Asset spend-down estimator
Florida · 2026 limits
Florida DCF still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for Institutional Care Program (ICP) and SMMC Long Term Care. This page runs asset spend-down math for Miami-Dade, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and every other Florida county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with Florida DCF. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Elena in Miami-Dade listed $83,200 across two CDs and a credit union share draft for her husband Carlos. DCF treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $81,200 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Carlos's IRA into Elena's name without a plan. DCF still traces the account through statements. List every account you will hand to your eligibility specialist before you shuffle titles.
These figures come from Florida 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 | Florida DCF ESS policy |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Florida DCF ESS policy |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Florida DCF transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $2,500 per person | Florida Admin Code 65A-1 |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Florida DCF ESS policy |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | Florida DCF |
| Primary program | ICP / SMMC LTC | Florida AHCA |
The widget subtracts Florida 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 Maria in Orlando held $236,000 between IRAs and checking. DCF counted the IRAs, set Maria's CSRA near $118,000, and still expected Robert to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing home month billed.
The tool does not apply Florida's $2,500 burial fund exclusion or prepaid funeral credits automatically. Add those exempt amounts only if you have already designated separate accounts on your DCF worksheet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. DCF divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your ESS application packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Florida still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local DCF area 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.
Patricia in Jacksonville saw $0 asset spend-down but $520 monthly income over the cap. Her attorney opened a QIT at a Florida bank before DCF finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. DCF still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score SMMC LTC waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Florida divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Panhandle vacation cottage, citrus grove income, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DCF ESS worksheet line.
Florida 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 Florida elder law attorney before you spend six figures on remodeling.
The calculator does not project patient liability after approval. DCF 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 $30,000 to an adult child fourteen months before filing. DCF can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Florida administers Medicaid eligibility through the Department of Children and Families (DCF) area offices. Long-term care applications usually start at a local ACCESS site or by phone in counties like Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Orange, and Duval.
The Institutional Care Program (ICP) covers nursing facility care. Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long Term Care (SMMC LTC) plans handle many waiver slots, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Florida does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for nursing home cases the way Pennsylvania does. Families above the $2,982 monthly gross income cap must assign excess funds to a Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with a Florida 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 $2,500 per person in a designated burial fund can be excluded if titled correctly. Prepaid funeral contracts follow separate DCF ESS policy sections.
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 Florida AHCA.
Applicants in Naples and Pensacola follow the same resource test as families in Tampa Bay. Waiver interest lists vary by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
DCF requires bank statements covering the look-back window plus proof of every account closure. Families in Broward and Palm Beach counties often file through the same regional office, so document packets should list every financial institution by name and account number.
A QIT agreement must reach DCF Regional Legal Counsel before deposits count. Trustees deposit enough gross income each month to bring countable income below $2,982. Missed deposits can void coverage for that month even when assets already qualify.
Common mistake: Assuming Florida exempts a second home because it is "in the family." Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DCF rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Florida 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 $2,500 per person in a separately designated account |
| Prepaid funeral | Irrevocable funeral contract may be exempt with DCF documentation |
| Term life insurance | Exempt if combined face value is $2,500 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.
Florida DCF uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single ICP applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Florida does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the monthly income cap must use a Qualified Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, DCF 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.
Florida 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 Qualified Income Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and approved by DCF Regional Legal Counsel.
DCF area offices and ACCESS eligibility specialists collect financial statements and supporting documents. Call (877) 254-1055 for ACCESS routing. Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, and Orange counties see the highest volume.
Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long Term Care is Florida's managed care program for nursing home and community-based services. Asset and income tests still follow DCF rules before AHCA assigns a managed care plan. Spend-down must finish before enrollment, not after the plan starts paying claims.
No. Passing the $2,000 asset test here is only one step. DCF still checks ICP nursing home level of care, Qualified Income Trust deposits above $2,982 monthly, and SMMC managed care enrollment.
This calculator does not decide Florida Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Florida AHCA / DCF or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
