The Mississippi Medicaid income limits come in two versions, and which one applies depends on why you need coverage. For long-term care, Medicaid in Mississippi caps a single applicant's gross income at $2,982 a month in 2026, and that ceiling is hard: going over it does not let you spend down to qualify, so you need an income trust. Countable assets must stay at or below $4,000, which is more room than the $2,000 federal floor most states use. For children, pregnant women, and parents or caretaker relatives, a separate MAGI test applies instead, written as a percentage of the poverty level, with no asset test at all.,

This guide covers both. It walks through the 2026 MAGI limits, including why Mississippi offers no pathway at all to adults without dependent children and what that means at 65, and then the long-term-care rules for seniors and people who are aged, blind, or disabled: the higher asset limit, the $2,982 income cap and the income trust that gets over-income applicants in the door, what a nursing-home resident keeps (including a special allowance for veterans), what a spouse at home is protected from, and how to apply through the state.

In This Guide

Mississippi Medicaid income limits under MAGI: the other income test

Mississippi runs two different Medicaid income tests, and the $2,982 figure above is only one of them. That number is the aged, blind, and disabled (ABD) standard, used for long-term-care and institutional coverage.

The other test is MAGI, or Modified Adjusted Gross Income. It governs children, pregnant women, and parents or other caretaker relatives, and it is written as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) rather than as a flat dollar cap. The two tests use different thresholds and different rules about assets.,

Coverage group (Division of Medicaid chart) 2026 income limit
Medicaid for Infants from Birth to Age 1 194% FPL
Medicaid for Children Age 1-6 143% FPL
Medicaid for Children Age 6-19 133% FPL
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), uninsured children up to age 19 209% FPL
Pregnant Women (any age) 194% FPL
Parents and Caretaker Relatives with Dependent Children Under Age 18 A fixed dollar standard, not a percentage of FPL (see below)
Adults without dependent children No pathway (Mississippi has not adopted the ACA expansion)

These standards are effective March 1, 2026, and the percentages shown already reflect the standard 5-percentage-point FPL disregard where it applies. The Division's figures and the CMS national MAGI table agree on every one of these percentage levels, so there is no second set of numbers to reconcile here.

To convert a percentage into dollars, start from the 2026 federal poverty guideline: 100% FPL is $15,960 a year, roughly $1,330 a month, for a household of one in the 48 contiguous states and DC, rising with household size. The Division applies the percentage to your household size, and under MAGI that household is built from federal tax-filing relationships rather than from who lives under the roof. Which people, and whose income, get counted can therefore differ from the ABD rules used everywhere else on this page.

Parents and caretaker relatives: the pathway before 65

For readers of this guide, this is the pathway that matters before 65. A grandparent raising a grandchild would look to the parent-and-caretaker-relative group, and Mississippi covers it only for those with a dependent child under age 18. Whether a particular grandparent meets the state's definition of a caretaker relative is a determination the Division of Medicaid makes, so confirm it with them rather than assuming.

Mississippi does not state this group as a percentage of poverty at all. Where the children's and pregnancy groups get a %-FPL level, parents and caretaker relatives sit under a separate, fixed-dollar standard derived from the state's old cash-welfare program. The CMS national table renders Mississippi's level as roughly 19% of the poverty level and flags it as a dollar standard rather than an FPL percentage. Ask the Division for the current dollar figure for your household size before you rule yourself in or out.

The reason it sits that low is federal mechanics, not a recent Mississippi policy choice. Parents and caretaker relatives are a federally mandatory Medicaid group, but unlike children (mandatory at a floor of 133% FPL) and the ACA new adult group (effectively 138% FPL), they are covered only at the state's old cash-welfare standard: the AFDC income standard the state had in effect before welfare reform, converted to a MAGI equivalent. That floor is typically far below the poverty level, which is why a working parent in a state that did not adopt the expansion can be over the Medicaid income limit at a very low income.,

There is no MAGI pathway for adults without dependent children

The Affordable Care Act created a Medicaid "new adult group" for people under 65 who are not pregnant and not enrolled in Medicare, with an effective income ceiling of 138% of the poverty level. The Supreme Court's 2012 decision in NFIB v. Sebelius made adopting it effectively optional for states.

Mississippi did not adopt it, so there is no Medicaid pathway here for a non-disabled, non-pregnant adult without dependent children on the basis of income alone, at any income. Mississippi is one of ten states that have not adopted the expansion, and in nine of those ten, Mississippi among them, adults with income below the poverty level can fall into the coverage gap: too much income for Medicaid, too little for Marketplace premium subsidies.

The MAGI groups have no asset test

Federal law bars a state from applying any asset or resource test to the MAGI groups. A parent or caretaker relative in Mississippi is judged on income alone: a savings account, a second vehicle, or an investment does not count against them at any amount. The $4,000 limit described below never reaches them.

That is not a Mississippi choice either. The statute writes the no-asset-test rule for the MAGI groups and then expressly excepts the SSI-related ABD and long-term-care pathways, which is exactly why the $4,000 test governs the numbers at the top of this page and nothing on this one.

What changes at 65 in Mississippi

In states that adopted the expansion, turning 65 closes the 138% FPL adult pathway and pushes a person onto the ABD track. Mississippi has no such pathway to lose.,

The transition here runs the other way. Before 65, a Mississippi adult who is not disabled, not pregnant, and not caring for a dependent child has no Medicaid pathway at all, at any income. At 65, the SSI-related aged, blind, and disabled track becomes available on the basis of age.,

That track runs on its own arithmetic. The income yardstick becomes the SSI Federal Benefit Rate, $994/month for an individual in 2026, or 300% of that rate ($2,982/month) for nursing-facility and waiver coverage., And a resource test appears, one the MAGI groups are barred from facing: $4,000 in countable assets for a single applicant in Mississippi., For a Mississippi adult who spent years uninsured in the coverage gap, 65 is the year a door opens rather than closes.

The $4,000 asset limit is more room than most states give

For most of Medicaid's history, the countable-asset limit for a single aged or disabled applicant has been $2,000, a figure frozen at the federal level since the 1980s. Mississippi sets its own higher number. For aged, blind, or disabled long-term-care Medicaid, the Division of Medicaid allows $4,000 in countable assets for a single applicant. When both spouses apply, older guidance described a $6,000 combined limit; the Division's current 2026 long-term-care eligibility sheet states the $4,000 individual limit and handles two-spouse cases through the spousal resource rules below, so confirm the figure for a married couple with the Division before you rely on it.

That extra room matters most for an applicant sitting just above the federal floor: a person with $3,500 in the bank is over the limit in most states but still eligible in Mississippi.

"Countable" is the load-bearing word. Mississippi, like every state, exempts a long list of assets from the count: your home (subject to an equity cap), one vehicle, household goods and personal effects, and prepaid burial arrangements. So the $4,000 applies to things like bank accounts, a second car, and investments, not the roof over your head.

How Mississippi Medicaid income limits work: the cap and the income trust

Mississippi sets its 2026 long-term-care income limit at $2,982/month, equal to 300% of the Supplemental Security Income Federal Benefit Rate ($994/month for an individual in 2026)., This is the limit for nursing-facility care and for home-and-community-based services (HCBS) waivers.

Here is where Mississippi differs sharply from spend-down states like Illinois. Mississippi is an income-cap state. It does not run a medically needy spend-down for this population. If your gross monthly income is one dollar over $2,982, you are not eligible, unless you set up an income trust.

An income trust, known formally as a Qualified Income Trust (QIT) or informally as a Miller Trust, is a legal arrangement that holds the income above the cap. Each month, the over-the-limit income is deposited into the trust, which keeps it from counting against eligibility. For a nursing-facility resident, the trust funds are then paid toward the nursing facility and the Division of Medicaid as the applicant's share of care cost. The trust doesn't shelter the money for the family, it simply lets an over-income applicant qualify while still contributing nearly all their income toward care.

This is the single most important thing to understand about Mississippi Medicaid: being over the income limit is not the end of the road, but it does require a properly drafted trust set up before or during the application. An income trust drafted wrong, or funded late, can cost months of coverage. This is worth an elder-law attorney's review.

Long-term care: what a nursing-home resident keeps

When Mississippi Medicaid pays for nursing-facility care, the resident contributes nearly all of their monthly income toward the cost of care. What they keep is the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA), money reserved for small personal expenses (clothing, a haircut, a phone). In Mississippi, the PNA is $44/month.,

There's a Mississippi-specific wrinkle for veterans. A nursing-home resident who is a veteran, or the surviving spouse of a veteran, and who receives the reduced $90 VA pension keeps a $90 Personal Needs Allowance rather than $44. The $90 VA pension is a special reduced rate Medicaid-eligible veterans in nursing homes receive, and Mississippi lets the resident keep all of it as personal-needs money. (For the national picture on how the PNA is calculated, see our explainer on the Medicaid personal needs allowance.)

The same $4,000 asset limit applies to nursing-home applicants, and the $2,982 income cap and income-trust rule apply here too.

The five-year look-back

Mississippi reviews asset transfers made in the 60 months before a long-term-care application., Giving away money or property for less than fair market value during that window, gifting a grandchild a down payment, signing a house over to a child for a dollar, can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay for long-term-care services, even though you're otherwise eligible.

There are legitimate exceptions (transfers between spouses, transfers to a disabled child, certain caregiver-child home transfers) and legitimate planning approaches, but anything done inside the five-year window deserves an elder-law attorney's review first. If long-term care is on the horizon for someone in your family, talk to a professional before moving assets. For the broader toolkit, see our guide to Medicaid planning strategies.

Protecting the spouse who stays home

When one spouse needs long-term care and the other remains in the community, federal spousal-impoverishment rules keep the at-home spouse from being left destitute. Mississippi applies the federal limits for 2026:

Protection 2026 Amount What it does
Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) Up to $162,660 in combined countable resources (federal maximum); federal minimum $32,532 The most in countable assets the at-home spouse may keep, on top of the applicant's own limit.
Maximum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance $4,066.50/month (effective 1/1/2026); federal minimum $2,705.00/month (effective 7/1/2026) The income floor the at-home spouse is allowed; income can be shifted from the applicant to reach it.
Home-equity limit $752,000 Equity in the primary residence above this amount is countable for long-term-care eligibility.

These figures combine Mississippi's own 2026 spousal numbers with the federal spousal-impoverishment range. So a married couple is in a very different position from a single applicant. The community spouse can hold up to $162,660 in combined countable resources and keep a monthly income allowance in the federal range while the other spouse receives Medicaid-funded care. Mississippi's own guidance sets the home-equity limit at $752,000, above which equity in an otherwise exempt primary residence counts against eligibility. For a deeper walk-through of how the community spouse is protected, see our Mississippi spousal-impoverishment guide.

After death: estate recovery

Like every state, Mississippi runs a Medicaid estate-recovery program. After a recipient who was 55 or older and received long-term-care services dies, the state may seek repayment from the estate, unless the recipient is survived by a spouse or a minor, blind, or disabled child. Federal exceptions apply, and an undue-hardship waiver exists., For how estate recovery works and where families have room to plan, see our Medicaid estate recovery explainer.

How to apply in Mississippi

Mississippi Medicaid is run by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM). For long-term-care eligibility, applications run through the state's regional offices rather than a single online portal.

1
Step 1

Apply in person or by mail at a regional office

Mississippi Division of Medicaid regional offices handle aged, blind, and disabled cases and long-term-care applications. This is the primary intake channel for nursing-facility and waiver coverage.

2
Step 2

Or apply by phone

Reach the Division of Medicaid at 1-800-421-2408 to start an application or find your regional office.

3
Step 3

Complete a level-of-care screening

Long-term-care applicants go through a screening that confirms they need nursing-facility-level services before coverage begins.

4
Step 4

Set up an income trust if you are over the cap

If your gross monthly income tops $2,982/month, start the income-trust conversation with an elder-law attorney early, since a Qualified Income Trust must be drafted and funded correctly before or during the application for it to succeed.

Apply even if your assets feel close to the line. Mississippi's $4,000 single-applicant limit is more generous than most states, so people who would be over in a neighboring state may still qualify here.

Your next step Apply for long-term-care Medicaid through the Mississippi Division of Medicaid or call 1-800-421-2408 to reach your regional office.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the regular Mississippi Medicaid income limit, not the nursing-home one?

That depends on the group, and it is set as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level rather than as a dollar cap. Effective March 1, 2026, Mississippi covers infants to age 1 at 194% FPL, children 1-6 at 143%, children 6-19 at 133%, CHIP for uninsured children up to age 19 at 209%, and pregnant women of any age at 194%. Parents and caretaker relatives with a dependent child under 18 fall under a separate fixed-dollar standard that the CMS national table renders as roughly 19% of the poverty level. None of these MAGI groups face an asset test.

Can an adult without children get Mississippi Medicaid?

Not on income alone. Mississippi has not adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion, so there is no coverage pathway for a non-disabled, non-pregnant adult without dependent children at any income. Adults below the poverty level can fall into the coverage gap: too much income for Medicaid, too little for Marketplace premium subsidies. At 65, the aged, blind, and disabled pathway described on this page becomes available on the basis of age.

What is the Mississippi Medicaid asset limit in 2026?

For aged, blind, or disabled long-term-care Medicaid, the countable-asset limit is $4,000 for a single applicant, higher than the $2,000 federal default most states use. The home (subject to an equity cap), one vehicle, household goods, and prepaid burial are exempt from the count. For a married couple where one spouse stays home, the at-home spouse is protected separately under the spousal-impoverishment rules rather than this single-applicant figure.

What is the Mississippi Medicaid income limit for nursing-home care?

$2,982/month in 2026, equal to 300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate. This applies to nursing-facility care and home-and-community-based waiver services. Unlike spend-down states, Mississippi caps income hard, so going over requires an income trust to qualify.

Does Mississippi require a Miller Trust (income trust)?

Yes, if your gross monthly income is over $2,982. Mississippi is an income-cap state with no medically needy spend-down for this population, so an over-income applicant must route the excess through a Qualified Income Trust (Miller Trust). The trust income is then paid toward the nursing facility and the Division of Medicaid.

How much can a spouse keep when the other spouse goes into a nursing home?

For 2026, the at-home (community) spouse can keep up to $162,660 in combined countable resources (the Community Spouse Resource Allowance, federal minimum $32,532), plus a monthly income allowance in the federal range up to $4,066.50/month. The home is also generally protected up to $752,000 of equity.

What does a nursing-home resident on Mississippi Medicaid keep?

A Personal Needs Allowance of $44/month. A veteran or surviving spouse who receives the reduced $90 VA pension keeps $90 instead. The rest of the resident's monthly income goes toward the cost of care, after deductions for a community spouse and certain health-insurance premiums.

Can I qualify if my income is too high?

Likely yes, with an income trust. Being over the $2,982 cap does not permanently disqualify you in Mississippi, but you must establish a properly drafted Qualified Income Trust before or during the application and fund it each month. An attorney's help is strongly advised, since timing and drafting errors can cost coverage.

Learn More

MedicaidMedicaid Income Limits by State: Which Number Applies to YouMedicaid income limits depend on your pathway: expansion adults, aged and disabled, or nursing-home care. See the 2026 figures and your state's exact limits. MedicaidMississippi Medicaid: A Guide for Seniors and FamiliesMississippi Medicaid covers seniors through the Division of Medicaid. Learn about the income cap, income trust, $4,000 asset limit, MSPs, and how to apply. MedicaidHow Mississippi Medicaid Estate Recovery WorksMississippi Medicaid estate recovery in 2026: who is subject, what the Division of Medicaid claims from the probate estate, and how families are protected. MedicaidMedicaid Planning StrategiesSee which assets you keep, how the 5-year look-back works, and the legal moves that qualify you for Medicaid long-term care without losing the house. MedicaidHow Medicaid Estate Recovery WorksMedicaid estate recovery explained: federal law, 51-state matrix, categorical protections, hardship waivers, and 2025-2026 reform updates. Verify before acting. MedicaidThe Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance, ExplainedHow the Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance works in 2026: the $30 federal floor, state figures from $30 to $200, and how patient liability is calculated. MedicaidMississippi Medicare Savings ProgramsMississippi Medicare Savings Programs 2026: QMB, SLMB, and QI income limits, no asset test, Part B premium help, and how to apply through DOM.

Find personalized help working through Mississippi Medicaid income limits and the income-trust rule for your family at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.