Most families assume that parents are solely responsible for their own long-term care costs—but that’s not always true. In some states, adult children can be legally required to cover a parent’s medical or nursing home expenses if they can’t pay. These little-known “filial responsibility” laws date back centuries but still exist in over half the country. According to the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), 26 states currently have statutes that could hold children financially accountable for aging parents’ care. While enforcement is rare, cases do happen—and the consequences can be serious.
