Asset spend-down estimator
Utah · 2026 limits
Utah DHHS still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and the New Choices Waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, Salt Lake County, Utah County, and every other Utah county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with Utah DWS through the myCase portal or a local eligibility office. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Claire in Provo listed $83,600 across a Zions Bank savings account and an America First Credit Union share draft for her mother Eleanor. Utah County DWS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $81,600 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Eleanor's IRA into Claire's name without a plan. DWS 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 Utah 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 | Utah Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Utah Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Utah DHHS transfer rules (UNVERIFIED) |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Utah Medicaid policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Utah Medicaid policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,982 / month | 300% federal SSI rate |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | Utah DHHS |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / New Choices waiver | Utah DHHS |
The widget subtracts Utah 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.
Richard and Susan in Ogden held $231,400 between IRAs and a Mountain America Credit Union checking account. DWS counted the IRAs, set Susan's CSRA near $115,700, and still expected Richard to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
The tool does not apply Utah burial fund exclusions or prepaid funeral credits automatically. Add those exempt amounts only if you have already designated separate accounts on your myCase resource assessment packet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. DWS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your Utah Medicaid application.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Utah still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local DWS 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 Qualified Income Trust even when assets pass.
Daniel in Salt Lake City saw $0 asset spend-down but $475 monthly income over the Medicaid income cap. His attorney opened a Miller Trust at a Utah bank before DWS finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. Utah DHHS still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score New Choices Waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Utah divides the average daily nursing home rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a cabin in Park City, mineral rights on Uintah County acreage, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DHHS worksheet line.
Utah 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 Utah elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home modifications.
The calculator does not project patient liability after approval. Utah Medicaid 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 nine months before filing. DWS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Utah administers Medicaid through the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Financial eligibility determinations run through the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) via the myCase portal or local eligibility offices. Salt Lake County, Utah County, Davis County, and Weber County each process high volumes of long-term care applications.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing care after a level-of-care review confirms the need. The New Choices Waiver can serve some adults in their own homes or assisted living, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Utah 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 Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with a Utah 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 DHHS 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 by Utah Medicaid.
Rural applicants in St. George and Logan follow the same resource test as families in Provo. New Choices waiver slot availability varies by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Case Management Agencies screen functional need for certain HCBS paths, while DWS staff determine financial eligibility. Keep both agency letters in your file when you appeal a denial.
Common mistake: Assuming Utah exempts a second home because a relative visits on weekends. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DHHS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Utah 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 DHHS 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.
Utah Medicaid uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or New Choices 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.
Utah 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 Qualified Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, DWS 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.
Utah 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 Miller Trust each month. The trust must be irrevocable and managed by a Utah trustee.
DWS eligibility offices and the myCase online portal collect Utah Medicaid applications and resource assessment forms. Call 1-866-435-7414 for help by phone. Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden offices handle the highest volume.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking New Choices Waiver home and community services. DHHS still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval follows a separate Case Management Agency screening.
This calculator does not decide Utah Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Utah DHHS / DWS or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
