The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Human Services

Nov 21, 2025 - Partial Restoration of Medi-Cal Asset Limit. In an effort to assist in addressing the state ’s budget problem, as part of the May Revision, the administration proposed to fully reinstate an asset limit of $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples to be eligible for Medi-Cal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5086/4

The 2025-26 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 6, 2025 - Update on Medi-Cal Asset Limit Repeal Implementation Phasing in Medi-Cal Asset Limit Repeal Has Increased IHSS Caseload. Historically, low-income seniors and persons with disabilities had to have assets at or below $2,000 (or $3,000 for couples) to be eligible for Medi-Cal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5009

The 2026-27 Budget: Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Program

Mar 3, 2026 - In past years, the Department of Social Services (DSS) has noted that a potential driver of this steady caseload decline may be fewer individuals meeting income and asset eligibility thresholds. Governor ’s January Budget Includes Federal SSI COLA Estimates and Holds 2026-27 SSP Grants Unchanged.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5148

The 2024-25 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Feb 29, 2024 - Implementation of Phasing in the Medi-Cal Asset Limit Repeal Phasing in Medi-Cal Asset Limit Repeal Will Increase IHSS Caseload.  Historically, seniors and persons with disabilities had to have assets at or below $2,000 (or $3,000 for couples) to be eligible for Medi-Cal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4868

The 2022-23 California Spending Plan: Human Services

Oct 21, 2022 - Phases in the Medi-Cal Asset Limit Repeal. Currently, seniors and persons with disabilities must have assets at or below $2,000 (or $3,000 for couples) to be eligible for Medi-Cal. The 2021-22 budget included legislation to raise the Medi-Cal asset limit from $2,000 to $130,000 for individuals and from $3,000 to $195,000 for couples no sooner than July 2022.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4640/5

The 2023-24 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 2, 2023 - Implementation of Phasing in the Medi-Cal Asset Limit Repeal Phasing in Medi-Cal Asset Limit Repeal Will Increase IHSS Caseload. Historically, seniors and persons with disabilities had to have assets at or below $2,000 (or $3,000 for couples) to be eligible for Medi-Cal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4729

Trends in CalWORKs: Participant Characteristics

Jun 16, 2025 - Federal law requires that TANF recipients be “needy, ” but does not set specific income or asset requirements. Therefore, income and asset limits for TANF ‑funded programs vary by state. As of July 2022,  California had one of the highest income limits nationwide and a higher asset limit than 40 other states.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5057

Estimating the CalWORKs Take-Up Rate

Feb 2, 2021 - Asset Limits. We do not disqualify families for CalWORKs eligibility due to their assets (like savings accounts). We disregarded these factors because the ACS does not have sufficient data on the value of family assets.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4340

The 2025-26 Budget: Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Program

Feb 13, 2025 - The Department of Social Services (DSS) has recently noted that a potential driver of this steady caseload decline may be attributable to fewer individuals meeting income and asset eligibility thresholds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4964

The 2022-23 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Feb 2, 2022 - Implementation of Phasing in the  Medi ‑Cal Asset Limit Repeal LAO Bottom Line: Phasing in Medi ‑Cal Asset Limit Repeal Will Increase IHSS Caseload. Currently, seniors and persons with disabilities must have assets at or below $2,000 (or $3,000 for couples) to be eligible for Medi ‑Cal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4512