Does Arizona Have Filial Responsibility Laws?

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Filial responsibility laws hold adult children (and sometimes other relatives) responsible for their parents’ medical costs and care if the parents can’t afford it themselves.

Filial responsibility laws vary from state to state.

Arizona does not have filial responsibility laws, but if your parents live out of state, you could be subject to that state’s laws.

The best way to understand your filial responsibility is to research, consult an attorney, and make a plan.

You may find the prospect of caring for your aging parents empowering, intimidating, or your greatest honor. And all of those perceptions can be valid. Family dynamics are unique and personal, and we don't judge anyone for their feelings about caring for their parents as they age. However, adult children should prepare themselves to fulfill not only familial expectations but also legal obligations.

In 26 states, filial responsibility laws hold adult children responsible for the cost of care for their aging parents if their parents can’t afford it. And those costs can range from crippling to astronomical. In Arizona, adult day care costs an average of $2700/month, in-home care or assisted living cost over $6,000/month, and a private room in a nursing home costs over $10,000/month. Creating a care plan that addresses both familial and legal obligations is easier said than done, but understanding the filial responsibility laws in your state can give you a head start.

What is filial responsibility?

Filial responsibility laws (a.k.a. filial obligation or filial support) require adult children to care—or cover the cost of professional care—for their parents when the parents don't have the means to pay for care. These costs can include food, clothing, housing, and medical costs. Each state has different guidelines when it comes to filial responsibility. In some states, filial responsibility only applies to adult children. In others, more family members can be held responsible. Additionally, states differ on policies regarding the length of time adult children provide support for their parents or the enforcement of filial responsibility laws.

If your parents live in a state with filial responsibility laws, you may be financially responsible for their medical or long term care if everything below is true:

One or both parents receive state-sponsored financial support to help pay for food, housing, utilities, or other expenses; however they’re not eligible for Medicaid.
The Social Security benefits of one or both parents don’t cover their expenses (a.k.a. (they qualify as indigent).
One or both parents can’t pay for their nursing home bills.
You have the ability to pay those outstanding nursing home bills.

Does Arizona have filial responsibility laws?

Arizona does not have filial responsibility laws. If your aging parent or parents live in Arizona, you’re not legally required to support them financially. In practice, this means Arizona families:

Aren’t legally required to pay for their parents’ living expenses, medical, or long-term care bills
Face no risk of lawsuits or collection actions based on filial responsibility

However, Arizona residents might still be held responsible for the care of out-of-state parents if their parents live in a state with filial responsibility laws.

Filial responsibility in other states

State filial responsibility laws vary. Some states consider the quality of the child and parent’s relationship when assigning responsibility. Others consider the child’s financial, emotional and physical wellbeing before assigning responsibility. In many states, the laws, as written, hold adult children responsible for the parent's care, but the law itself is rarely enforced.

For example, in Pennsylvania, filial responsibility law does hold adult children financially responsible for their parents’ care. This applies unless the parent abandoned their child as a minor. Pennsylvania routinely enforces its filial responsibility law.

North Carolina also enforces its filial responsibilities law. And the state ups the ante by charging violators with a class 2 misdemeanor, which could mean 60–120 days of jail time.

California laws take into account an adult child’s health, finances, obligations and other factors before assigning responsibility. If the adult child can prove they don’t meet the requirements, the state won’t hold them responsible. That said, California doesn’t enforce its filial responsibility laws as consistently as some other states

But doesn’t Medicaid cover long-term care?

Yes, Medicaid does cover long-term care for those who meet strict income and asset limits. These limits vary by state, and you can find information about eligibility requirements for the Medicaid program in your parent’s state here. If you learn that your parents don't meet their state’s income and asset limits, they will need to spend down their income and assets on health care until they do meet them. Then they can apply for Medicaid.

If you and your parents are thinking of transferring some of their assets to you and your siblings in order to protect those assets, be sure to do that at least five years before you think they may need to apply for Medicaid. Otherwise, Medicaid can hold you liable for the transferred assets. The sooner you learn about the Strategies for Protecting Assets from Medicaid, the better chance your parents will have of qualifying for Medicaid while still being able to leave some of their estate to you.

Once your parent is on Medicaid, filial responsibility laws do not apply. This means Medicaid will not consider your income and assets when determining your parent’s eligibility, and Medicaid will not require you to pay for the care provided. However, nursing homes and other long-term health care providers may request reimbursement from your parent’s estate to cover some of the costs of long-term care they provided. This mode of reimbursement is known as the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program, or MERP. And the assets that can be recovered can include your parent’s house, bank accounts, or assets that they share with their adult child(ren). MERP only comes into play if the adult children are financially able to cover those costs.

Compare State Filial Responsibility Laws

If your parent or parents live in any of the following states, you should take the time to research that state’s filial responsibility laws. But here’s a quick overview of the laws in each state that has them:

State	Filial Responsibility Laws	Is this law enforced?
Alaska	Parents and adult children have a duty to provide mutual care if one can’t afford their own care. This includes the entire family’s duty to care for an aging family member and provide a decent burial. Failure to uphold this duty is considered a second degree violation.	Rarely
Arkansas	If an aging adult cannot afford their mental health costs, and their adult child can, the adult child must pay.	Rarely
California	Adult children are financially responsible for their parents’ necessary food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. The county or the parent can sue the adult child that fails to provide care, but the child can petition for an exception in cases of abandonment.	Rarely
Connecticut	Relatives must care for children under 18 and parents under 65.	Rarely
Delaware	Spouse, parents, and children are responsible for supporting the relative that cannot afford their own care, in that order.	Rarely
Georgia	Spouse, parents, and children are responsible for supporting the relative that cannot afford their own care, in that order.	Rarely
Indiana	Adult children who are financially able must care for their parents if the parents provided them with necessities until the age of 16. If the adult child doesn’t provide support, they can be charged with a misdemeanor.	Rarely
Kentucky	Mentally, physically, and financially able children over 18 have a duty to support a parent who is mentally disabled, infirm, ill, or can’t afford their own care.	Rarely
Louisiana	Children and parents have a reciprocal obligation of support. An individual may demand their adult children or grandchildren to pay for support if they’re financially able.	Rarely
Massachusetts	Adult children who unreasonably neglect their parents who cannot afford their own care face up to a year of imprisonment and a $200 fine.	Rarely
Mississippi	Parents, grandparents, siblings, and descendants are responsible for maintaining a relative who cannot afford their own care. If they refuse, they will be fined $150 per month.	Rarely
Nevada	Children are only liable for caring for their parent if they promised to do so.	Rarely
New Hampshire	Every person with more than sufficient resources owes a duty to support or contribute to their wife, husband, or child under the age of 18.	Rarely
New Jersey	The county welfare board may order adult children to support parents who accept financial assistance from the government, or are unable to pay medical and nursing home bills. The court may sequester the personal estate, rents, and profits of the real estate of the adult child who is responsible for the care of the parent.	Rarely
North Carolina	Adult children with sufficient income must support their parents unless they have a reasonable cause not to. Violation is considered a misdemeanor.	Rarely
North Dakota	Adult children must pay for their parents’ necessities when the parent cannot afford them.	Rarely
Ohio	Children must support aged or infirm parents, whether biological or adoptive, if the parents can’t afford their own care.	Rarely
Oregon	Adult children must provide support to their parents who can’t afford their own care. Failure to provide necessary care, abandonment, physical harm, defrauding, or leaving a dependent person where controlled substances are manufactured are punishable offenses.	Rarely
Pennsylvania	Spouses and adult children are responsible for caring for their relative who can’t afford their own care. If a parent abandoned the child for 10 years during childhood, the adult child is not held financially responsible for the parent.	Yes
Rhode Island	Any relative may be held financially responsible for another relative who cannot afford their own care.	Rarely
South Dakota	An adult child and their siblings must equally provide their parents with food, clothing, or medical insurance if the parent cannot afford their own care.	Rarely
Tennessee	Children, spouses, parents, and guardians are financially responsible for a relative who cannot afford their own care.	Rarely
Utah	Children, parents, siblings, grandchildren, and grandparents are responsible for supporting a relative who cannot afford their own care, in that order.	Rarely
Vermont	Adult children who desert, neglect, or refuse to support their parents who can’t afford their own care face a penalty of up to 2 years in prison and a $300 fine.	Rarely
Virginia	Adult children must share the responsibility of supporting their parents who cannot provide for themselves. Failure to do so can result in a fine of up to 12 months in jail and $500.	Rarely
West Virginia	West Virginia has no laws requiring support for relatives who can’t afford their own care. But it does hold the following relatives financially responsible for the cremation or burial expenses, in this order: spouse, children, parents, siblings.	Rarely

Practical Considerations for Arizona Families

If you see yourself navigating long term care for your aging parent in the future, the best way to prepare financially is to develop a plan. Sit down with your parents and siblings (if applicable) and discuss:

How you’ll divide caregiving time and costs among siblings and spouses
Your parent’s Medicaid eligibility
A plan to protect your parent(s)' assets if they’re not eligible for Medicaid
Your parent’s long term care insurance policy (if they have one), and what it covers
Starting a savings plan for your family
Time commitments and financial responsibilities such as childcare or tuition costs that can limit a sibling’s ability to share care responsibilities
Your parents’ medical history and potential care needs
Your parents’ care preferences (aging at home, in an assisted living facility, in a nursing home, etc.)
The filial responsibility laws in the state where your parents live

It’s also helpful to consult with an elder law attorney or estate attorney in your parents’ state. They should be aware of any new legislation that may impact you. As of June 2025, no new Arizona laws have introduced filial responsibility.

Managing Parental Care Costs

RubyWell is helping adult children in Arizona manage the financial strain of their parents’ care. Our program is designed for family caregivers of homebound aging adults who don’t qualify for Medicaid. RubyWell technology can predict if the person receiving care is eligible for the Medicare home health benefit. And if they are, we can refer them to a partner home health agency that may be able to provide their care. In some cases, we can even help their family caregiver get trained and certified as a home health aide. So they may be hired by one of our partner home health agencies to provide care. You can take the quiz to see if you and your parent(s) are eligible.

We hope the information here helps you navigate your financial journey through caregiving. If you know other family caregivers in AZ, share the link to this article with them.

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Written by

Suzanne Boutilier

Suzanne Boutilier has been working and writing in the caregiving space since 2021. She also helps her sisters care for their aging father.

Reviewed by

Elyse Dasko

Elyse Dasko is a leading communications strategist in age tech, caregiving and the longevity market.