Asset spend-down estimator
Colorado · 2026 limits
Colorado Health First Colorado still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and the Elderly, Blind and Disabled (EBD) HCBS waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Boulder, El Paso County, and every other Colorado county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with Colorado HCPF or your county human services office through the PEAK portal. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Diane in Aurora listed $78,200 across a Canvas Credit Union savings account and a Schwab brokerage total for her father Frank. Arapahoe County human services treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $76,200 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Frank's IRA into Diane's name without a plan. HCPF 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 Colorado 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 | Health First Colorado (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Health First Colorado (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Colorado HCPF transfer rules (UNVERIFIED) |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Health First Colorado policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Health First Colorado policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Income Trust required above cap | Colorado HCPF |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / EBD HCBS waiver | Health First Colorado |
The widget subtracts Colorado 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.
Patricia and Robert in Boulder held $212,600 between IRAs and a FirstBank checking account. HCPF counted the IRAs, set Patricia's CSRA near $106,300, and still expected Robert to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
The tool does not apply Colorado burial fund exclusions or prepaid funeral credits automatically. Add those exempt amounts only if you have already designated separate accounts on your PEAK resource assessment packet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. County human services divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your Health First Colorado application.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Colorado still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your county human services 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 an Income Trust even when assets pass.
George in Colorado Springs saw $0 asset spend-down but $520 monthly income over the Medicaid income cap. His attorney opened an Income Trust at a Colorado bank before HCPF finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. Health First Colorado still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score EBD HCBS waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Colorado divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a mountain cabin in Summit County, mineral rights on Weld County acreage, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different HCPF worksheet line.
Colorado also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain HCBS services. Planning conversations belong with a Colorado elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home modifications.
The calculator does not project patient liability after approval. Health First Colorado assigns a monthly share of cost based on gross income minus a personal needs allowance and certain deductions. That number can differ from the spend-down gap shown here.
Common mistake: Gifting $22,000 to an adult child ten months before filing. HCPF can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Colorado administers Medicaid through the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF). Long-term care applications start at county human services offices or through the PEAK online portal. Denver, El Paso, Arapahoe, and Boulder counties each run their own eligibility units under HCPF oversight.
Health First Colorado nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing care after a level-of-care review confirms the need. The EBD HCBS waiver can serve some adults in their own homes, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Colorado does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for nursing home cases the way Pennsylvania does. Families above the $2,982 monthly income cap must assign excess funds to an Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with a Colorado trustee.
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 HCPF 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 home cost published by HCPF.
Rural applicants in Grand Junction and Pueblo follow the same resource test as families in Denver. EBD waiver slot availability varies by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Single Entry Point agencies screen functional need for certain HCBS paths, while HCPF and county staff determine financial eligibility. Keep both agency letters in your file when you appeal a denial.
Common mistake: Assuming Colorado exempts a second home because a relative lives there part-time. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under HCPF rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Colorado 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 HCPF 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.
Health First Colorado uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or EBD 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.
Colorado does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,982 monthly income cap must use an Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, HCPF 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.
Colorado 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 an Income Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and managed by a Colorado trustee.
County human services offices and the PEAK online portal collect Health First Colorado applications and resource assessment forms. Call 1-800-221-3943 for help by phone. Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora offices handle the highest volume.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking Elderly, Blind and Disabled Home and Community Based Services. HCPF still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval follows a separate Single Entry Point screening.
This calculator does not decide Colorado Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Colorado HCPF / county human services or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
