Asset spend-down estimator
Minnesota · 2026 limits
Minnesota DHS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medical Assistance, the Elderly Waiver (EW), and Alternative Care (AC). This page runs asset spend-down math for Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Hennepin County, Dakota County, and every other Minnesota county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with Minnesota DHS through your county human services agency. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Helen in St. Paul listed $58,200 across a Hiway Credit Union savings account and a Thrivent brokerage statement for her husband Walter. Ramsey County DHS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $56,200 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Walter's IRA into Helen's name without a plan. Minnesota DHS still traces the account through five years of statements. List every account you will hand to your county financial worker before you shuffle titles.
These figures come from Minnesota 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 | Minnesota DHS Medical Assistance |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Minnesota DHS Medical Assistance |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Minnesota DHS transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Minnesota DHS policy |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Minnesota DHS policy |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,901 / month | Federal SSI-related amount |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | Minnesota DHS |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / EW / AC waiver | Minnesota DHS |
The widget subtracts Minnesota 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.
Arlene and Ken in Rochester held $176,400 between IRAs and a Mayo-area credit union account. Olmsted County DHS counted the IRAs, set Arlene's CSRA near $88,200, and still expected Ken to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
The tool does not apply Minnesota burial fund exclusions or prepaid funeral credits automatically. Add those exempt amounts only if you have already designated separate accounts on your county resource assessment packet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. County agencies divide jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your DHS-3531 application.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Minnesota 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 $2,901 monthly must route excess income through a Qualified Income Trust even when assets pass.
Patricia in Minneapolis saw $0 asset spend-down but $520 monthly income over the Medicaid income cap. Her attorney opened a Miller Trust at a Minnesota bank before Hennepin County finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medical Assistance approval. DHS still checks level-of-care screens, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score Elderly Waiver or Alternative Care functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Minnesota divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a North Shore cabin, farm acreage in Olmsted County, or a spouse's 403(b) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DHS worksheet line.
Minnesota also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain waiver services. Planning conversations belong with a Minnesota elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home modifications.
Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) follows separate asset rules for working adults with disabilities. This calculator uses the standard $2,000 nursing facility and EW/AC test, not MA-EPD limits.
Common mistake: Gifting $22,000 to an adult child ten months before filing. Minnesota DHS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Minnesota administers Medical Assistance through the Department of Human Services (DHS), with county human services agencies processing most long-term care applications. Nursing facility, Elderly Waiver, and Alternative Care cases in Hennepin, Dakota, Ramsey, and Olmsted counties follow the same institutional resource test.
Nursing facility Medical Assistance covers skilled nursing after a Prepaid Health Plan or county screen confirms the need for that level of care. The Elderly Waiver (EW) and Alternative Care (AC) program can serve some adults in their own homes, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Minnesota does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases the way Pennsylvania does. Families above the $2,901 monthly income cap must assign excess funds to a Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with a Minnesota trustee.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. Minnesota 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 DHS 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 Minnesota DHS.
Rural applicants in Duluth and Mankato follow the same resource test as families in the Twin Cities. EW and AC slot availability varies by lead agency, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
MA-EPD offers a different asset path for employed Minnesotans with disabilities who meet work and premium rules. Do not assume those higher MA-EPD limits apply to nursing facility or waiver filings without a separate DHS determination.
Common mistake: Assuming Minnesota exempts a second home because adult children visit on weekends. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DHS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Minnesota 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 DHS 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.
Minnesota DHS uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single Medical Assistance applicant seeking nursing facility care, Elderly Waiver, or Alternative Care and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Minnesota does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,901 monthly income cap must use a Qualified Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, Minnesota DHS 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.
Minnesota 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 $2,901 per month in 2026 generally must deposit excess income into a Miller Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and managed by a Minnesota trustee.
County human services agencies collect DHS-3531 applications and supporting statements under Minnesota DHS oversight. Call the Senior LinkAge Line at 800-333-2433 for help finding your county office. Hennepin, Dakota, and Ramsey counties handle the highest Twin Cities volume.
Yes for most aged adults seeking Elderly Waiver or Alternative Care services. Minnesota DHS still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval follows a separate lead-agency assessment path.
MA-EPD is a separate Medical Assistance program for employed persons with disabilities and follows its own asset and premium rules. Nursing facility, EW, and AC applicants must meet the standard $2,000 resource test unless DHS confirms a different eligible category.
This calculator does not decide Minnesota Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Minnesota DHS / county agencies or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
