Vermont
Vermont has a state estate tax with a ~$5M exemption (one of the more aggressive in the country), runs long-term care through the distinctive Choices for Care 1115 waiver, and combines small-state intimacy with progressive policy — the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living coordinates most of what families touch.
Vermont is one of the smaller number of US states with its own estate tax. The Vermont exemption is approximately $5 million per individual (as of 2026,), separate from the federal exemption. Estates above the Vermont threshold but below the federal pay Vermont estate tax only — relevant for Vermonters with land, business interests, or accumulated retirement savings.
Vermont's Choices for Care program is delivered under a federal Section 1115 demonstration waiver and is among the more progressive LTC delivery systems in the US. It serves people who would otherwise need nursing-facility care and allows the funding to follow them into homes, adult-family-care settings, or facilities. Eligibility runs through the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL).
Vermont layered the Vermont Parental and Family Leave Act on top of federal FMLA — broader eligibility (employers with 10+ employees for parental leave, 15+ for family leave) and 12 weeks unpaid. There's no state paid family leave program (unlike CA, NY, NJ, MA, etc.), but eligibility is broader than the federal floor.
Medicare in Vermont
Limited MA market by national standards, strong Medigap landscape, rural-access realities.
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Medicaid & LTC in Vermont
Choices for Care 1115 waiver, the High-/Highest-Need eligibility tracks, 60-month look-back.
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Care Settings & Costs in VT
Vermont cost-of-care by region; Residential Care Home vs Assisted Living licensure distinction.
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Legal & Financial — VT
Vermont POA, advance directives, probate, the Vermont estate tax (~$5M exemption).
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The Caregiver's Life — VT
Federal FMLA plus Vermont Parental and Family Leave Act, the Choices for Care self-direction option.
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For when you don’t want to dig
Medicaid agency, Area Agency on Aging, Adult Protective Services, free Medicare counseling, legal aid, official forms, and every statute we cite. All in one page.
OCT 15 → DEC 7
Medicare Annual Enrollment Period
Switch Advantage, Medigap, or Part D plans. Vermont's MA market is smaller than most states; Original Medicare + Medigap remains common.
APR 15 ANNUAL
Vermont income tax & estate tax filings
Vermont income tax filings are due April 15. The Vermont estate tax return (VT-Form EST-191) is due 9 months after death. Vermont conforms to many federal estate-tax concepts but uses its own exemption.
ANNUAL
Vermont Choices for Care annual review
Choices for Care participants undergo annual redetermination. Watch for the renewal packet 60-90 days before anniversary date.
Recent from Vermont
Reviewer TBD · May 21
Reviewer TBD · May 14
Reviewer TBD · May 7
Caregiving rules differ meaningfully across state lines. If you’re weighing where to relocate your parent, these comparisons matter.
How we research Vermont-specific guidance.
Every state page is built from three sources: the state’s own statutes and regulatory filings, federal CMS and SSA documents that apply, and direct input from at least one credentialed reviewer who practices in or is licensed in that state. We re-review every state page quarterly. Vermont was last fully reviewed on May 21, 2026 by Reviewer to be assigned.