What is a community spouse resource allowance?

The community spouse resource allowance (CSRA) is a law in California that provides certain protections to elderly people who are receiving long-term care. It is designed to protect the financial security of a spouse who is not receiving long-term care services. CSRA works by enabling the spouse of a long-term care recipient to keep a portion of their jointly-owned assets. In California, the CSRA allows the community spouse (the non-institutionalized spouse) to keep up to $126,420 of assets. This amount is known as the “maximum community spouse resource allowance.” This amount is adjusted each year by the cost of living index. Any assets that are jointly owned above this maximum amount are subject to a “spousal share”, which allows the community spouse to retain at least 50% of such assets. Furthermore, if the community spouse’s income is below a certain threshold, they may be eligible for an “inreach allowance.” This allows the community spouse to retain additional resources in order to meet their reasonable needs, such as food, utilities, shelter, and medical care, even if their income is not sufficient to meet these needs. The CSRA is an important law that helps to ensure that the financial security of a spouse of a long-term care recipient is maintained, regardless of their assets or income. This is an important protection for seniors living in California.

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What is a community spouse resource allowance?

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