Asset spend-down estimator
Arkansas · 2026 limits
Arkansas DHS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and ARChoices long-term care. This page runs asset spend-down math for Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Pulaski County, Washington County, and every other Arkansas county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets from the Division of County Operations quick reference chart.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file at a local Division of County Operations (DCO) office or through Arkansas DHS Medicaid channels. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Gerald in Little Rock listed $67,500 across an Arvest Bank CD and a Regions brokerage total for his wife Barbara. Pulaski County DCO treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $65,500 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Barbara's IRA into Gerald's name without a plan. DHS still traces the account through five years of statements. List every account you will hand to your county eligibility worker before you shuffle titles.
These figures come from Arkansas 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 | Arkansas DHS Medicaid |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Arkansas DHS Medicaid |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Arkansas DHS transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Arkansas DHS policy |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Arkansas DHS policy |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | Arkansas DHS |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / ARChoices waiver | Arkansas DHS |
The widget subtracts Arkansas 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.
Edwin and Ruth in Fayetteville held $224,000 between IRAs and a Washington County credit union account. DHS counted the IRAs, set Ruth's CSRA near $112,000, and still expected Edwin to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
DHS measures countable resources on the first day of each month. A mid-month sale or withdrawal may not change the eligibility snapshot until the following month under Arkansas Medical Services Policy Manual rules.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. DCO staff divide jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your Medicaid application packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Arkansas still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local DCO office can reject the file if a vehicle, homestead, or promissory note 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 Qualified Income Trust even when assets pass.
Margaret in Fort Smith saw $0 asset spend-down but $520 monthly income over the Medicaid income cap. Her attorney opened a Miller Trust at an Arkansas bank before DHS finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. DHS still checks level-of-care assessments, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score ARChoices waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Arkansas divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value an Ozark cabin, timber acreage in Sebastian County, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DHS worksheet line.
Arkansas also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain ARChoices services. Planning conversations belong with an Arkansas elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home repairs.
ARChoices, assisted living, and DDS waiver paths do not offer retroactive Medicaid coverage. DHS counts only the month you apply forward, so a late filing can leave unpaid care bills on the family ledger.
Common mistake: Gifting $22,000 to an adult child ten months before filing. DHS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Arkansas administers Medicaid through the Department of Human Services (DHS), with long-term care applications handled by Division of County Operations (DCO) offices in each county. Nursing facility and ARChoices cases in Pulaski, Washington, and Sebastian counties follow the same resource test.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled and intermediate care after DHS confirms institutional level of need. ARChoices Home and Community Based Services can serve some adults in their own homes, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Arkansas does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for nursing home cases the way Pennsylvania does. Families above the $2,982 monthly Medicaid income cap must assign excess funds to a Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with an Arkansas trustee.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. Arkansas uses the federal maximum home equity cap of $713,000 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 DHS policy guidance in the Medical Services Policy Manual.
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 home cost published by Arkansas DHS.
Rural applicants in Jonesboro and Hot Springs follow the same resource test as families in Little Rock. ARChoices slot availability varies by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
DHS Office of Long Term Care staff review nursing facility level-of-care forms, while county DCO workers determine financial eligibility. Keep both agency letters in your file when you appeal a denial.
Common mistake: Assuming Arkansas exempts a second home because a cousin lives there. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DHS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Arkansas rule |
|---|---|
| Primary home | Exempt if applicant, spouse, or dependent child lives there or equity is below $713,000 (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 DHS 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.
Arkansas DHS uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or ARChoices applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Arkansas does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,982 monthly Medicaid income cap must use a Qualified Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, DHS 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.
Arkansas 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 Arkansas trustee.
Division of County Operations (DCO) offices in each county collect Medicaid applications and resource worksheets. Call 1-800-482-8988 for DHS help by phone. Little Rock, Fayetteville, and Fort Smith offices handle some of the highest volume in the state.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking ARChoices Home and Community Based Services. DHS still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval follows a separate level-of-care assessment.
This calculator does not decide Arkansas Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Arkansas DHS / Medicaid or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
