Asset spend-down estimator
Wyoming · 2026 limits
Wyoming DFS and the Department of Health still count most bank and brokerage balances toward a $2,000 applicant resource limit for nursing facility Medicaid and the Community Choices waiver. This page runs asset spend-down math for Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Natrona County, Albany County, and every other Wyoming county using posted 2026 federal CSRA brackets.
Enter marital status and countable assets for the person who will file with Wyoming DFS or a local Department of Health eligibility office. 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 Casper listed $68,900 across a Jonah Bank CD and a First Interstate checking account for her husband Earl. Natrona County DFS treated the full balance as countable, so the raw gap opened near $66,900 before the community spouse allowance.
Common mistake: Moving Earl's IRA into Helen's name without a plan. DFS 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 Wyoming 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 | Wyoming Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| Couple resource limit (both applying) | $3,000 | Wyoming Medicaid (UNVERIFIED) |
| CSRA minimum (2026) | $29,724 | Federal CMS update |
| CSRA maximum (2026) | $162,660 | Federal CMS update |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Wyoming DFS transfer rules (UNVERIFIED) |
| Home equity cap (2026) | $713,000 | Federal minimum |
| Burial fund exclusion | $1,500 | Wyoming Medicaid policy (UNVERIFIED) |
| Vehicle exclusion | One vehicle | Wyoming 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 | Wyoming DFS |
| Primary program | Nursing facility / Community Choices waiver | Wyoming Department of Health |
The widget subtracts Wyoming 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.
Ruth and Clayton in Laramie held $192,000 between IRAs and a Blue Federal Credit Union savings account. DFS counted the IRAs, set Ruth's CSRA near $96,000, and still expected Clayton to spend or convert the remainder through allowed channels before the nursing facility month billed.
The tool does not apply Wyoming burial fund exclusions or prepaid funeral credits automatically. Add those exempt amounts only if you have already designated separate accounts on your Department of Health resource assessment packet.
Common mistake: Entering only the applicant's name on joint accounts. DFS divides jointly owned liquid accounts unless you prove otherwise. Type the full household balance you expect on your Wyoming Medicaid application packet.
A positive spend-down number is the countable dollars Wyoming still expects you to remove before the first eligibility month. It is not an approval letter. Your local DFS or Department of Health office can reject the file if a vehicle, homestead, or mineral lease 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.
George in Cheyenne saw $0 asset spend-down but $410 monthly income over the Medicaid Income Cap. His attorney opened a Miller Trust at an ANB Bank branch before DFS finalized the packet. Asset math alone would have missed that step.
Common mistake: Treating a $0 asset gap as automatic Medicaid approval. Wyoming still checks level-of-care forms, citizenship documents, and five-year transfer history.
This page does not score Community Choices waiver functional eligibility, estate recovery waivers, or penalty months from gifts. Wyoming divides the average daily nursing facility rate into transfer penalties, and that divisor changes with market rates.
The form does not value a Sublette County hunting cabin, coal royalty checks, or a spouse's 401(k) still at work. Each asset class follows a different Department of Health worksheet line.
Wyoming also runs an estate recovery program after death for members 55 and older who received nursing facility or certain Community Choices services. Planning conversations belong with a Wyoming elder law attorney before you spend six figures on ranch fencing.
The calculator does not project patient liability after approval. DFS 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 eight months before filing. DFS can impose penalty months with no coverage even if assets later fall below $2,000. Pay legitimate debt and care invoices instead.
Wyoming administers Medicaid through the Department of Health with financial eligibility handled by the Department of Family Services (DFS). Long-term care applications for people age 65 and older usually start at a local DFS office or through the Wyoming Medicaid eligibility unit in counties like Laramie, Natrona, Albany, and Campbell.
Nursing facility Medicaid covers skilled nursing care after a level-of-care review confirms the need for that setting. The Community Choices waiver can serve some adults in their own homes, but asset tests still follow the same $2,000 resource standard for the applicant.
Wyoming does not offer a medically needy income spend-down for nursing facility cases the way Pennsylvania does. Families above the $2,982 monthly Medicaid Income Cap must assign excess funds to a Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust, with a Wyoming trustee.
Community spouses may keep the greater of the CSRA calculation or certain income protections under spousal impoverishment rules. Wyoming uses the federal 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 Department of Health 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 facility cost published by Wyoming Medicaid.
Rural applicants in Sheridan and Rock Springs follow the same resource test as families in Cheyenne. Community Choices slot availability varies by region, but the $2,000 asset cap does not.
Call (855) 294-2127 to reach Wyoming Medicaid eligibility staff by phone. Keep copies of every bank statement DFS requests, especially for joint accounts at Wyoming credit unions.
Common mistake: Assuming Wyoming exempts a second home because a cousin grazes cattle there. Non-homestead real estate counts unless occupied by a spouse or dependent child under DFS rules. Budget property taxes and sale costs before you rely on an appraisal.
| Asset | Wyoming 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 Department of Health 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.
Wyoming DFS uses a $2,000 countable resource limit for a single nursing facility applicant and $3,000 when both spouses apply. Certain exempt assets, like a primary home and one car, do not count toward that cap.
Wyoming does not use a medically needy income spend-down for most nursing facility cases. Applicants above the $2,982 monthly Medicaid Income Cap must use a Qualified Income Trust instead of stacking doctor bills.
When one spouse stays home, DFS 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.
Wyoming 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 Wyoming trustee.
Wyoming DFS and Department of Health eligibility staff collect applications at local offices and by mail. Call (855) 294-2127 for help by phone. Cheyenne, Casper, and Laramie offices handle the highest volume.
Yes for most aged and disabled adults seeking Community Choices home and community based services. DFS still applies the $2,000 applicant resource limit and the same 60-month look-back, though functional approval follows a separate level-of-care review.
This calculator does not decide Wyoming Medicaid eligibility and is not legal or financial advice. Verify figures with Wyoming DFS / Department of Health or your county eligibility office before you transfer property or file an application.
