Asset spend-down estimator
Alaska · 2026 limits
Alaska DHSS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and the Alaskans Living Independently (ALI) waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Matanuska-Susitna, Kenai, and every other Alaska borough using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets and Division of Public Assistance rules.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with the Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA). The form applies the $2,000 single cap, the $3,000 couple cap when both spouses apply, and the federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when one spouse stays home.
Nora in Fairbanks listed $89,300 across an Alaska USA Federal Credit Union savings account and a First National Bank Alaska CD for her husband Ken. The Interior DPA office treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $87,300 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Ken's IRA into Nora's name without a plan. DPA still traces the account through five years of statements. List every account you will hand to your eligibility worker before you shuffle titles.
These figures come from Alaska agency policy and federal CSRA updates. Call your local eligibility office if your case involves waivers, estate recovery, or managed care plans.
| Rule | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Single applicant resource limit | $2,000 | Alaska DPA Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Alaska DPA Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Alaska DPA transfer rules (UNVERIFIED) |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $752,000 | Alaska MED-14 form (UNVERIFIED) |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Alaska DPA policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Alaska DPA policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualifying Income Trust required above cap | Alaska DHSS / DPA |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / ALI waiver | Alaska DHSS / SDS |
The widget subtracts Alaska countable resources from the posted limit for your filing status. Single applicants compare savings against $2,000. Married couples where both seek coverage use the $3,000 couple cap.
When only one spouse applies and the other stays home, the tool splits total assets. Half of the combined balance becomes the Community Spouse Resource Allowance, floored at $29,724 and capped at $162,660 for 2026. The applicant may keep $2,000 on top of that protected share.
Margaret and Harold in Kenai held $231,000 between IRAs and a Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union checking account. DPA counted the IRAs, set Margaret's CSRA near $115,500, and still expected Harold to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
The tool does not apply Alaska burial fund exclusions or prepaid funeral credits automatically. Add those exempt amounts only if you have already designated separate accounts on your DPA resource assessment packet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. DPA divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your Alaska Connect application.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Alaska still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local DPA office can reject the file if a vehicle, homestead, or fishing permit income was misclassified.
A $0 result means your inputs already sit at or below the limit after CSRA math. You may still owe income planning. Nursing facility applicants above $2,982 monthly gross income must route excess income through a Qualifying Income Trust even when assets pass.
Thomas in Juneau saw $0 asset spend-down but $610 monthly income over the Medicaid income cap. His attorney opened a Miller Trust at an Alaska bank before DPA finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. DPA still checks level-of-care forms from the Division of Senior and Disabilities Services, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score ALI waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Alaska divides the average daily nursing facility rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Kenai Peninsula cabin, commercial fishing quota, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DPA worksheet line.
Alaska also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain ALI waiver services. Planning conversations belong with an Alaska elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home repairs in a remote village.
The calculator does not project patient liability after approval. DPA assigns a monthly share of cost based on gross income minus a $200 personal needs allowance and certain deductions. That number can differ from the spend-down gap shown here.
Common mistake: Gifting $18,000 to an adult child nine months before filing. DPA can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Alaska administers Medicaid through the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Division of Public Assistance (DPA). Long-term care applications for people age 65 and older usually start at a local DPA office, through Alaska Connect, or by phone with the Virtual Contact Center in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Matanuska-Susitna, and Kenai.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing care after the Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (SDS) confirms nursing-facility level of care. The Alaskans Living Independently (ALI) waiver can serve some adults in their own homes statewide, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Alaska does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for nursing facility cases the way Pennsylvania does. Families above the $2,982 monthly income cap must assign excess funds to a Qualifying Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with an Alaska trustee.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. Alaska uses a home equity cap of $752,000 in 2026 unless a spouse or dependent child still lives in the house.
Burial spaces, one vehicle, and up to $1,500 in a designated burial fund can be excluded if titled correctly. Prepaid funeral contracts follow separate DPA policy guidance.
Look-back reviews cover asset transfers made within 60 months before application. Penalty length equals the uncompensated transfer amount divided by the average monthly nursing facility cost published by DHSS.
Rural applicants in Bethel and Nome follow the same resource test as families in Anchorage. ALI waiver care coordinator availability varies by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Call (800) 478-7778 to reach the DPA Virtual Contact Center by phone. Keep copies of every bank statement DPA requests, especially for joint accounts at Alaska credit unions.
Common mistake: Assuming Alaska exempts a second home because a relative visits in summer. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DPA rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Alaska rule |
|---|---|
| Primary home | Exempt if applicant, spouse, or dependent child lives there or equity is below $752,000 (2026) |
| One vehicle | Exempt regardless of value for applicant or community spouse transportation |
| Household goods | Exempt personal property in the home |
| Burial fund | Up to $1,500 in a separately designated account |
| Prepaid funeral | Irrevocable funeral contract may be exempt with DPA documentation |
| Term life insurance | Exempt if face value is $1,500 or less |
| IRA / 401(k) | Countable unless receiving required minimum distributions treated as income |
| Second home or land | Countable; must be sold or spent down unless occupied by exempt relative |
Read our pillar guides for look-back rules, Miller Trusts, spousal allowances, and estate recovery. Start withwhat is Medicaid spend down or theasset limits guide if you are new to the topic.
These supporting posts cover countable assets, application steps, and spend-down strategies that pair with this calculator.
Asset caps differ sharply by state. California reinstated a $130,000 single limit in January 2026. Oklahoma and Louisiana still follow the $2,000 federal floor for many cases.
Alaska DPA uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or ALI waiver applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Alaska does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,982 monthly income cap must use a Qualifying Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, DPA protects between $29,724 and $162,660 of combined countable assets for the community spouse in 2026. The applicant may keep $2,000 in addition to that protected share.
Alaska reviews asset transfers made within 60 months before your application date. Gifts, below-market sales, and some trust funding can trigger penalty months without coverage.
Nursing facility applicants with gross income above $2,982 per month in 2026 generally must deposit excess income into a Miller Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and managed by an Alaska trustee.
Alaska DPA and local public assistance offices collect applications through Alaska Connect and in-person packets. Call (800) 478-7778 to reach the Virtual Contact Center. Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau offices handle the highest volume.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking ALI home and community based services. DPA still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though SDS must confirm nursing-facility level of care through a separate assessment.
Yes. Annual PFD payments count as unearned income in the month received and can push gross monthly income above the $2,982 cap, which may require a Qualifying Income Trust even when countable assets already sit below $2,000. DPA does not treat PFD as an exempt resource.
This calculator does not decide Alaska Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Alaska DHSS / Division of Public Assistance or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
