Planning in Arkansas starts with the same income-cap figures that run through the whole system: DHS's 2026 LTSS chart lists $2,982 per month as the income limit for Nursing Facility, Assisted Living, ARChoices, and DDS Waiver applicants, alongside $2,000 in individual resources and $3,000 for a couple. Separating the income question from the resource question early on is essential before recommending any specific planning step.
For income that runs over the cap, Arkansas's answer is the Miller Income Trust. DHS requires the trust to be irrevocable and to include a Medicaid-payback provision covering whatever balance remains at the beneficiary's death, and it can only be funded with income — not other assets. One detail that trips people up: any excess income that isn't deposited into the trust during the same month it's received still counts against eligibility, so timing the funding correctly really matters.