Georgia Medicare Savings Program Asset Limits 2026: What Counts and What Doesn't
Georgia still applies a resource test for all four Medicare Savings Programs. Some states have dropped asset limits for MSPs, but Georgia hasn't — so your parent's savings, investments, and property matter alongside income when DFCS evaluates eligibility.
2026 Resource Limits
| Program | Individual | Couple |
|---|---|---|
| QMB, SLMB, QI | $9,950 | $14,960 |
| QDWI | $4,000 | $6,000 |
These limits are evaluated on the first calendar day of each month. They track federal MIPPA standards and adjust annually with inflation.
What DFCS Counts
Countable resources include liquid funds — checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, CDs, stocks, mutual funds, and government bonds. Real estate beyond the primary home counts at fair market value. Cash surrender value of life insurance policies counts if the total face value across all policies exceeds $1,500. Cash stored in safe deposit boxes is also countable.
Funds in a joint bank account are presumed 100% owned by the applicant unless they can prove with bank statements that the joint holder contributed and the funds stayed segregated. This catches families off guard when an adult child is on a parent's account for convenience — the entire balance is attributed to the parent by default.
What's Excluded
The home. The primary residence, contiguous land, and attached structures are fully excluded regardless of value, as long as your parent lives there or files a statement of intent to return.
One vehicle. The primary household vehicle is excluded regardless of market value. Additional vehicles are evaluated at equity (fair market value minus what's owed).
Burial arrangements. Burial plots, caskets, vaults, and headstones for the applicant, spouse, or immediate family are excluded with no dollar cap. Irrevocable prepaid burial contracts are excluded up to $10,000 per person. Revocable burial funds set aside for funeral expenses get a $1,500 exclusion per individual.
Household goods and personal effects. Furniture, clothing, and personal belongings don't count.
Retirement accounts in payout. If your parent is receiving regular periodic distributions from an IRA, 401(k), or pension, the remaining principal is excluded — only the monthly payments count as unearned income. This is a meaningful distinction: a $50,000 IRA that's sending $400/month in distributions doesn't count as a $50,000 resource.
Free Download
Get the Georgia — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
The Estate Recovery Fear
Families sometimes avoid applying because they worry the state will claim the house after the parent dies. For standalone Medicare Savings Programs, that fear is unfounded. Federal law (enacted under MIPPA 2008) explicitly exempts MSP benefits — premiums, deductibles, and cost-sharing paid through QMB, SLMB, QI, or QDWI — from Medicaid estate recovery. Georgia can only pursue estate recovery for long-term care facility or waiver Medicaid, not for MSP help with Medicare costs.
The Georgia Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide includes a resource calculation worksheet and explains how to handle specific tricky situations — retirement accounts, life insurance, joint bank accounts, and property — so nothing derails an otherwise eligible application.
Get Your Free Georgia — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the Georgia — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.