Asset spend-down estimator
New Mexico · 2026 limits
New Mexico HSD still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and the Coordinated Long-Term Services (CoLTS) waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, Dona Ana County, and every other New Mexico county using posted 2026 CSRA brackets from ISD resource assessment policy.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with New Mexico ISD or your local Income Support Division office. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and the CSRA range ($32,532 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Maria in Las Cruces listed $58,400 across a Nusenda Credit Union savings account and a Fidelity brokerage total for her father Miguel. Dona Ana County ISD treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $56,400 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Miguel's IRA into Maria's name without a plan. ISD 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 New Mexico 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 | New Mexico HSD / ISD (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | New Mexico HSD / ISD (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $32,532 | New Mexico MAD-029 policy |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | New Mexico ISD transfer rules (UNVERIFIED) |
| Home equity cap (LTC, 2026) | $752,000 | New Mexico MAD-029 policy |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Centennial Care policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Centennial Care policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Income Deduction Trust above cap | New Mexico HSD / ISD |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / CoLTS waiver | Centennial Care |
The widget subtracts New Mexico 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 $32,532 and capped at $162,660 for 2026. The applicant may keep $2,000 on top of that protected share.
Helen and Robert in Albuquerque held $189,300 between IRAs and a Wells Fargo checking account. ISD counted the IRAs, set Helen's CSRA near $94,650, and still expected Robert to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
The tool does not apply New Mexico burial fund exclusions or prepaid funeral credits automatically. Add those exempt amounts only if you have already designated separate accounts on your HSD-100 packet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. ISD divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on Form HSD-100.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars New Mexico still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local ISD 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 an Income Deduction Trust even when assets pass.
Teresa in Santa Fe saw $0 asset spend-down but $410 monthly income over the Medicaid income cap. Her attorney opened an IDT at a New Mexico bank before ISD finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. ISD still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score CoLTS waiver functional eligibility, UDR allocation waitlists, or penalty months from gifts. New Mexico divides the average monthly nursing facility cost ($9,209 in 2026 policy) into transfer penalties, and that divisor can change.
The form does not value a Taos County cabin, acequia water rights, or a spouse's PERA pension still at work. Each asset class follows a different ISD worksheet line.
New Mexico also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain CoLTS services. Planning conversations belong with a New Mexico elder law attorney before you spend six figures on adobe home repairs.
The calculator does not project patient liability after approval. Centennial Care 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 $18,000 to an adult child eight months before filing. ISD can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
New Mexico administers Medicaid through the Human Services Department (HSD) and its Income Support Division (ISD). Long-term care applications start at local ISD offices or through the YES New Mexico portal. Bernalillo, Dona Ana, and Santa Fe counties each run eligibility units that process Form HSD-100.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing care after a level-of-care review confirms the need. The CoLTS waiver can serve some adults in their own homes through Turquoise Care managed care organizations, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
New Mexico 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 an Income Deduction Trust, also called an IDT, with a New Mexico trustee.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. New Mexico uses a $752,000 home equity cap for long-term care cases 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 HSD 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 in MAD-029.
Rural applicants in Farmington and Roswell follow the same resource test as families in Albuquerque. CoLTS waiver UDR slots vary by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
The Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD) and local ADRC offices screen functional need and issue CoLTS allocation letters before ISD runs the financial packet. Keep both agency letters in your file when you appeal a denial.
Common mistake: Assuming New Mexico exempts a second home because a relative visits on weekends. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under ISD rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | New Mexico rule |
|---|---|
| Primary home | Exempt if applicant, spouse, or dependent child lives there or equity is below $752,000 for LTC (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 ISD 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.
New Mexico ISD uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or CoLTS 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.
New Mexico does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,982 monthly income cap must use an Income Deduction Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, ISD protects between $32,532 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.
New Mexico 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 an Income Deduction Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and managed by a New Mexico trustee.
ISD caseworkers at local HSD offices collect Form HSD-100 and supporting statements. Call 1-800-283-4465 for help by phone. Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Santa Fe offices handle the highest volume.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking Coordinated Long-Term Services at home. ISD still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though ALTSD and your ADRC must issue a CoLTS allocation before financial eligibility can start.
This calculator does not decide New Mexico Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with New Mexico HSD / ISD or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
