Start a small non-medical home care agency
Run a local agency that matches vetted caregivers with seniors who want to stay at home, and manage the schedule.
- $3k-15k
- Full-time
- From home
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
40,265 US businesses with employees in this field, -3.3% in a year
NAICS 624120 “Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
You run the business side while hired caregivers provide companionship and help with daily living in clients' homes. You handle client assessments, hiring, scheduling, training and quality checks, often starting by covering some shifts yourself.
Your first three steps
- Check your state's licensing rules for non-medical home care agencies, including any training, capital or policy requirements
- Form an LLC, get an EIN, and quote for general liability, professional liability and workers' compensation insurance
- Set up caregiver screening and scheduling, then meet local hospital discharge planners, elder law attorneys and senior centers
Who pays
Families paying privately, plus clients using long-term care insurance. Some agencies later enroll in veterans' or state Medicaid waiver programs, which need extra approvals.
How it makes money
You bill clients an hourly rate and pay caregivers a lower hourly wage. The difference covers insurance, payroll costs, marketing and your income.
Skills that help
- Organizing schedules
- Hiring and managing people
- Building trust with families
- Basic bookkeeping or willingness to use software
Watch out for
- Many states license home care agencies and fees and requirements vary widely, check with your state health or aging department
- Workers' compensation and payroll taxes once you hire, plus wage and overtime rules for caregivers
- Background checks and caregiver training requirements
- Liability if a caregiver is injured or a client is harmed or something goes missing
- Hard to staff reliably, caregiver turnover is a common challenge
- Government payer programs bring extra paperwork and compliance rules
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: small non-medical home care agency
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a non-medical home care agency?
Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your state's licensing fees, insurance, hiring and scheduling software. Fees and requirements vary widely by state, so check yours first.
How much can a small home care agency earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many clients and caregiver hours you can staff. Estimates start from about 30 hours a week. Caregiver turnover is a common challenge.
What licenses and rules should I check before starting a home care agency?
Many states license home care agencies and requirements vary widely, so check with your state health or aging department. Also check workers' compensation, payroll taxes, wage and overtime rules, caregiver background checks and training, and liability coverage.
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