South Dakota Long-Term Care Planning

Planning for long-term care in South Dakota has to start with the income cap. The state sets the 2026 monthly limit at $2,982 for the relevant institutional and waiver eligibility groups, and DSS's spousal guide confirms that someone above three times the SSI benefit may still qualify — but only through an approved income trust. That makes trust administration, not just spending money, a central planning task here.

Resources matter too. DSS lists a $2,000 individual resource limit, and for married couples the 2026 federal Community Spouse Resource Allowance runs from $32,532 to $162,660, with the actual protected amount depending on the couple's specific countable-resource snapshot and the applicable rules at the time of the case.