Most people believe Medicaid long-term care is only for those who have already spent everything. That belief costs Maryland families a great deal of money. The rules do impose a strict asset limit — but they also recognize planning done far enough in advance, and that is where a Medicaid asset protection trust comes in.
Maryland numbers at a glance
| Individual countable asset limit | $2,500 |
|---|---|
| Medicaid look-back period | 60 months |
| Maryland private-pay nursing home cost | $110,000–$130,000 / year |
| Community Spouse Resource Allowance (2026) | up to $162,660 |
What a MAPT is
A Medicaid asset protection trust is an irrevocable trust. Once assets are transferred into it, you give up direct ownership and the ability to sell property or move funds without the trustee. In exchange, after the five-year window passes those assets are no longer countable for Maryland Medicaid eligibility. You can continue living in a home the trust owns and receive income the trust assets produce.
Why the five-year clock is everything
Maryland Medicaid reviews every transfer made in the 60 months before an application. Transfers for less than fair market value can create a penalty period during which Medicaid will not pay, even for an otherwise eligible applicant. A trust funded more than five years before the application sits outside that window entirely. A trust signed after a diagnosis or a fall may protect nothing at all — which is why the timing, not the paperwork, is the real variable.
What it protects at death
Assets held in the trust pass to your named beneficiaries under the trust terms. They avoid Maryland probate, and because Maryland's estate recovery program files claims against the probate estate, they are generally out of its reach as well.
Who it fits — and who it doesn't
- Fits: Maryland families with a paid-off or nearly paid-off home, a retirement account, and savings, who are still years away from needing care.
- Doesn't fit: someone already in a nursing home — that calls for crisis Medicaid planning instead — or families with very large estates, who have other tools available.
MAPT vs. revocable trust vs. life estate deed
| Tool | Control retained | Medicaid protection | Probate | Estate recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicaid asset protection trust | Given up — trustee acts | Protected after 5 years | Avoided | Generally out of reach |
| Revocable living trust | Retained in full | No protection | Avoided | Exposed if assets return to the estate |
| Life estate deed | Occupancy for life, no sale alone | Home protected after 5 years | Avoided for the home | Generally out of reach |
The cost math
A private room in a Maryland nursing home runs roughly $110,000 to $130,000 per year. Three years of care is about $360,000; five years exceeds $600,000. Establishing a Medicaid asset protection trust is a flat fee, quoted before any work begins, and a fraction of that exposure.
What the first call looks like
Fifteen minutes, no legal advice, no commitment. We ask about assets, ages, health, and what the family is trying to protect, then tell you whether this planning is worth pursuing. We work with families in Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, Calvert, St. Mary's, and Kent Counties, and elsewhere in Maryland.
Start the five-year clock while you still can
We'll review the home, the asset picture, and your family's goals, then quote a flat fee before any work begins.
Schedule Your Introductory CallOr call 410-570-1671