Asset spend-down estimator
Ohio · 2026 limits
Ohio ODM still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility and PASSPORT waiver Medicaid. This page runs asset spend-down math for Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, and every other Ohio county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with the county Department of Job and Family Services (JFS). The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Dorothy in Cleveland listed $58,200 across a KeyBank CD and a Huntington checking account for herself. Cuyahoga County JFS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $56,200 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Dorothy's IRA into her daughter's name without a plan. ODM 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 Ohio 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 | Ohio ODM / JFS |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Ohio ODM / JFS |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Ohio ODM transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Ohio ODM handbook |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Ohio ODM handbook |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,901 / month | Federal SSI-related amount |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | Ohio ODM |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / PASSPORT waiver | Ohio ODM |
The widget subtracts Ohio 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.
Robert and Martha in Cincinnati held $196,000 between IRAs and a Fifth Third joint account. Hamilton County JFS counted the IRAs, set Martha's CSRA near $98,000, and still expected Robert 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. Ohio JFS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on the JFS 03600 Medical Assistance Application.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Ohio still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your county JFS 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 Toledo saw $0 asset spend-down but $510 monthly income over the cap. Her attorney opened a Miller Trust at a Toledo-area bank before Lucas County JFS finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. ODM still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score PASSPORT functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Ohio divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Lake Erie cottage, mineral rights, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different ODM worksheet line.
ODM also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain community services. Planning conversations belong with an Ohio elder law attorney before you spend six figures on remodeling.
Common mistake: Gifting $30,000 to an adult child fourteen months before filing. ODM can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Ohio administers Medicaid through the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM). Long-term care applications start at your county Department of Job and Family Services office in places like Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Toledo.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing stays when medical necessity and asset tests pass. The PASSPORT waiver funds home care for eligible seniors who would otherwise need a nursing home, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Ohio does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for nursing home 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 an Ohio 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 ODM policy memos in the Ohio Manual of Job and Family Services.
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 ODM.
Rural applicants in Athens and Zanesville follow the same resource test as families in suburban Franklin County. PASSPORT interest lists vary by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Common mistake: Assuming Ohio exempts a second home because it is "in the family." Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under ODM rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Ohio 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 ODM 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.
Ohio ODM uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or PASSPORT applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Ohio does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the monthly income cap must use a Qualified Income Trust (Miller Trust) instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, county JFS 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.
Ohio 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 an Ohio trustee.
County JFS offices collect the JFS 03600 Medical Assistance Application and supporting statements. Call the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline at (800) 324-8680 for your local office. Franklin, Cuyahoga, and Hamilton counties see the highest volume.
Yes. PASSPORT applicants face the same $2,000 countable resource limit as nursing facility Medicaid. Functional eligibility and waiver slot availability are separate steps ODM and the Area Agency on Aging handle after asset math passes.
No. Nursing facility Medicaid and PASSPORT waiver slots follow different clinical rules. ODM and your county JFS office still review estate recovery notices, annuity titles, and five-year transfer history.
This calculator does not decide Ohio Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
