Asset spend-down estimator
Maryland · 2026 limits
Maryland Medical Assistance still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility care and long-term services through managed care organizations. This page runs asset spend-down math for Baltimore, Annapolis, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Frederick, and every other Maryland jurisdiction using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with a local department 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.
Patricia in Silver Spring listed $78,400 across a MECU savings account and a Vanguard brokerage statement for her husband Gerald. Montgomery County DSS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $76,400 before the community spouse allowance.
Asset spend-down is separate from Maryland's six-month income budget rules for certain Medical Assistance categories. Nursing facility applicants above the monthly income cap must route excess income through a Qualified Income Trust even when savings pass. This calculator handles countable resources only.
Common mistake: Moving Gerald's IRA into Patricia's name without a plan. Maryland MDH 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 Maryland 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 | Maryland MDH Medical Assistance |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Maryland MDH Medical Assistance |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Maryland MDH transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Maryland MDH handbook |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Maryland MDH handbook |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | Maryland MDH / local DSS |
| Primary program | MCO waiver / Nursing facility | Maryland MDH |
The widget subtracts Maryland 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.
James and Dorothy in Baltimore held $236,000 between IRAs and a Bank of America joint account. Baltimore City DSS counted the IRAs, set Dorothy's CSRA near $118,000, and still expected James 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 $2,982, you may need a Qualified Income Trust instead of selling property. A Frederick family with $1,600 in the bank and $840 monthly income over the cap would open a Miller Trust before the first nursing home invoice cleared.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. Maryland DSS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your Medical Assistance application packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Maryland still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local department of social services 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 must route excess income through a Qualified Income Trust even when assets pass.
Vincent in Annapolis saw $0 asset spend-down but $610 monthly income over the cap. His attorney opened a Miller Trust at an Anne Arundel County bank before Prince George's County DSS finalized a transfer packet for a facility move. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Families in Montgomery County and Baltimore often face both problems at once: savings above $2,000 and Social Security plus pension income above the cap. Work through asset spend-down first, then ask your caseworker whether a Qualified Income Trust or six-month income budget rules apply to your case.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. Maryland MDH and local DSS still check nursing facility level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score MCO waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Maryland divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value an Eastern Shore vacation cottage, Chesapeake Bay rental income, or a spouse's 403(b) still at work. Each asset class follows a different MDH worksheet line.
Maryland 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 Maryland elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home modifications.
Six-month income budget periods apply to certain Medical Assistance categories, but nursing facility cases above the income cap generally require a Qualified Income Trust rather than stacking unpaid doctor bills. This calculator does not run that income worksheet.
Common mistake: Gifting $22,000 to an adult child fourteen months before filing. Maryland can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Maryland administers Medicaid through the Department of Health (MDH), with long-term care applications handled by local departments of social services in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Frederick County, and every other jurisdiction.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing stays after a level-of-care review confirms the need. MCO waiver programs, including Community Options and Model Waiver services, can serve some adults at home through HealthChoice managed care plans, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Maryland does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases the way Virginia and Pennsylvania do. Families above the $2,982 monthly income cap must assign excess funds to a Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with a Maryland 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 MDH 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 Maryland MDH.
Suburban applicants in Columbia and Hyattsville follow the same resource test as families in downtown Baltimore. Waiver slot availability varies by MCO region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Maryland Access Point offices can explain home-based options, while local DSS workers determine financial eligibility. Keep both agency letters in your file when you appeal a denial.
Common mistake: Assuming Maryland exempts a second home because a sibling lives there part time. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under MDH rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Maryland 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 MDH 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.
Maryland MDH uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or MCO 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.
Maryland does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,982 monthly income cap must use a Qualified Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, local 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.
Maryland 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 Miller Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and managed by a Maryland trustee.
Local departments of social services collect Medical Assistance applications and supporting statements for MDH. Call Maryland DHS Customer Service at (800) 332-6347 to reach your local office. Baltimore City, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County see the highest volume.
No. A $0 asset result does not clear you for nursing facility or MCO waiver coverage. Maryland MDH and local DSS still review level-of-care forms, Qualified Income Trust setup when income tops $2,982 monthly, and 60-month gift history.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking Community Options or Model Waiver services through a HealthChoice MCO. Maryland still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval and waiver slot availability follow separate MDH and managed care plan reviews.
This calculator does not decide Maryland Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Maryland MDH / local DSS or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
