Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Private Caregiver
Private care can be flexible, but payroll, taxes, liability, references, backup coverage, and emergency rules matter.
Do not compare private care to agency care until payroll, taxes, insurance, references, duties, supervision, and backup coverage are included.
A private caregiver can be a good fit, especially when a family needs consistency. It can also turn the family into an employer without the family realizing it.
Quick answer
Do not compare private care to agency care until payroll, taxes, insurance, references, duties, supervision, and backup coverage are included.
Private Care Can Add Control And Responsibility
Hiring a private caregiver may offer more control and sometimes lower hourly cost than an agency. It may also create more responsibility for the family.
With a private caregiver, the family may need to think about screening, taxes, payroll, liability, supervision, backup coverage, scheduling, and what happens if the caregiver becomes unavailable.
This guide is educational and should not be treated as legal, tax, or employment advice. IRS Publication 926 explains that families may have household-employer tax responsibilities when they hire someone to do household work and control what work is done and how it is done.
Questions About Experience
Ask:
- What kind of care have you provided before?
- Have you cared for someone with similar needs?
- Do you have experience with dementia?
- Do you have experience with transfers, bathing, toileting, incontinence, or mobility support?
- What tasks are you comfortable doing?
- What tasks are you not comfortable doing?
Questions About References And Screening
Ask:
- Can you provide references?
- Can we verify prior caregiving work?
- Are you willing to complete a background check where legally appropriate?
- Do you have relevant certifications?
- Are you CPR or first-aid trained?
- Are you legally authorized to work?
Questions About Duties
Ask:
- Will you help with bathing?
- Will you help with toileting?
- Will you prepare meals?
- Will you do light housekeeping?
- Will you drive?
- Will you help with medications only as allowed?
- Will you document care notes?
- Will you communicate with family?
Questions About Schedule
Ask:
- What days and hours are you available?
- Are you available evenings, weekends, or holidays?
- What notice do you need for schedule changes?
- What happens if you are sick?
- Do you have reliable transportation?
- Can you work the same schedule every week?
Questions About Money And Employment
Ask:
- What is your hourly rate?
- How do you expect to be paid?
- Are taxes being handled correctly?
- Is overtime relevant?
- Will there be a written agreement?
- What expenses are reimbursed?
- Who provides supplies?
- Who handles mileage?
Kefiw tip: Do not create a vague cash arrangement. A private caregiver relationship should be documented clearly. Families should speak with a tax or employment professional when needed.
Questions About Safety
Ask:
- What would you do if my parent fell?
- What would you do if they refused care?
- What would you do if they seemed confused or suddenly weaker?
- What would you do if they became angry or fearful?
- Who do you call first in an emergency?
- What information do you need before starting?
The Kefiw Job-Description-Before-Interview Rule
Do not interview before writing the job.
Include:
- Days.
- Hours.
- Tasks.
- Mobility needs.
- Dementia needs.
- Transportation.
- Household tasks.
- Documentation.
- Emergency contacts.
- Pay process.
- Backup expectations.
A clear job description protects both the caregiver and the family.
Red Flags
- No references.
- Unclear work history.
- Resistance to written agreements.
- Unwillingness to document care.
- Unclear backup plan.
- Overpromising medical tasks.
- Poor boundaries around money.
- Family hires quickly because they are desperate.
Family Script
"We want this to work well for everyone, so we need a written schedule, task list, pay process, emergency plan, and backup plan before care begins."
Related Kefiw Tools
Professional Review
Recommended reviewer: elder law attorney, employment/tax professional, geriatric care manager
Sources To Verify
- Family Caregiver Alliance: Hiring In-Home Help
- IRS Publication 926: Household Employer Tax Guide
- IRS: Family Caregivers and Self-Employment Tax
- U.S. Department of Labor: Domestic Service Final Rule FAQs
Last reviewed: April 29, 2026.
Kefiw Checklist And Script Disclaimer
Kefiw provides educational care-planning tools and guides. This content does not replace medical, legal, financial, tax, insurance, employment, or professional care advice. Care needs, coverage rules, resident rights, facility policies, licensing, employment rules, and insurance details vary by person, provider, plan, state, and year. For urgent medical concerns or immediate danger, call emergency services.
Continue Planning With Kefiw
Related
Frequently asked questions
› Who should use this questions to ask before hiring a private caregiver? How-to
Use it when the family needs a practical conversation starter, a checklist for provider calls, or a way to connect care concerns to costs and next steps.
› Can this guide replace professional advice? Trust & accuracy
No. It is designed to organize questions and decisions before speaking with clinicians, Medicare resources, insurers, elder law attorneys, care providers, or other qualified professionals.
› What should families do first? How-to
Write down the immediate safety concern, the care tasks that are already happening, the expected monthly cost, and the person responsible for the next call.
› How should I use this guide with a Kefiw tool? How-to
Use the guide as the plan and the linked Kefiw tool as the check. Read the steps first, try the move manually, then use the tool to compare outputs, catch edge cases, and decide whether the result actually fits your task.
› What mistake do tool guides help avoid? Troubleshooting
Tool guides help avoid using a utility mechanically without understanding what you are trying to accomplish. Most word, writing, and text utilities are fast, but speed can hide context mistakes. Know whether you are solving a puzzle, cleaning copy, drafting a line, or checking a rule.