Medicaid Guide
Georgia Medicaid Asset Limit for Home Care:What Counts and What Doesn't
Georgia's Medicaid asset limit for home care counts savings and extra property, but not the home, one car or burial spaces. See what counts and why.
Georgia Medicaid's asset limit for home care is a cap on your loved one's countable resources, and many everyday assets, such as the home they live in and one car, do not count toward it. The cap applies to Georgia's Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP), which pays for care at home through CCSP and SOURCE.
The limit is updated over time. So the real question for most families is not the number. It is which of your parent's things count, and which ones the state sets aside.
This guide sorts assets into "counts" and "does not count," using the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) Medicaid manual. We do not print the figures. We link to the official pages that show them.
Georgia Medicaid asset limit at a glance
- Applies to: EDWP applicants, including CCSP and SOURCE, plus other aged, blind and disabled (ABD) Medicaid
- What is tested: countable resources, such as cash, bank accounts, stocks and extra property
- When it is measured: as of the first moment of each month
- Usually not counted: the home your loved one lives in, one vehicle, household goods, burial spaces and some burial funds
- Married couples: the spouse at home can keep a protected share
- Giving assets away: DFCS looks back five years for transfers
- Current limits: in the DFCS Medicaid manual, Appendix A1
Who has to meet the asset limit for home care in Georgia?
Your loved one does, if they apply for EDWP. The DCH EDWP fact sheet describes two financial routes in. The route decides who checks the assets.
| Situation | Who checks assets | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Your loved one gets SSI | Social Security | SSA applies its own resource rules for SSI |
| Your loved one does not get SSI | Your county DFCS office | DFCS applies the ABD Medicaid rules in this guide |
| Your loved one is married | DFCS | The spouse's assets are considered too, with protections for the spouse at home |
If your parent already gets SSI, Social Security has already reviewed their resources. The DFCS resource chart lists the resources of an SSI recipient as excluded, apart from some couple cases. Most families reading this are on the DFCS route.
Assets are only one test. Your loved one must also need a nursing-home level of care and meet the income rules. Our guide to Georgia Medicaid income limits for home care covers the income side.
What counts as an asset for Georgia Medicaid?
DFCS calls assets "resources." The DFCS resources overview, Section 2300, defines them as cash, personal property and real property that your loved one owns. It also covers things they have a right to but have not claimed.
Three rules shape how DFCS counts them:
- Ownership and access. An asset counts only if your loved one can turn it into cash and use it for their support.
- The first-of-the-month snapshot. DFCS values countable assets as of the first moment of each month.
- Income first, then assets. Money that comes in during a month is income for that month. Whatever is left over becomes an asset the next month.
That snapshot matters. Suppose your parent's balance is over the limit on the first of the month. Spending it down on the tenth does not fix that month.
What assets are exempt from Medicaid in Georgia?
The DFCS chart of resources by type, Section 2399, lists how each kind of asset is treated. Here are the ones families ask about most.
| Asset | Usually | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Checking and savings accounts | Counts | Counted at cash value, less income received that month |
| Certificates of deposit, stocks, bonds, mutual funds | Counts | Counted at cash value |
| Land or a house your loved one does not live in | Counts | Counted at equity value unless an exclusion applies |
| Retirement accounts and pensions | Depends | Treated differently if paying out regularly or if access requires leaving a job |
| The home they live in | Does not count | Special rules if they move out or the equity is very high |
| One vehicle | Does not count | Must be used for transportation of the person or a household member |
| Furniture, appliances, clothing, personal items | Does not count | Includes items needed because of a disability |
| Burial plots and spaces | Does not count | For your loved one and immediate family |
| Burial funds | Partly | Excluded up to a limit if set aside and kept separate |
| Life insurance | Depends | Cash value can count; term policies with no cash value do not |
| ABLE or Georgia STABLE account | Does not count | Follows ABLE account rules |
| Qualified Income Trust | Does not count | Used when income is over the waiver cap |
The car
Georgia excludes one vehicle per household if it is used to transport your loved one, their spouse or a household member. Section 2308 says DFCS assumes it is used that way unless there is evidence otherwise. If there are two cars, the one with more equity is excluded and the other one counts.
Burial money and plots
Burial spaces are excluded. Money set aside for burial is treated more strictly. Under Section 2312, your loved one names the funds as burial money on DFCS Form 985. The money must be kept apart from everyday funds. Only part of it is excluded, and that part shrinks if they also hold burial insurance or certain life insurance.
Life insurance
Section 2323 explains that a policy is an asset only if it has a cash surrender value. Term insurance with no cash value is not an asset. Small whole-life policies may be applied to the burial exclusion. Bring every policy to the interview, because DFCS checks the owner, the face value and the cash value.
Does the house count if my parent moves or the home is worth a lot?
For most people living at home, no. Section 2316 says the home of someone who is not in an institution is excluded in full, regardless of value. The exclusion covers the house, the land under it and nearby buildings on the same property.
There are two situations to watch.
If your parent is away from home
A Georgia home can stay excluded while your parent is away if they state in writing that they intend to return. It also stays excluded if a spouse or a dependent relative still lives there. The manual lists many relatives who can count, including sons and daughters, siblings, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and in-laws.
If the home has very high equity
For long-term care, which includes home and community-based waivers, Georgia applies a home equity limit. The limit is updated every year. If your parent's equity is above it, DFCS will not approve EDWP. The limit does not apply if a spouse lives in the home. It also does not apply if a child who is under the age shown in the manual, or who is blind or disabled, lives there. Your parent may still qualify for other Medicaid services, and a hardship waiver can be requested.
How are a married couple's assets treated?
Georgia looks at both spouses' countable assets when one spouse applies for EDWP. Federal rules then protect the spouse who stays home. Medicaid.gov explains that a share of the couple's combined resources is protected for the spouse living in the community.
The DCH fact sheet adds a practical step. Assets in the applicant's name above their own limit may need to be moved to the at-home spouse. The fact sheet says this must be done within one year from the month Medicaid eligibility begins.
If both spouses are applying for EDWP, a couple's limit applies to their combined assets instead. Our guide on whether a spouse can be paid as a caregiver covers other questions married couples ask.
Can my parent give money away to qualify for Medicaid?
Not without risk. Section 2342 says DFCS looks back 60 months, or five years, before the application date. A gift or a sale below fair market value in that window can trigger a penalty.
The penalty is a period when Medicaid will not pay for long-term care. The manual says it covers nursing home care and home and community-based waivers, including CCSP. In other words, a gift to a grandchild can delay home care.
Some transfers are allowed. The manual lists examples, including:
- Transfers to a spouse, or for the spouse's sole benefit
- Transferring the home to a child who is under the age set in the manual, or who is blind or disabled
- Transferring the home to a son or daughter who lived there and gave care for at least two years, as the manual describes
- Transfers into certain trusts for a disabled person
- Transfers made for a reason other than qualifying for Medicaid
These rules are technical, and a wrong step can be costly. Talk with an elder-law attorney before you move, sell or give away anything.
How to get ready for the asset review
List every asset
Write down accounts, policies, vehicles, property and burial plans, with the owner's name on each.
Gather proof
Collect recent statements, deeds, titles, life insurance policies and any burial contract.
Note recent transfers
List any gifts or sales from the past five years, with dates and amounts.
Check the current limit
Look up the newest year's figures in DFCS Appendix A1 and the DCH EDWP fact sheet.
Ask before you act
Ask DFCS or an elder-law attorney before selling, spending down or transferring assets.
Have these papers ready for DFCS:
- Bank statements for every account, including joint accounts
- Statements for stocks, bonds, CDs and retirement accounts
- Deeds for the home and any other property
- Vehicle titles
- Life insurance policies, including the face value and cash value
- Burial contracts, burial insurance and plot deeds
- Records of any large gifts or sales in the past five years
Where can I see the current asset limit?
Go to the official source. These pages show the current figures:
- DFCS Medicaid manual, Appendix A1: ABD Financial Limits lists the resource limits, the spousal amounts and the home equity limit.
- The DCH EDWP fact sheet shows the waiver asset limits for its edition year.
- Social Security's guide to SSI resources explains the SSI rules, if your loved one gets SSI.
How A1-GA Healthcare Agency helps
A1-GA Healthcare Agency is a Georgia DCH-approved Medicaid home care provider in Norcross, serving metro Atlanta. We have provided in-home care since 2008 and staffed caregivers since 2004. Once your loved one is approved, they can choose us for EDWP services such as in-home personal support and respite.
We are not DFCS, and we do not decide eligibility or give legal advice. We can explain where the asset review fits in the process and help you see what to gather. New to the program? Start with what EDWP is and how it works.
- Phone: 678-446-1832
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
- Email: info@gahac.com
- Office: 4505 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Suite K, Norcross, GA 30092
- Quick check: fill in our eligibility form or visit our eligibility page
Frequently asked questions
What assets are exempt from Medicaid in Georgia?
For a person living at home, Georgia usually excludes the home, one vehicle used for transportation, household goods and personal items, and burial spaces. Some burial funds and small life insurance policies can also be excluded. The DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2399, lists how each type of asset is treated.
Does Georgia Medicaid count my parent's house?
Usually not while your parent lives in it. The DFCS manual excludes the home of someone not in an institution, regardless of value. For long-term care such as EDWP, a home equity limit also applies, unless a spouse or a qualifying child lives in the home.
Can my parent keep a car and still get Medicaid home care in Georgia?
Yes. Georgia excludes one vehicle per household if it is used to transport your parent or a household member. If there is a second vehicle, its equity value counts as an asset.
Does a joint bank account count for Georgia Medicaid?
It can. DFCS counts accounts your loved one owns and can use, and joint accounts follow special ownership rules in the manual. Bring statements for every account with your parent's name on it, and let DFCS decide how each one is treated.
What happens if my parent gave money to family before applying?
DFCS looks back five years from the application date. A gift or below-value sale in that window can lead to a penalty period when Medicaid will not pay for long-term care, including home and community-based waivers. Some transfers, such as to a spouse, are allowed, so speak with an elder-law attorney.
Where can I find Georgia's current Medicaid asset limit?
The DFCS Medicaid manual, Appendix A1, lists the current ABD resource limits, spousal amounts and the home equity limit. The DCH EDWP fact sheet also shows the waiver limits for its edition year. Always check the newest year's page.
Sources
- Georgia DCH: Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP) fact sheet
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2300: ABD Medicaid Resources Overview
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2399: Treatment of Resources by Resource Type
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2316: Homeplace, ABD Medicaid
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2308: Automobiles and Vehicles
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2312: Burial Funds
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2323: Life Insurance Policies
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2342: Transfer of Assets
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Section 2131: Elderly Disabled Waiver Program
- Georgia DFCS Medicaid manual, Appendix A1: ABD Financial Limits
- Medicaid.gov: Spousal Impoverishment
- Social Security Administration: Understanding SSI, Resources
This article is for education only. It is not legal, medical or financial advice. Speak to a qualified professional about your situation before you act.
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