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Medicaid Spousal Impoverishment 2026: What the At-Home Spouse Keeps
When one spouse needs long-term care, federal law protects the other - in 2026 the at-home spouse can keep up to $162,660 in assets and up to $4,066.50 a month in income.
The facts
- 01Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) 2026: the at-home spouse keeps at least $32,532 - generally half the couple's countable assets, capped at $162,660. States choose where in that range their rule sits.
- 02Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA) 2026: the at-home spouse keeps income up to a $2,705 floor (effective July 1, 2026; Alaska $3,381.25, Hawaii $3,111.25), plus excess shelter costs, capped at a $4,066.50 maximum.
- 03Excess shelter: if the at-home spouse's housing costs (rent/mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities) exceed the $811.50 monthly housing allowance, the difference raises their income allowance up to the $4,066.50 cap.
- 04The home itself is exempt while the at-home spouse (or certain other protected residents) lives in it, subject to a 2026 home-equity limit between $752,000 and $1,130,000 depending on the state.
- 05These are the federal standards from the CMS spousal-impoverishment bulletin - states administer the programs and some apply more generous rules, so confirm with your state Medicaid agency before spending down.
Sources
StewardWise is free for veterans and their families and always will be. Educational information only — not legal, tax, financial, or VA-benefits advice; figures verified against the cited sources for 2026.
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