Asset spend-down estimator
North Dakota · 2026 limits
North Dakota HHS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and the Aged and Disabled waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Cass County, Burleigh County, and every other North Dakota county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with North Dakota HHS through a local Economic Assistance office. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Dorothy in Fargo listed $68,900 across a Gate City Bank savings account and a Bell Bank CD for her husband Harold. Cass County Economic Assistance treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $66,900 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Harold's IRA into Dorothy's name without a plan. North Dakota HHS still traces the account through five years of statements. List every account you will hand to your financial eligibility worker before you shuffle titles.
These figures come from North Dakota 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 | North Dakota HHS Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | North Dakota HHS Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | North Dakota HHS transfer rules (UNVERIFIED) |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | North Dakota HHS policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | North Dakota HHS policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,901 / month | Federal SSI-related amount |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | North Dakota HHS / Economic Assistance |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / Aged and Disabled waiver | North Dakota HHS |
The widget subtracts North Dakota 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.
Frank and Ruth in Bismarck held $214,800 between IRAs and a Capital Credit Union joint checking account. Burleigh County HHS counted the IRAs, set Ruth's CSRA near $107,400, and still expected Frank 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. North Dakota HHS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your HHS Medicaid application packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars North Dakota still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local Economic Assistance 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 income must route excess income through a Qualified Income Trust even when assets pass.
Sandra in Grand Forks saw $0 asset spend-down but $580 monthly income over the Medicaid income cap. Her attorney opened a Miller Trust at a local bank before Grand Forks County HHS finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. North Dakota HHS still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score Aged and Disabled waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. North Dakota divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Red River Valley farm quarter-section, mineral rights on Bakken acreage, or a spouse's 403(b) still at work. Each asset class follows a different HHS worksheet line.
North Dakota also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain Aged and Disabled waiver services. Planning conversations belong with a North Dakota elder law attorney before you spend six figures on farm repairs or home additions.
Common mistake: Gifting $18,000 to an adult child nine months before filing. North Dakota HHS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
North Dakota administers Medicaid through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with Economic Assistance offices in counties like Cass, Burleigh, and Grand Forks. Long-term care applications usually start at a local Human Service Zone office, through the online portal, or with help from an Aging Services specialist.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing care after a level-of-care review confirms the need. The Aged and Disabled waiver can serve some adults in their own homes, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
North Dakota is an income cap state for nursing facility cases. Families above the $2,901 monthly income cap in 2026 must assign excess funds to a Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with a North Dakota 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 North Dakota HHS policy memos.
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 North Dakota HHS.
Rural applicants in Minot and Dickinson follow the same resource test as families in Fargo. Aged and Disabled waiver interest lists vary by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Common mistake: Assuming North Dakota exempts a second home because relatives visit each summer. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under HHS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | North Dakota 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 HHS 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 farmland | 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.
North Dakota HHS uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or Aged and Disabled 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.
North Dakota 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, North Dakota HHS 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.
North Dakota 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 Qualified Income Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and managed by a North Dakota trustee.
HHS Economic Assistance offices and Human Service Zone staff collect applications and supporting statements. Call (800) 472-2622 for help by phone. Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks offices handle the highest volume.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking Aged and Disabled waiver services at home. North Dakota HHS still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval follows a separate waiver screening.
This calculator does not decide North Dakota Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with North Dakota HHS / Economic Assistance or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
