Asset spend-down estimator
Delaware · 2026 limits
Delaware DHSS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility care and Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) through Diamond State Health Plan Plus. This page runs asset spend-down math for Wilmington, Dover, Newark, New Castle, Sussex County, and every other Delaware jurisdiction using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with a Delaware Division of Social Services office. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Evelyn in Wilmington listed $74,200 across a WSFS savings account and an M&T brokerage IRA for her husband Harold. New Castle County DSS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $72,200 before the community spouse allowance.
Asset spend-down is separate from Delaware income rules. Nursing facility and LTSS applicants above the $2,485 monthly income standard may still need a Miller Trust even when savings pass. This calculator handles countable resources only.
Common mistake: Moving Harold's IRA into Evelyn's name without a plan. DMMA 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 Delaware 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 | Delaware DMMA LTC programs |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Delaware DMMA LTC programs |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Delaware DMMA transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Delaware DSSM 20000 |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Delaware DMMA handbook |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,485 / month | 250% Delaware SSI standard |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Miller Trust required above cap | Delaware DHSS / DMMA |
| Primary program | LTSS waiver / Nursing facility | Delaware DMMA |
The widget subtracts Delaware 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.
Robert and Diane in Dover held $214,000 between IRAs and a TD Bank joint account. Kent County DSS counted the IRAs, set Diane's CSRA near $107,000, and still expected Robert to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
This is asset spend-down math. If your countable savings already sit below $2,000 but monthly income exceeds $2,485, you may need a Miller Trust instead of selling property. A Newark family with $1,400 in the bank and $390 monthly income over the cap would open a trust before DMMA finalized the packet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. Delaware DSS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your long-term care application.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Delaware still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local DSS 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 and LTSS applicants above $2,485 monthly must route excess income through a Miller Trust even when assets pass.
Margaret in Newark saw $0 asset spend-down but $310 monthly income over the cap. Her attorney opened a Miller Trust at a Delaware bank before DMMA Central Intake finalized the nursing home referral. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Families in Sussex County and New Castle often face both problems at once: savings above $2,000 and Social Security plus pension income above the 250% SSI cap. Work through asset spend-down first, then ask your caseworker whether a Miller Trust applies to your case.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. Delaware DMMA and DSS still check nursing facility level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score LTSS waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Delaware divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Rehoboth Beach cottage, Delaware Bay rental income, or a spouse's 403(b) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DMMA worksheet line.
Delaware 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 Delaware elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home modifications.
Diamond State Health Plan Plus enrollment and Long Term Care Community Services slot availability follow separate DMMA reviews from the $2,000 asset test. This calculator does not score managed care plan approval.
Common mistake: Gifting $18,000 to an adult child ten months before filing. Delaware can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Delaware administers Medicaid through the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). The Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance (DMMA) sets policy, while local Division of Social Services offices in Wilmington, Dover, Newark, New Castle, and Sussex County collect applications and verify resources.
The Nursing Facility Program pays for skilled and intermediate care in Delaware nursing homes that hold Medicaid contracts. LTSS home-based services run through Diamond State Health Plan Plus and Long Term Care Community Services, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Delaware is an income cap state for long-term care. Families above the $2,485 monthly income standard (250% of the 2026 SSI amount) must assign excess funds to a Miller Trust, also called a Qualified Income Trust, with a Delaware trustee. Medical bill stacking does not replace that trust.
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 DMMA policy guidance in DSSM 20000.
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 Delaware DMMA.
Coastal applicants in Lewes and inland families in Milford follow the same resource test. LTSS slot availability varies by managed care region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Call DMMA Medicaid Customer Relations at (800) 372-2022 or (302) 255-9500 to reach the DSS office closest to your home. Nursing facility intake also accepts referrals through the Central Intake Unit at (866) 940-8963.
Common mistake: Assuming Delaware exempts a second home because a sibling visits on weekends. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DMMA rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Delaware 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 per individual |
| Prepaid funeral | Irrevocable funeral contract may be exempt with DMMA 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.
Delaware DMMA uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or LTSS applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Delaware does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,485 monthly income cap must use a Miller Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, Delaware DSS 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.
Delaware 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 and LTSS applicants with gross income above $2,485 per month in 2026 generally must deposit excess income into a Miller Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and name Delaware as remainder beneficiary up to Medicaid payments made.
Local Division of Social Services offices collect long-term care applications and supporting statements for DMMA. Call (800) 372-2022 or (302) 255-9500 to reach the office nearest Wilmington, Dover, Newark, or Sussex County.
No. A $0 asset result does not clear you for nursing facility or LTSS coverage. Delaware DMMA and DSS still review level-of-care forms, Miller Trust setup when income tops $2,485 monthly, and 60-month gift history.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking home-based services through Diamond State Health Plan Plus and Long Term Care Community Services. Delaware still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval and managed care enrollment follow separate DMMA reviews.
This calculator does not decide Delaware Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Delaware DHSS / DSS or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
