Florida Medicaid asset and income limits for 2026
Updated June 4, 2026. For nursing home, assisted living waiver, and home-and-community-based Medicaid in Florida.
The 30-second summary
In 2026, Florida sets the countable-asset limit for a single Medicaid applicant at $2,000 and the gross monthly income cap at $2,901. When a spouse remains at home, that spouse can generally hold up to $157,920 in joint countable assets separately. The home (up to $730,000 equity), one car, and personal belongings are generally not counted. Income above the cap commonly involves Florida's Qualified Income Trust rules.
Where are you in this right now?
Pick the one that sounds most like you. The next steps change depending on the moment.
If mom is in the hospital and they are talking about a nursing home
In the days before discharge, families commonly focus on these areas. None of this is advice about your specific situation – it is what often comes up:
- Medicare-covered rehab is a separate program from Medicaid. Families often ask the hospital social worker whether a Medicare-covered skilled rehab stay is available, since Medicare can cover up to 100 days when admission and prior-hospitalization rules are met. That can come before long-term Medicaid is relevant.
- Admission agreements can include financial-responsibility language. Families often review the agreement carefully, and many ask an elder law attorney about how signing as a "responsible party" differs from signing as an agent under a power of attorney before they sign anything.
- Medicaid applications are document-heavy. Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), ACCESS Florida commonly requests financial, income, and property records – such as bank statements, benefit award letters, and deeds. Gathering them early helps the process.
- Florida generally uses Qualified Income Trusts when income exceeds the cap. If gross monthly income is above $2,901, QIT timing rules can affect the month coverage begins. Families often confirm timing with Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), ACCESS Florida or a Florida elder law attorney before filing.
A Florida elder law attorney can review the specifics of your family's situation. The first conversation is usually free.
Florida Medicaid long-term-care limits – 2026
Verified from Florida Department of Children and Families – ACCESS Medicaid (Institutional / SMMC LTC). Reviewed June 4, 2026.
| Rule | 2026 number | What it actually means at your kitchen table |
|---|---|---|
| Asset limit – single applicant | $2,000 | Countable assets the applicant can own on the first of the month. The home, one car, the wedding ring, and household belongings do not count toward this. |
| Asset limit – community spouse (at home) | $31,584 – $157,920 | The Community Spouse Resource Allowance. If one spouse is staying home, they keep this much in joint assets – not $2,000. The most-missed protection in Medicaid planning. |
| Monthly income cap | $2,901 | Florida is an income-cap state. When gross monthly income exceeds this number, applicants commonly use a Qualified Income Trust under the state's rules, with timing that can affect the month coverage begins. |
| Spousal income protection (MMMNA) | $2,555 – $3,948 | The Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance. The at-home spouse can keep at least this much monthly income, and Medicaid lets the applicant divert income to reach it. |
| Home equity cap | $730,000 | The home stays exempt up to this much equity (federal indexed amount). A spouse, minor child, or disabled child living in the home removes the cap entirely. |
| Look-back period | 60 months | Financial transfers in this window are commonly reviewed during the application. Gifts and below-market transfers can trigger a penalty period under the state's rules. |
What Florida does not count as an asset
Florida treats one home (up to the equity cap), one car of any value, irrevocable burial funds up to $2,500 per spouse, wedding/engagement rings, term life insurance, and household belongings as exempt. The home stays exempt while the applicant or a spouse, minor child, or disabled child lives there.
What nobody tells you
The five things Florida families wish someone had said out loud before they sat down with the hospital social worker.
The asset limit is measured on the 1st of the month
Florida generally evaluates countable assets as of the first day of each month coverage is requested. Because of that, the same balance can produce a different answer one month versus the next, and timing of deposits or payments can affect the calculation.
Several common items are not counted
Florida generally treats the home (up to the equity cap), one car, irrevocable burial arrangements within published limits, wedding and engagement rings, term life insurance, and household belongings as exempt. The home is generally exempt while the applicant – or a spouse, minor child, or disabled child – lives there.
There is a separate set of rules when a spouse remains at home
Under the Community Spouse Resource Allowance, the at-home (community) spouse can generally hold up to $157,920 in joint countable assets in 2026 – separately from the applicant's $2,000 limit. The protection is part of the program, but the specifics of how it applies depend on each couple's situation.
Florida is an income-cap state, with a published trust framework
When gross monthly income exceeds the cap ($2,901 in 2026), Florida generally uses Qualified Income Trusts (also called Miller Trusts). How and when a QIT is established involves state-specific rules, and an elder law attorney can describe whether and how it would apply to a particular family.
Florida's estate recovery reaches the probate estate
After a Medicaid recipient dies, Florida can pursue claims against the probate estate. Assets that pass outside probate – such as jointly titled property with right of survivorship, life insurance with named beneficiaries, or certain deed arrangements – are treated differently. How property is titled is typically reviewed with an attorney.
The most expensive mistakes families make
Each of these is fixable if you catch it early. Each gets significantly more expensive after a Medicaid denial.
Assuming the asset test runs on the day of application
Florida generally measures countable assets on the first of the month. Transactions that clear after the 1st may not change that month's calculation. Families often ask DCF or an attorney how timing applies to their specific situation.
Making transfers to family members during the look-back window
Transfers for less than fair market value in the 60-month look-back can trigger a penalty period. Complete information about prior transfers helps a {state} elder law attorney evaluate whether penalties may apply.
Long stretches of private-pay before learning about Medicaid
Funds spent on private-pay nursing-home care are no longer available to qualify for Medicaid later. Some families discuss the timing of an application with an elder law attorney early in a placement.
Re-titling the home without legal review
Adding a child as a joint owner, quit-claiming the house, or using deed strategies has consequences for both Medicaid eligibility and federal capital-gains treatment. Deed planning is highly fact-specific and is typically reviewed by a Florida attorney.
Approaching the application without addressing income-cap rules
In Florida's income-cap framework, applicants with income above the cap commonly use a Qualified Income Trust. The trust's setup and funding follow state-specific timing rules, which families often confirm with DCF or an attorney before filing.
How Florida compares to nearby states
If a parent could move – or already lives in a different state from the adult child managing this – the numbers shift more than people realize.
| State | Single asset limit | Income cap (mo.) | Community spouse max | QIT required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (this page) | $2,000 | $2,901 | $157,920 | Yes |
| California | — | — | — | No |
| Georgia | $2,000 | $2,901 | $157,920 | Yes |
| Michigan | $2,000 | — | $157,920 | No |
| North Carolina | $2,000 | — | $157,920 | No |
Numbers reflect each state's published 2026 long-term-care Medicaid limits.
What families ask
The questions that come up most often after a Florida Medicaid denial letter or a hospital discharge meeting.
What is the Florida Medicaid asset limit for nursing home care in 2026?
For a single applicant, the countable asset limit is generally $2,000 in 2026. For a married couple where one spouse is applying, the at-home (community) spouse can generally hold between $31,584 and $157,920 in joint countable assets under the Community Spouse Resource Allowance, depending on the couple's total assets. The applicant spouse is still subject to the $2,000 limit. This is general program information, not advice about a particular case.
What is Florida's Medicaid income limit in 2026?
$2,901 per month in gross income for institutional Medicaid (nursing home) and the SMMC LTC waiver in 2026. Florida is an income-cap state. When income exceeds the cap, Florida's Qualified Income Trust framework generally applies. How that framework applies to a specific family depends on the facts.
Does Florida have a 5-year look-back?
Yes. Florida generally reviews financial transfers in the 60 months before the application date. Gifts and below-market transfers can trigger a penalty period under the program's rules.
Will Florida take my mom's house?
In most cases, no, while she is alive. The home is generally treated as an exempt asset (up to $730,000 in equity) when she or a qualifying family member lives there. After death, Florida can pursue estate recovery against the probate estate. How property passes through or outside probate depends on titling, which is typically reviewed with an attorney.
What is a Qualified Income Trust in Florida?
A Qualified Income Trust (also called a Miller Trust) is a legal arrangement Florida uses for applicants whose gross monthly income exceeds the cap ($2,901 in 2026). Setup, funding, and timing follow state-specific rules. Whether and how a QIT applies to a particular family is generally evaluated by an elder law attorney or by DCF.
How much can the spouse at home keep in Florida?
Generally up to $157,920 in joint countable assets in 2026 under the Community Spouse Resource Allowance, plus the home, one car, household belongings, and a monthly income allowance (MMMNA) between $2,555 and $3,948 depending on shelter costs. The specifics depend on each couple's situation.
Getting organized
Families who are starting to look into Medicaid often find it easier to begin with the same three steps. None of this is a recommendation about your specific situation – it is a common starting point.
- Write down the current numbers. Total countable assets, gross monthly income, and the address and approximate equity of the home. These are commonly the first questions in an attorney consultation.
- Locate the paperwork that Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), ACCESS Florida typically asks for. Power of attorney, will, deed, Social Security award letter, pension statements, and recent bank statements often appear on the application checklist.
- Speak with a licensed Florida elder law attorney about your family's specific situation. Many offer a free initial consultation.
Timing can matter more when a parent has already been admitted to a hospital or a nursing facility. In those cases, families often gather documents and speak with Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), ACCESS Florida or an elder law attorney early in the process.
Sources and methodology
- Primary source: Florida Department of Children and Families – ACCESS Medicaid (Institutional / SMMC LTC)
- Federal SSI / CSRA / MMMNA figures cross-referenced against CMS-published annual indexing thresholds.
- Reviewed: June 4, 2026 by ElderLawLocator Editorial Review.
- Next scheduled review: January 15, 2027.
Medicaid rules change. If this page is more than 6 months old and your application is pending, verify each number with Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), ACCESS Florida directly.