Are You Legally Required to Pay for Your Parents' Care? The Hidden Cost of Going "No Contact"

If you've ever wondered why your family relationships feel like they have higher stakes than ever, this episode explains why.

We're not talking about the therapy discourse around "toxic families" or whether Oprah and Mel Robbins are right about going "no contact." We're talking about the thing almost nobody is discussing: 26 states have filial responsibility laws that can make you legally liable for your parents' nursing home bills - which average $127,750 per year.

The timing isn't coincidental. The government just enacted $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts, and suddenly the cultural conversation shifted from "protect your mental health" to "life is too short to fight with family."

Chris (Gen X) and Des (Elder Millennial) break down the economic, political, and ideological forces making the holidays more complicated than ever - plus what you actually need to do to protect yourself.

This isn't about choosing sides. It's about understanding the game.

---

Episode Highlights:

- The filial responsibility law most people don't know exists

- Why the "no contact" backlash exploded in late 2025

- What the Heritage Foundation has been planning since 1988

- The Pennsylvania case that held a son liable for $92,943

- Chris's experience as a caregiver for his dad

- Actionable steps to take right now

Resources: Standalone.org, state-by-state filial law guide, Medicaid cuts timeline

---

I'm Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today is a conversational, culturally savvy podcast for people navigating information chaos, cultural absurdity, and democratic crisis through humor and historical context.

Subscribe for weekly episodes.

https://www.bearing287.com/

Click here to watch a video of this episode.
Click here to view the episode transcript.