Mothers are special, there is no doubt about that. We wouldn’t exist without them. They often end up as the caregivers for other family members, including children and aged parents.

Caregiving comes with costs, beyond the obvious emotional ones. A 2023 report from the US Department of Labor revealed that caregiving leads to substantial personal economic cost to mothers, which continues even after caregiving ends. The report concluded that unpaid family caregiving reduced a mother’s lifetime earnings by 15% (which also reduces retirement income).

“Families often think first of immediate demands out of necessity. Children, aging loved ones and people with disabilities need care right now, and when that care is needed during working hours – or is too expensive or inaccessible — it is the mothers who usually scale back on paid work to provide care,” explained Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon in an accompanying press release.

The report estimated that the employment-related costs for mothers providing unpaid care averages $295,000 over a lifetime.

This Sunday is Mother’s Day — a wonderful time to thank or remember your mother, and the sacrifices that mothers make in general.

Make sure your mother is taken care of now and in the future. Estate and disability planning can take a great weight off of one’s shoulders.  As caring and knowledgeable Elder Law attorneys, we can provide the legal advice you need to make sure your mom is cared for, just as she made sure to do the same for you. Give us a call or email us anytime!