Asset spend-down estimator
Illinois · 2026 limits
Illinois HFS and DHS count most bank and brokerage balances toward a $17,500 household resource limit for Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (AABD) long-term care Medicaid. This page runs asset spend-down math for Chicago, Springfield, Rockford, Peoria, Cook County, and every other Illinois county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file through a local DHS Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) or the Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) portal. The form applies the $17,500 household cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Helen in Rockford listed $43,800 across a credit union savings account and a Fidelity brokerage total for her husband Frank. Winnebago County DHS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $26,300 before the community spouse allowance.
Illinois raised the AABD resource test from $2,000 to $17,500 per household in 2023 after the public health emergency ended. That higher ceiling helps families in Peoria and downstate counties, but CSRA math still applies when only one spouse needs nursing facility care.
Common mistake: Moving Frank's IRA into Helen's name without a plan. HFS still traces the account through five years of statements. List every account you will hand to your FCRC caseworker before you shuffle titles.
These figures come from Illinois 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 | $17,500 | Illinois HFS AABD |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $17,500 | Illinois HFS AABD |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Illinois HFS transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Illinois HFS AABD handbook |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Illinois HFS AABD handbook |
| AABD income standard (2026) | $1,330 / month | Illinois HFS income chart |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | AABD medical spend-down with bills | Illinois HFS / DHS |
| Primary program | AABD Medical / LTSS | Illinois HFS |
The widget subtracts Illinois countable resources from the posted limit for your filing status. Single applicants compare savings against $17,500. Married couples where both seek coverage use the same $17,500 household cap, not the old $3,000 federal couple figure.
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 nursing home spouse may keep resources up to the $17,500 AABD limit after that protected share is set aside.
Thomas and Margaret in Springfield held $214,000 between IRAs and a Busey Bank joint account. Sangamon County DHS counted the IRAs, set Margaret's CSRA near $107,000, and still expected Thomas to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. Illinois DHS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on the ABE application or FCRC printout.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Illinois still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local FCRC 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. AABD applicants above $1,330 monthly must clear a medical spend-down or face patient liability once admitted.
Gloria in Peoria saw $0 asset spend-down but $420 monthly income over the AABD standard. Her caseworker applied medical bills from the three months before filing to close the income gap. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. HFS still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score LTSS functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Illinois divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Lake Michigan condo, farmland outside Champaign, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different HFS worksheet line.
HFS 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 an Illinois elder law attorney before you spend six figures on remodeling.
Common mistake: Gifting $22,000 to an adult child nine months before filing. HFS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $17,500. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Illinois administers Medicaid through the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) with eligibility intake at local Department of Human Services (DHS) Family Community Resource Centers. Long-term care applications start at FCRC offices in Chicago, Springfield, Rockford, Peoria, and Cook County townships.
AABD Medical covers nursing facility care and certain home-based LTSS. Managed care plans handle many medical cases, but the $17,500 resource standard still applies to the AABD long-term care asset test.
Illinois offers a medical spend-down path for AABD applicants whose income exceeds 100% of the federal poverty level ($1,330 monthly for a single person in 2026). Families can qualify by incurring medical bills rather than opening a Qualified Income Trust the way Texas requires.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. The state uses the federal 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 HFS policy memos.
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 HFS.
Suburban applicants in Naperville and rural families in Carbondale follow the same $17,500 resource test. Waiver interest lists vary by region, but the AABD asset cap does not.
Common mistake: Assuming Illinois exempts a rental duplex in Chicago because it is "in the family." Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under HFS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Illinois 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 HFS 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.
Illinois HFS uses a $17,500 countable resource limit per AABD household for both single applicants and couples. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap. The limit rose from $2,000 in May 2023.
Yes. AABD applicants whose monthly income exceeds $1,330 in 2026 can qualify by incurring medical expenses that bring countable income below the standard. This path differs from states that require only a Miller Trust for nursing facility cases.
When one spouse stays home, HFS protects between $29,724 and $162,660 of combined countable assets for the community spouse in 2026. The nursing home spouse may keep resources up to the $17,500 AABD limit after that protected share is calculated.
Illinois 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.
Illinois does not require Qualified Income Trusts for most AABD nursing facility cases the way Texas does. Applicants above the income standard typically use the AABD medical spend-down path or pay patient liability from monthly income once admitted.
DHS Family Community Resource Center caseworkers collect ABE applications and supporting statements. HFS sets policy and issues approval notices. Call the DHS Help Line at (800) 843-6154 or TTY (800) 447-6404, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Chicago and Cook County FCRC offices handle the highest volume.
Your primary home is exempt if you, your spouse, or a dependent child live there, or if home equity is below $713,000 in 2026. A vacant house or a second property in Cook County counts as a countable asset unless an exempt relative occupies it.
Illinois may approve up to three months of retroactive Medicaid coverage when you meet all eligibility rules during those months. Tell your FCRC caseworker about unpaid hospital or nursing home invoices from that window. Do not assume backdating is automatic if you paid the bills in cash before filing.
This calculator does not decide Illinois Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Illinois HFS / DHS or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
