities may be $4,200-$4,700. Memory care adds typically 25-35% on top of base. Ohio has approximately 800+ licensed RCFs / assisted living settings statewide.

Possibly. Ohio adopted the Uniform Power of Attorney Act effective March 2012, codified at R.C. 1337.21 et seq. Out-of-state POAs are generally recognized in Ohio if validly executed where signed (R.C. 1337.45), but Ohio banks and brokerages sometimes hesitate, and certain specific powers (gifts, beneficiary changes, modifying trusts) must be expressly granted in the document. If your parent has moved to Ohio from another state, an attorney review costs $200-$400 and is usually worthwhile, especially if real-estate transactions are anticipated.

No. Ohio does not tax Social Security benefits. Ohio also offers a Retirement Income Credit (up to a modest amount) and a Senior Citizen Credit ($50) on the state income tax return, which can reduce taxable retirement income further. Combined with no estate tax and no inheritance tax, Ohio is reasonably tax-friendly for retirees, though it is less generous than states like Florida or Tennessee that have no state income tax at all.