Asset spend-down estimator
Washington · 2026 limits
Washington Apple Health Classic Medicaid still counts most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility care and the COPES home and community waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, King County, Pierce County, and every other Washington county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets and state spousal rules.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with Washington HCA or DSHS. The form applies the $2,000 single cap, the $3,000 couple cap when both spouses apply, and the federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when one spouse stays home.
Helen in Tacoma listed $94,800 across a BECU savings account and a Fidelity brokerage total for her husband Walter. Pierce County DSHS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $92,800 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Walter's IRA into Helen's name without a plan. DSHS 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 Washington 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 | Washington HCA WAC 182-513-1350 |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Washington HCA WAC 182-513-1350 |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| State CSRA floor (community spouse at home) | $72,529 | Washington HCA standards chart |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Washington HCA transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $1,130,000 | Washington HCA standards chart |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Washington Apple Health policy |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Washington Apple Health policy |
| COPES income special level (2026) | $2,982 / month | Washington HCA standards chart |
| Primary program | Apple Health LTC / COPES waiver | Washington HCA / DSHS |
The widget subtracts Washington 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. Washington also posts a state CSRA floor of $72,529 when the community spouse lives at home. The applicant may keep $2,000 on top of that protected share.
Margaret and David in Seattle held $186,400 between IRAs and a KeyBank checking account in King County. DSHS counted the IRAs, set David's CSRA near $93,200, and still expected Margaret 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. DSHS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your Washington Connection packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Washington still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local Community Services 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. COPES applicants above $2,982 monthly must pay a share toward waiver costs even when assets pass.
Frank in Spokane saw $0 asset spend-down but $410 monthly income over the COPES special income level. His caseworker still opened a cost-of-care worksheet before HCA authorized home care hours. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Apple Health approval. DSHS still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score COPES functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Washington divides the private nursing facility daily rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor updates each October.
The form does not value a Yakima orchard, timber rights, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different HCA worksheet line.
Washington 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 a Washington elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home remodeling.
Common mistake: Gifting $18,000 to an adult child nine months before filing. DSHS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Washington administers Apple Health through the Health Care Authority (HCA) and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Long-term care applications for people age 65 and older usually start at a local Community Services Office or through Washington Connection in counties like King, Pierce, and Spokane.
Classic Medicaid covers nursing facility care. The COPES waiver pays for personal care at home, in adult family homes, and in assisted living when someone would otherwise need a nursing home. Asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant in both paths.
Washington allows certain medically necessary expenses incurred before eligibility to reduce countable resources on the application. Nursing facility bills are reduced at the state rate for the facility that provided care. COPES projected service costs cannot be used the same way.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. Washington uses a home equity cap of $1,130,000 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 HCA policy memos.
Look-back reviews cover asset transfers made within 60 months before application. Penalty length equals the uncompensated transfer amount divided by the private nursing facility daily rate published by HCA.
Families in Bellevue and Everett follow the same resource test as applicants in Olympia and Bellingham. COPES interest lists vary by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Common mistake: Assuming Washington exempts a second home because it is "in the family." Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under HCA rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Washington rule |
|---|---|
| Primary home | Exempt if applicant, spouse, or dependent child lives there or equity is below $1,130,000 (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 HCA 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.
Washington HCA uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single Apple Health Classic applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Washington allows certain medically necessary bills incurred before eligibility to reduce countable resources on the application. Nursing facility bills are credited at the state rate for the facility that provided care. This is not the same as a monthly income spend-down program.
When one spouse stays home, HCA protects between $29,724 and $162,660 of combined countable assets for the community spouse in 2026. Washington also sets a state floor of $72,529 when the community spouse lives at home. The applicant may keep $2,000 in addition to that protected share.
Washington 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.
COPES pays for long-term care at home or in community settings when someone would otherwise need a nursing home. The applicant still faces the $2,000 resource limit. Functional eligibility requires help with at least two activities of daily living.
DSHS Community Services Offices and HCA eligibility staff collect Classic Medicaid packets through Washington Connection. Call DSHS at (877) 501-2233 or HCA at (800) 562-3022 for filing help. Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane offices see the highest volume.
Washington does not use Miller Trusts the way Texas does for most nursing facility cases. Instead, applicants assign income toward the cost of care after personal and spousal allowances. Income planning still matters even when this calculator shows $0 asset spend-down.
This calculator does not decide Washington Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Washington HCA / DSHS or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
