Downsizing a home when applying for Medicaid long term care

No, the proceeds from the sale of a house will not count against Medicaid’s income or asset limits if the funds are used to purchase another home. However, certain conditions must be met.

Generally speaking, one’s primary home is not counted towards Medicaid’s long-term care asset limit, which in most states is $2,000 for an individual applicant. For the home to be exempt, the Medicaid applicant must live in it (or have Intent to Return) and their home equity interest must be under a state-specified value. If the applicant has a spouse living in the home, the home is exempt regardless of where the applicant lives or the applicant’s equity interest in the home. California is an exception to the rules, as the state has no asset limit, and therefore, the home is automatically exempt.

While one can sell their primary home and purchase another home with the proceeds from the sale without it counting against Medicaid’s income or asset limits, the new home must also be exempt from Medicaid’s asset limit. Furthermore, according to federal regulation, there is a limited timeframe (3 months) in which the new home must be purchased following the sale of the original home. Some states may have more lenient rules than other states.

If a new exempt home is not purchased from the proceeds from the sale of the original home within the timeframe allowed by Medicaid, the funds will count towards Medicaid’s asset limit. The proceeds will then cause one to be ineligible for long-term care Medicaid.

Note that just because a home is safe from Medicaid’s asset limit does not mean it is safe from Medicaid’s Estate Recovery Program.