Asset spend-down estimator
Wisconsin · 2026 limits
Wisconsin DHS and county Income Maintenance (IM) agencies still count most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and Family Care waiver services. This page runs asset spend-down math for Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Dane County, Waukesha, and every other Wisconsin county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file through a county IM agency or the ACCESS online portal. The form applies the $2,000 single cap and federal CSRA range ($29,724 to $162,660) when a spouse stays home.
Patricia in Waukesha listed $58,200 across a Landmark Credit Union savings account and a Vanguard brokerage total for her husband Gerald. Waukesha County IM treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $56,200 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Gerald's IRA into Patricia's name without a plan. Wisconsin IM staff still trace the account through five years of statements. List every account you will hand to your caseworker before you shuffle titles.
These figures come from Wisconsin 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 | Wisconsin DHS |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Wisconsin DHS |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Wisconsin DHS transfer rules |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Wisconsin DHS handbook |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Wisconsin DHS handbook |
| Nursing facility income cap (2026) | $2,901 / month | Federal SSI-related amount |
| Income spend-down path (LTC) | Qualified Income Trust required above cap | Wisconsin DHS |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / Family Care waiver | Wisconsin DHS |
The widget subtracts Wisconsin 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 Madison held $196,000 between IRAs and a UW Credit Union joint account. Dane County IM counted the IRAs, set Elaine'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. Wisconsin IM agencies divide jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your ForwardHealth application packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Wisconsin still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your county IM 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.
Marcus in Milwaukee saw $0 asset spend-down but $580 monthly income over the cap. His attorney opened a Miller Trust at a Milwaukee-area bank before Milwaukee County IM finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. Wisconsin IM staff still check nursing facility level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score Family Care functional eligibility, IRIS enrollment rules, or penalty months from gifts. Wisconsin divides the average daily nursing facility rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a North Woods cabin, Door County cottage, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different DHS worksheet line.
Wisconsin also runs a Medical Assistance Estate Recovery Program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain community services. Planning conversations belong with a Wisconsin elder law attorney before you spend six figures on home renovations.
Common mistake: Gifting $22,000 to an adult child ten months before filing. Wisconsin can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Wisconsin administers Medicaid through the Department of Health Services (DHS) ForwardHealth program. Long-term care applications usually start at a county Income Maintenance (IM) agency in Milwaukee, Dane, Brown, Waukesha, and every other county.
Institutional Medicaid covers nursing facility care. Family Care and Family Care Partnership waivers deliver home- and community-based services, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Wisconsin does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases the way Illinois does. Families above the $2,901 monthly income cap must assign excess funds to a Qualified Income Trust with a Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin DHS 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 facility cost published by Wisconsin DHS.
Applicants in Green Bay and rural Door County follow the same resource test as families in Milwaukee. Family Care enrollment caps vary by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Common mistake: Assuming Wisconsin exempts a lake property because it is "for the family." Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DHS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Wisconsin 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 DHS 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.
Wisconsin DHS uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility or Family Care applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Wisconsin 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 instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin trustee.
County Income Maintenance (IM) agencies and ForwardHealth staff collect applications and supporting statements. Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and Waukesha counties handle high application volume. Call 800-362-3002 for DHS member services.
No. A $0 asset result does not clear you for Family Care or nursing facility Medicaid. Wisconsin IM staff still review level-of-care forms, Qualified Income Trust setup when income tops $2,901 monthly, and 60-month gift history.
This calculator does not decide Wisconsin Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Wisconsin DHS / IM agency or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
