Asset spend-down estimator
Nevada · 2026 limits
Nevada DWSS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for MAABD nursing facility care and HCBS waiver slots. This page runs asset spend-down math for Las Vegas, Reno, Henderson, Clark County, Washoe County, and every other Nevada county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets from the Medical Assistance Manual.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file through Access Nevada or a local DWSS office. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Diane in Henderson listed $58,200 across a Greater Nevada Credit Union share draft and a Wells Fargo CD for her father Robert. Clark County DWSS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $56,200 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Robert's IRA into Diane's name without a plan. DWSS 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 Nevada 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 | Nevada DWSS MAABD (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Nevada DWSS MAABD (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Nevada DWSS transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Nevada MAABD policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Nevada MAABD policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Miller Trust required above cap | Nevada DWSS |
| Primary program | MAABD nursing facility / HCBS waiver | Nevada DHCFP / DWSS |
The widget subtracts Nevada 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.
Gloria and Frank in Reno held $172,000 between IRAs and a Washoe County checking account. DWSS counted the IRAs, set Frank's CSRA near $86,000, and still expected Gloria 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. DWSS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your Access Nevada application.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Nevada still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local DWSS 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 Miller Trust even when assets pass.
Arturo in Las Vegas saw $0 asset spend-down but $520 monthly income over the MAABD income cap. His attorney opened a Qualified Income Trust at a Nevada bank before DWSS finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. DWSS still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score HCBS waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Nevada divides the average monthly private nursing facility cost into transfer penalties, and that divisor updates on a schedule set by DHCFP.
The form does not value a Lake Tahoe cabin, a Pahrump rental parcel, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DWSS worksheet line in the Medical Assistance Manual.
Nevada also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain HCBS services. Planning conversations belong with a Nevada elder law attorney before you spend six figures on a pool remodel.
Common mistake: Gifting $20,000 to an adult child ten months before filing. DWSS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Nevada administers Medicaid through the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (DHCFP) and the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS). Long-term care applications for people age 65 and older usually start through Access Nevada or a local DWSS office in Clark, Washoe, and Carson City counties.
MAABD covers nursing facility care after a level-of-care review confirms the need for that setting. HCBS waiver programs can serve some adults in their own homes, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Nevada does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for nursing home cases the way Pennsylvania does. Families above the $2,982 monthly income cap must assign excess funds to a Miller Trust, also called a Qualified Income Trust, with a Nevada 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 DWSS policy memos in the E-400 Resources chapter.
Look-back reviews cover asset transfers made within 60 months before application. Penalty length equals the uncompensated transfer amount divided by the average monthly private nursing facility cost published by Nevada DHCFP.
Rural applicants in Elko and Mesquite follow the same resource test as families in Henderson. HCBS waiver interest lists vary by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Common mistake: Assuming Nevada exempts a second home near Lake Mead because a relative visits on weekends. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DWSS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Nevada 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 DWSS 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.
Nevada DWSS uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single MAABD applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Nevada 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 Miller Trust (Qualified Income Trust) instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, DWSS 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.
Nevada 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 managed by a Nevada trustee.
DWSS eligibility staff collect applications through Access Nevada and local offices. Call (800) 992-0900 for help by phone. Las Vegas, Reno, and Henderson offices handle the highest volume in Clark and Washoe counties.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking HCBS waiver services in Nevada. DWSS 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 Nevada Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Nevada DHCFP / DWSS or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
