• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Wilcox Attorneys, PA

Wilcox Attorneys, PA an Arkansas Estate Planning & Trust Information Center

Northwest Arkansas Estate Planning Attorneys (479) 443-0062

Client Vault
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • Our Firm
    • About the American Academy
    • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • News & Events
    • Speaker Connection
  • services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Incapacity Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • Secure Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Webinars
  • Practice Areas
  • Resources
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Estate Planning Resources
      • Estate Planning Articles
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Incapacity Planning
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • Medicaid Planning
      • Pet Planning
      • Probate
      • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Newsletters
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Trust Administration & Probate Resources
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss of a Loved One
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Contact Us
  • Blog

What is the Medicaid Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance?

September 15, 2014 by Deb Sexton Leave a Comment

Medicaid Monthly Maintenance Needs AllowanceMost of us know that, in order to qualify for Medicaid, you have to have pretty limited income and assets.  The assets you do have, with a few exceptions, must be used to help pay for your medical expenses in certain situations.  But, what about the spouse of someone who qualifies for Medicaid? How will they support themselves while the Medicaid recipient is in a nursing home?  One answer is the Medicaid Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance.

Assistance for spouses of Medicaid recipients

The healthy spouse (also referred to as the “community” spouse) who remains at home, while the Medicaid recipient is in a nursing facility, has certain rights, as well.  One such right is to receive a Medicaid Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA).  For instance, if the spouse who entered the long-term care facility receives Social Security or pension income, most of it must go toward the costs of long-term care.  However, in many cases, the healthy spouse also relies on that income to maintain his or her basic standard of living.  This is where the monthly maintenance needs allowance comes in.

How much is the maintenance needs allowance in Arkansas?

Although Medicaid is a federal program, it is jointly administered with each state.  State governments have some discretion in determining how their program will be run.  There are federal guidelines, though, which set limits on benefits.  In 2014, the maximum monthly maintenance needs allowance a state is allowed to provide is $2,931.  In Arkansas, the Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance can be between $1,839 and $2,739.  However, if the community spouse’s income is greater than the needs allowance, that spouse would not qualify for the allowance.

Other resources for community spouses of Medicaid recipients

The laws governing Medicaid provide additional protection for the spouses of Medicaid recipients, to ensure they have the minimum support needed while their spouse is receiving long-term care benefits.  In addition to the Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance, the Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) may also be available.

How is the Community Spouse Resource Allowance determined?

To be eligible for Medicaid benefits, a nursing home resident can have no more than $2,000 in assets.  If that person is married, then the “countable” assets include those of the healthy spouse as well.  Medicaid determines the amount of these assets as of the date when the ill spouse enters a hospital or long-term care facility, for a period of at least 30 days.  The healthy spouse is typically allowed to keep half of the couple’s total “countable” assets, anywhere between $23,448 and $117,240, as of 2014.

Is the community spouse’s income protected?

The income (as opposed to assets) of the community spouse is not counted in determining a Medicaid applicant’s eligibility. Only income in the applicant’s name will be counted. This means, a working community spouse will not have to contribute to the cost of long-term care, when they stay in a nursing home is covered by Medicaid. In some states, however, if the community spouse’s income exceeds certain levels, he or she does have to make a monetary contribution towards the cost of the institutionalized spouse’s care.

If you have questions regarding Medicaid planning, or any other estate planning needs, please contact Wilcox Attorneys, PA online or by calling us at (479) 443-0062.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Deb Sexton
Latest posts by Deb Sexton (see all)
  • Estate Planning is Essential Whether You Are Married or Not - April 25, 2018
  • Income Tax Basis in Estate Planning – Part 2 - April 23, 2018
  • The Downsizing Generation: How to Handle a Surplus of Stuff When a Loved One Ages - April 18, 2018

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Wilcox Attorneys, PA

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHEET

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

Subscribe to Our Blog

Subscribe to our blog for all the latest estate planning news and updates!

Office Address

Fayetteville
2766 Millennium Drive
Fayetteville, AR 72703
Phone: (479) 443-0062

Office Address

Prairie Grove
1100 Division Street, Suite 4
Prairie Grove, AR 72753
Phone: (479) 846-6026

( By Appointment Only )

Office Hours

Monday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Map

map for office
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

footer-logo

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.