When one spouse needs nursing home care, the community spouse resource allowance protects the healthy spouse from impoverishment.
What is the community spouse resource allowance?
The community spouse resource allowance (CSRA) is a Medicaid rule that lets the 'community spouse' — the one remaining at home — keep a portion of the couple's combined countable assets when the other spouse enters a nursing home or applies for long-term care Medicaid. These spousal impoverishment protections exist so the at-home spouse isn't left destitute. For 2026, the federal maximum CSRA is approximately $157,920, and the minimum is about $31,584, though states set their own figures within that range. The institutionalized spouse must still reduce their own countable assets to the state limit, typically around $2,000.
How is the CSRA calculated?
Medicaid takes a 'snapshot' of the couple's countable assets as of the date the ill spouse first enters a nursing home or hospital for 30+ days. Many states give the community spouse half of those assets, up to the federal maximum and down to the minimum. For example, if a couple has $200,000, the at-home spouse might keep up to roughly $157,920 in 2026, while the rest must be spent down or protected through planning. Some states are more generous, allowing the community spouse to keep up to the full maximum regardless of the 50% rule. Call 1-800-MEDIGAP to understand your state's approach.