When one spouse needs Medicaid for nursing home care, the Community Spouse Resource Allowance lets the healthy spouse keep a share of the couple's assets. In 2026, that protected amount is a minimum of $32,532 and a maximum of $162,660, per federal figures. The at-home spouse may also keep a monthly income allowance. These spousal-impoverishment rules exist so the healthy spouse is not left destitute.
Medicaid
Community Spouse Resource Allowance: What a Healthy Spouse Can Keep (2026)
By Chuck Brodsky, Co-Founder, MediNav — Updated July 2026 — 7 min read
Quick answer
If one parent is entering a nursing home on Medicaid and the other is still at home, the fear is that the couple must spend everything first. Federal spousal-impoverishment protections say otherwise — the at-home spouse keeps a defined share of assets and income, and knowing the 2026 numbers lets you plan instead of panic.
What the resource allowance protects
Medicaid counts a married couple's combined countable assets when one spouse needs long-term care. The Community Spouse Resource Allowance, or CSRA, is the portion the at-home ("community") spouse is allowed to keep. In 2026 the CSRA is a minimum of $32,532 and a maximum of $162,660. States apply the allowance differently within that federal range — some let the community spouse keep half the countable assets up to the maximum, others protect up to the maximum regardless — but the floor and ceiling are national.
The income side: the monthly maintenance allowance
Assets are only half the picture. The at-home spouse is also entitled to keep a Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance if their own income is low. For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, the minimum monthly maintenance allowance is $2,705 in most states, and the maximum is $4,066.50 as of January 1, 2026. If the community spouse's income falls below the applicable floor, income from the spouse in care can be shifted to bring them up to it.
What counts and what doesn't
Countable assets generally include bank accounts, investments, and second properties. Typically excluded are the couple's primary home (within an equity limit), one vehicle, and certain personal belongings. Because the community spouse's protected share is calculated from countable assets at a specific point — often the date the spouse enters care, called the "snapshot" date — the timing of the assessment matters. Ask the state Medicaid agency how and when it takes the snapshot.
How this fits the bigger picture
The CSRA works alongside the other Medicaid long-term-care rules. Transfers between spouses are generally exempt, but other gifts fall under the look-back period. If the ill spouse's income is over the state cap, a Miller trust may be needed. And after death, estate recovery is deferred while the community spouse is alive.
What a caregiver should do
Do not spend down to a bare minimum on the assumption that Medicaid requires it — the community spouse keeps between $32,532 and $162,660 in countable assets plus an income allowance. Get the snapshot date right, confirm how your state applies the allowance within the federal range, and consider legal advice if the couple's assets are near the maximum, where planning choices matter most.
When to call MediNav
- Free: Ask a specific question — tell us about a couple's assets and income and get a straight answer on what the at-home spouse keeps.
- Free: Run the coverage check — in about two minutes, see what a parent is likely eligible for with 2026 figures for your state.
- Paid ($9–$19/mo): MediNav Watch and Watch+ re-check the figures as they change each year and remind you before deadlines, so nothing lapses unnoticed.
Related guides
- Medicaid Look-Back Period Explained — the transfer rules
- Miller Trust (QIT) for Medicaid — over-income planning
- Medicaid Estate Recovery After Death — deferred while a spouse lives
- Is My Parent Dual-Eligible? — the dual-coverage picture
Frequently asked questions
What if my parents' savings are above the maximum?
The community spouse can keep up to $162,660 in countable assets in 2026; amounts above that generally must be spent on care or otherwise addressed before the ill spouse qualifies. How the excess is handled — permitted purchases, annuities, or other planning — is where an elder-law attorney adds the most value, so get advice when assets exceed the ceiling.
How much income can the at-home parent keep?
The community spouse is entitled to a monthly maintenance allowance — a minimum of $2,705 in most states for 7/1/2026–6/30/2027 and a maximum of $4,066.50 as of 1/1/2026. If their own income is below the applicable amount, income from the spouse in care can be diverted to reach it. States set the exact figure within that range.
Is the family home counted?
Usually not, within limits. The couple's primary home is generally excluded up to a home-equity cap, and one vehicle and certain personal items are also excluded. Countable assets — bank accounts, investments, second properties — are what the CSRA is calculated from. Confirm your state's home-equity limit when planning.
When is the couple's asset "snapshot" taken?
Typically on the date the spouse begins a continuous period of institutional care. The countable assets on that snapshot date drive the community spouse's protected share. Because the timing affects the result, ask the state Medicaid agency exactly how it sets the snapshot before spending anything down.
Do transfers between spouses cause a penalty?
Generally no. Transfers between spouses are exempt from the transfer-penalty rules, which is why couples can reallocate assets to the community spouse in planning. Other gifts, though, fall under the five-year look-back and can cause a penalty. Keep spousal transfers documented and separate from third-party gifts.
Does the community spouse have to be on Medicaid too?
No. The spousal-impoverishment rules protect the at-home spouse precisely so they can remain financially independent while the other spouse receives Medicaid long-term care. The community spouse keeps their protected assets and income allowance and does not enroll in Medicaid to make the ill spouse eligible.
Sources: Medicaid.gov — Spousal Impoverishment, Medicaid.gov — 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards (CIB 12/09/2025). Last verified July 2026.