Asset spend-down estimator
California · 2026 limits
California DHCS reinstated a $130,000 countable asset limit for Medi-Cal Long Term Care in January 2026. This page runs spend-down math for Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Fresno, and every other county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets and the $713,000 home equity floor.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with your county Medi-Cal office. The form applies the $130,000 single cap, the same $130,000 couple cap when both spouses apply, and the federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when one spouse stays home.
Patricia in Sacramento listed $198,600 across two credit unions and a brokerage account for her husband Robert. Sacramento County treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $68,600 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Robert's IRA into Patricia's name without a plan. County eligibility workers still trace the account through statements. List every account you will hand to your worker before you shuffle titles.
These figures come from California 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 | $130,000 | California DHCS (reinstated Jan 2026) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $130,000 | California DHCS (reinstated Jan 2026) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | California DHCS transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | California Medi-Cal policy |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | California Medi-Cal policy |
| Nursing facility income threshold | Share of Cost above MMMNA | California DHCS LTC |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Share of Cost (not asset spend-down) | California DHCS |
| Primary program | Medi-Cal LTC / IHSS | California DHCS |
The widget subtracts California countable resources from the posted limit for your filing status. Single applicants compare savings against $130,000. Married couples where both seek coverage use the same $130,000 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 up to $130,000 after that protected share is set aside.
David and Elena in San Diego held $312,000 between IRAs and checking. San Diego County counted the IRAs, set Elena's CSRA near $156,000, and still expected David to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the skilled nursing month billed.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. County workers divide jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on the Medi-Cal application packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars California still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your county eligibility 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 the monthly maintenance needs allowance must pay a Share of Cost even when assets pass.
Angela in Fresno saw $0 asset spend-down but $520 monthly income over her Share of Cost threshold. Her elder law attorney documented the maintenance needs allowance before Fresno County finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medi-Cal approval. County offices still check level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score IHSS functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. California divides the average private nursing facility rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Napa vineyard parcel, a rental duplex in Oakland, or a spouse's CalPERS account still at work. Each asset class follows a different county worksheet line.
DHCS also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain community services. Planning conversations belong with a California elder law attorney before you spend six figures on remodeling.
Common mistake: Gifting $40,000 to an adult child eleven months before filing. Medi-Cal can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $130,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
California administers Medicaid as Medi-Cal through the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Long-term care applications usually start at your county welfare department, such as Los Angeles County DPSS, Sacramento County Human Assistance, or San Diego County HHSA.
Medi-Cal Long Term Care covers skilled nursing facility stays. In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) helps eligible adults stay home, but asset tests still follow the same $130,000 resource standard unless a separate waiver category applies.
California uses a Share of Cost model for nursing home cases when income exceeds the monthly maintenance needs allowance. Families above that threshold pay a portion of facility cost each month while Medi-Cal covers the rest. California does not use Texas-style Miller Trusts.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. The state 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 DHCS policy manuals.
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 DHCS.
Applicants in rural Fresno County follow the same resource test as families in Los Angeles. IHSS waitlists vary by region, but the $130,000 asset cap does not.
Common mistake: Assuming California exempts a second home because it is "in the family." Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under county rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | California 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 county 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.
California DHCS reinstated a $130,000 countable resource limit for a single Medi-Cal Long Term Care applicant in January 2026. When both spouses apply, the couple cap is also $130,000. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
California does not use a classic medically needy asset spend-down for most nursing facility cases at the $2,000 level seen in Texas. Instead, applicants above the monthly maintenance needs allowance pay a Share of Cost while Medi-Cal covers the remainder of the facility bill.
When one spouse stays home, county workers protect between $29,724 and $162,660 of combined countable assets for the community spouse in 2026. The applicant must still meet the $130,000 resource test after that protected share is set.
California 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.
California does not use Qualified Income Trusts the way Texas does. Nursing facility applicants with income above the monthly maintenance needs allowance generally pay a Share of Cost each month rather than routing funds through a Miller Trust.
IHSS recipients must meet Medi-Cal financial eligibility, which includes the $130,000 resource limit reinstated in 2026. IHSS also requires a separate functional assessment through your county public authority. Asset math alone does not predict IHSS hours.
County welfare departments collect the Medi-Cal application and supporting statements. Call the Medi-Cal helpline at (800) 541-5555 for county office routing. Los Angeles DPSS, Sacramento Human Assistance, and San Diego HHSA see the highest volume.
No. A $0 asset gap here does not mean Medi-Cal approval. Your county worker still checks IHSS versus nursing home pathways, Share of Cost math, and five-year transfer history before opening coverage.
This calculator does not decide California Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with California DHCS / Medi-Cal or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
