Asset spend-down estimator
South Dakota · 2026 limits
South Dakota DSS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and the HOPE (Home Options for Personal Empowerment) waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Minnehaha County, Pennington County, and every other South Dakota county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with South Dakota DSS 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.
Patricia in Sioux Falls listed $73,600 across a First Premier Bank savings account and a Thrivent brokerage total for her husband Wayne. Minnehaha County DSS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $71,600 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Wayne's IRA into Patricia's name without a plan. South Dakota DSS 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 South 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 | South Dakota DSS Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | South Dakota DSS Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | South Dakota DSS transfer rules (UNVERIFIED) |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | South Dakota DSS policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | South Dakota DSS 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 | South Dakota DSS / DHS |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / HOPE waiver | South Dakota DSS |
The widget subtracts South 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.
Robert and Elaine in Rapid City held $198,400 between IRAs and a Black Hills Federal Credit Union joint checking account. Pennington County DSS counted the IRAs, set Elaine's CSRA near $99,200, 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. South Dakota DSS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your DSS Medicaid application packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars South Dakota still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local DSS 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.
Karen in Aberdeen saw $0 asset spend-down but $520 monthly income over the Medicaid income cap. Her attorney opened a Miller Trust at a local bank before Brown County DSS finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. South Dakota DSS still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score HOPE waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. South Dakota divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Black Hills cabin near Custer, pasture acreage outside the homestead, or a spouse's 403(b) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DSS worksheet line.
South Dakota also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain HOPE waiver services. Planning conversations belong with a South Dakota elder law attorney before you spend six figures on ranch repairs or home additions.
Common mistake: Gifting $20,000 to an adult child ten months before filing. South Dakota DSS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
South Dakota administers Medicaid through the Department of Social Services (DSS), with Economic Assistance offices in counties like Minnehaha, Pennington, and Brown. Long-term care applications usually start at a local DSS office, through the online portal, or with help from a Dakota at Home aging specialist.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing care after a level-of-care review confirms the need. The HOPE waiver can serve some adults in their own homes, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
South 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 South 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 South Dakota DSS 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 South Dakota DSS.
Rural applicants in Pierre and Watertown follow the same resource test as families in Sioux Falls. HOPE waiver interest lists vary by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Common mistake: Assuming South Dakota exempts a second home because relatives visit each summer. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DSS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | South 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 DSS 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 ranch 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.
South Dakota DSS uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or HOPE 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.
South 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, South Dakota DSS 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.
South 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 South Dakota trustee.
DSS Economic Assistance offices and the South Dakota Medicaid Customer Service Center collect applications and supporting statements. Call (800) 597-1603 for help by phone. Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Aberdeen offices handle the highest volume.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking Home Options for Personal Empowerment services. South Dakota DSS 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 South Dakota Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with South Dakota DSS / DHS or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
