Asset spend-down estimator
Montana · 2026 limits
Montana DPHHS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and the Big Sky waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Billings, Missoula, Helena, Yellowstone County, Gallatin County, and every other Montana county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with Montana HSD through apply.mt.gov or a local Human and Community Services office. The form applies the $2,000 single cap, the $3,000 couple cap when both spouses apply, and the federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when one spouse stays home.
Diane in Billings listed $76,200 across a First Interstate Bank CD and a Stockman Bank checking account for her husband Ray. Yellowstone County HSD treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $74,200 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Ray's IRA into Diane's name without a plan. HSD 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 Montana 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 | Montana Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Montana Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Montana DPHHS transfer rules (UNVERIFIED) |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Montana Medicaid policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Montana Medicaid policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | Montana DPHHS |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / Big Sky waiver | Montana DPHHS / HSD |
The widget subtracts Montana 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.
Patricia and Gerald in Missoula held $214,000 between IRAs and a Glacier Bank savings account. HSD counted the IRAs, set Patricia's CSRA near $107,000, and still expected Gerald to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
The tool does not apply Montana burial fund exclusions or prepaid funeral credits automatically. Add those exempt amounts only if you have already designated separate accounts on your DPHHS resource assessment packet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. HSD divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your apply.mt.gov packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Montana still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local Human and Community Services office can reject the file if a vehicle, homestead, or mineral lease 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.
Walter in Helena saw $0 asset spend-down but $520 monthly income over the Medicaid Income Cap. His attorney opened a Miller Trust at a Montana bank before DPHHS finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. DPHHS still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score Big Sky waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Montana divides the average daily nursing facility rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Gallatin County cabin, grazing lease, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DPHHS worksheet line.
Montana also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain Big Sky waiver services. Planning conversations belong with a Montana elder law attorney before you spend six figures on ranch improvements.
The calculator does not project patient liability after approval. DPHHS 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 $22,000 to an adult child ten months before filing. HSD can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Montana administers Medicaid through the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and the Human Services Division (HSD). Long-term care applications for people age 65 and older usually start at a local Human and Community Services office or through apply.mt.gov in counties like Yellowstone, Gallatin, Missoula, and Lewis and Clark.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing care after a level-of-care review confirms the need for that setting. The Big Sky waiver can serve some adults in their own homes, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Montana does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for nursing facility cases the way Pennsylvania does. Families above the $2,982 monthly Medicaid Income Cap must assign excess funds to a Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with a Montana trustee.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. Montana 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 DPHHS 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 facility cost published by DPHHS.
Rural applicants in Great Falls and Kalispell follow the same resource test as families in Billings. Big Sky waiver slot availability varies by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Call (888) 706-1535 to reach Montana Medicaid eligibility staff by phone. Keep copies of every bank statement HSD requests, especially for joint accounts at Montana credit unions.
Common mistake: Assuming Montana exempts a second home because a sibling summers there. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DPHHS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Montana 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 DPHHS 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.
Montana DPHHS uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Montana does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,982 monthly Medicaid Income Cap must use a Qualified Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, DPHHS 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.
Montana 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 Montana trustee.
Montana HSD and local Human and Community Services offices collect applications through apply.mt.gov and in-person packets. Call (888) 706-1535 for help by phone. Billings, Missoula, and Helena offices handle the highest volume.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking Big Sky home and community based services. DPHHS still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval follows a separate level-of-care review.
This calculator does not decide Montana Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Montana DPHHS / HSD or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
