Pick your state
Batch 1 states (CA, TX, FL, NY, PA, OH, IL, MI, GA, NC) load verified 2026 caps. Other states show the $2,000 federal floor with an UNVERIFIED flag until we confirm the agency PDF.
2026 limits51 states + DC100% free
Medicaid Spend DownCalculator
Find out how much you may need to spend before Medicaid long-term care kicks in. Most states cap countable assets at $2,000 for a single applicant in 2026.
- Free to use. No account or signup required.
- 10 states with verified 2026 agency limits.
Built on official Medicaid sources
We cite federal and state agency rules. Limits are dated and flagged when not yet verified for your state.
Definition
What is Medicaid spend down?
Medicaid spend down is the process of lowering countable assets or income until you meet your state limit for long-term care coverage. A widow in Columbus with $41,000 in savings and a $2,000 Ohio cap must address a $39,000 gap before she applies, usually by spending on care, debt, or exempt purchases.
States set different caps. Browse the state calculator hub for California ($130,000), Texas ($2,000), Florida ($2,000), and 48 other jurisdictions. Limits change on state fiscal calendars, not only on January 1.
Common mistake: Assuming Medicare will cover a nursing home stay past 100 days. Medicare stops after short rehab. Medicaid picks up only after you meet asset and level-of-care rules.
Key takeaways for 2026
- Pennsylvania posts a $425 medically needy income limit (MNIL) each month, while Michigan uses $1,330. Asset caps still trip up most families first.
- New York allows $33,038 in countable assets for many home-care cases. California reinstated a $130,000 single limit on January 1, 2026 after earlier rule changes.
- A community spouse in Ohio can keep up to $162,660 under the 2026 CSRA before the applicant must spend down the rest.
- Texas and Florida block the medical-bill income route for many LTC cases. Families there often open a Miller Trust instead of counting on monthly spend-down bills.
How our Medicaid spend down calculators work
Maria in Phoenix listed $48,200 in CDs and checking on her dad's application. Arizona still uses a $2,000 single cap for many LTC cases, so the raw gap is $46,200 before exemptions.
Common mistake: Families cash out an IRA and park the proceeds in checking. Many states then count the full balance on the first of the month. Ask how your state treats retirement accounts before you liquidate.
Enter countable assets
Type bank balances, brokerage totals, and extra real estate. Skip the primary home and one car unless your caseworker says otherwise. Married users can turn on CSRA math for the spouse still at home.
Read the gap
The form prints the spend-down number only. It never says "you qualify." Your county Medicaid office still audits statements, look-back transfers, and level-of-care forms.
State variation in asset limits
Illinois lets a single applicant keep $17,500 in countable assets. Connecticut drops the cap to $1,600. Limits change on state fiscal calendars, not always on January 1.
Open the calculator hub for Illinois ($17,500), New York ($33,038), Pennsylvania ($2,000 plus $425 MNIL), and every other state. The table below highlights our first verified batch.
| State | 2026 asset note | Calculator |
|---|---|---|
| California | $130,000 single (2026) | California tool |
| Texas | $2,000 single | Texas tool |
| Florida | $2,000 single; Miller Trust for income | Florida tool |
| New York | $33,038 single | New York tool |
| Pennsylvania | $2,000 single; $425 MNIL | Pennsylvania tool |
| Ohio | $2,000 single | Ohio tool |
| Illinois | $17,500 single | Illinois tool |
| Michigan | $2,000 single; $1,330 MNIL | Michigan tool |
| Georgia | $2,000 single | Georgia tool |
| North Carolina | $2,000 single | North Carolina tool |
Common mistake: Copying a neighbor's spend-down plan from another state. A $130,000 California figure will not fly on a Georgia application. Always match the state on your Medicaid letterhead.
What this calculator can and cannot do
Each state calculator handles asset spend-down math only. It adds CSRA protection when one spouse stays home. It does not run income spend-down budgets, penalty divisors, or waiver eligibility screens.
James and Linda in Tampa held $214,000 between IRAs and savings. Florida counted the IRAs, applied a $2,000 applicant limit, and left Linda with a CSRA near $107,000. The remaining balance still had to move through allowed spend-down channels, not a lump gift to their son.
Common mistake: Gifting $40,000 to children six months before filing. Florida's five-year look-back can convert that transfer into penalty months with no coverage. Pay legitimate debts and care invoices instead.
Income spend-down vs asset spend-down
Pennsylvania lets applicants subtract medical bills from a $425 MNIL each month. Texas does not offer that same path for many nursing-home cases.
| Feature | Income spend-down | Asset spend-down |
|---|---|---|
| What is over the limit | Monthly income above MNIL | Countable savings above resource cap |
| How you meet it | Medical bills each budget period | Spend on care or buy exempt items |
| How often | Every 1, 3, or 6 months | Usually once before applying |
| Example state | Pennsylvania ($425 MNIL) | Ohio ($2,000 asset cap) |
Our state tools focus on asset spend-down. Read theincome limits guide andMiller Trust guide for Pennsylvania, Michigan, Texas, and Florida pathways. Open the calculator hub for asset math.
Pillar guides
Medicaid Spend Down Guides
Ten pillar guides cover look-back rules, Miller Trusts, spousal allowances, and estate recovery. Each guide links to live state calculators and passes our non-AI writing checklist.
What Is Medicaid Spend Down?
How the medically needy pathway works and when assets or income must be reduced.
Live · /guides/what-is-medicaid-spend-down/Medicaid Asset Limits Explained
Countable vs exempt assets, federal floors, and state-by-state variation.
Live · /guides/medicaid-asset-limits-explained/Medicaid Income Limits and Spend Down
Medically needy income limits, MNIL, and monthly excess-income programs.
Live · /guides/medicaid-income-limits-spend-down/Medicaid Look-Back Period
Five-year transfer rules, penalty periods, and common exceptions.
Live · /guides/medicaid-look-back-period/Medicaid Exempt Assets
Non-countable property, home rules, burial funds, and one-vehicle allowances.
Live · /guides/medicaid-exempt-assets/Miller Trust (Qualifying Income Trust)
Income-cap states, QIT funding rules, and when a trust beats medical-bill spend-down.
Live · /guides/miller-trust-qualifying-income-trust/How to Apply for Medicaid Spend Down
County office steps, documentation checklists, and timing before a nursing-home move.
Live · /guides/how-to-apply-medicaid-spend-down/Spousal Impoverishment Rules
CSRA, minimum monthly maintenance needs, and protecting the at-home spouse.
Live · /guides/spousal-impoverishment-rules/Medicaid Spend Down Strategies
Allowed spending channels, exempt purchases, and transfers that trigger penalties.
Live · /guides/medicaid-spend-down-strategies/Medicaid Estate Recovery Explained
Post-death liens, probate recovery, and exemptions families miss.
Live · /guides/medicaid-estate-recovery-explained/Supporting articles
Medicaid Spend Down Blog
Forty long-tail posts answer specific questions about countable assets, look-back gifts, Miller Trusts, spousal CSRA math, application steps, and estate recovery. Each article links to pillar guides and state calculators.
Medicaid Application Checklist
A Medicaid application checklist for nursing home or HCBS waiver coverage starts with identity, Social Security numbers, citizenship or immi…
applicationCommunity Spouse Resource Allowance
The Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) is the share of a married couple's countable assets that Medicaid protects for the spouse who…
couplesQualifying Income Trust Requirements
A qualifying income trust (QIT), also called a Miller Trust, must meet federal rules in 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(d)(4)(B) and your state Medicaid m…
trustsMedicaid Estate Recovery by State
Every state and Washington, D.C. operate a Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) required by federal law. States must bill the estate for …
recoveryMedicaid Countable Assets List
Medicaid treats most property you own and can convert to cash as a countable resource. That list includes checking and savings accounts, cer…
assetsMedicaid Gift Penalty Calculation
Medicaid gift penalty calculation starts with every uncompensated transfer inside the 60-month look-back window. The state adds those dollar…
look-backNursing Home Medicaid Spend Down
Nursing home Medicaid spend down means lowering countable assets to your state resource limit before the agency approves institutional cover…
strategiesDoes Medicaid Take Your House?
Medicaid does not usually take your house while you are alive. The agency cannot force a sale to meet the $2,000-style asset test when your …
mythsCommon questions
Medicaid Spend Down FAQ
What is a Medicaid spend-down?
A Medicaid spend-down is the dollar amount you must still reduce in countable income or assets before you meet your state limit. For savings, you usually spend or convert the excess into exempt items before you file for long-term care Medicaid. Your county office confirms the final figure on your bank statements.
How do I calculate my Medicaid spend-down amount?
Subtract your state asset limit from your countable assets. A single applicant in Georgia with $38,400 in checking and a $2,000 cap faces a $36,400 gap before exemptions. Married couples may subtract the CSRA first when only one spouse applies.
What is the Medicaid asset limit in most states?
Most states set a $2,000 countable asset limit for a single nursing-home applicant in 2026. New York posts $33,038 for many cases, Illinois allows $17,500, and California lists $130,000 after its January 2026 rule change. Always read the letter from your state agency, not a national blog.
What assets count toward Medicaid spend-down?
States usually count cash, checking, savings, stocks, bonds, and rental property. Your primary home, one car, and household goods are often exempt until equity caps apply. Ohio still scrutinizes IRAs in payout status differently than dormant accounts.
What is the difference between income and asset spend-down?
Income spend-down clears monthly earnings above the MNIL with medical bills each budget period. Pennsylvania uses a $425 MNIL; Michigan uses $1,330. Asset spend-down is a one-time reduction of savings before you apply. Texas blocks the bill route for many LTC cases and steers families toward Miller Trusts.
Can I gift money to family to meet the spend-down?
Gifts during the five-year look-back can trigger penalty months with no Medicaid coverage. A $50,000 transfer in North Carolina could mean months of ineligibility based on the state divisor. Pay care invoices, medical debt, or exempt purchases instead of wiring money to children.
Does this calculator guarantee Medicaid eligibility?
No. The tool prints estimates only. Your state still reviews look-back transfers, home equity, waiver slots, and level-of-care tests. Call the Medicaid office listed on your denial or approval letter if the math here differs from their worksheet.
Which states have verified limits on this site?
Batch 1 covers California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, and North Carolina with agency-checked 2026 figures. The other 41 states plus DC show UNVERIFIED warnings until we log the official source PDF.
How long does a Medicaid spend-down take?
Asset spend-down often takes weeks or months because families must sell property, pay bills, or buy exempt items before filing. Income spend-down repeats every budget period in medically needy states. Arizona families routinely spend 45 to 90 days gathering bank statements for the county office after the spend-down is done.
What happens if I never spend down to the limit?
Medicaid denies or delays long-term care coverage until countable assets fall under the cap. A couple in Pennsylvania with $28,000 above the limit cannot start nursing-home Medicaid until that gap is cleared through allowed spending. Private pay or long-term care insurance may cover the gap in the meantime.
References
Sources
We pull asset caps, CSRA figures, and program names from the agencies below. Access dates reflect when each link was last checked for this page.
- Medicaid.gov: Eligibility (accessed 2026-09-26)
- CMS: Spousal Impoverishment (accessed 2026-09-26)
- SSA: SSI Federal Benefit Rate (accessed 2026-09-26)
- eCFR: Medicaid Financial Eligibility (42 CFR Part 435) (accessed 2026-09-26)
- California DHCS: Medi-Cal eligibility (accessed 2026-09-26)
- New York DOH: Excess Income Program (accessed 2026-09-26)
- Texas HHS: Medicaid for long-term care (accessed 2026-09-26)
- NAELA: Find an elder law attorney (accessed 2026-09-26)
Ready to estimate your spend-down?
Open the calculator hub to pick your state, read ourpillar guides, or browse the blog for look-back, QIT, and application articles.