Can my child get Medicaid if I make too much?

Asked by: Danyka McGlynn  |  Last update: May 3, 2025
Score: 5/5 (35 votes)

If your income is too high for Medicaid, your child may still qualify for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It covers medical and dental care for uninsured children and teens up to age 19. CHIP qualifications are different in every state. In most cases, they depend on income.

Will my child lose Medicaid if I get a job?

If you have kids, it's very possible to maintain Medicaid for them, even with a full-time job that offers medical insurance. If you are either single or simply have a very small family, you will likely go over the income limits and YOU will lose your coverage, even if your kids still qualify.

What happens if you make too much money while on Medicaid?

If you're over the Medicaid income limit, some states let you spend down extra income or place it in a trust to help you qualify for Medicaid. If you receive long-term care but your spouse doesn't, Medicaid will allow your spouse to keep enough income to avoid living in poverty.

Does dependent income affect Medicaid?

Translation: If the person claiming you as a dependent is not your spouse or parent, it is only YOUR income (plus income of spouse, children, and parents that LIVE with you) that determines your Medicaid eligibility.

Does Medicaid actually check your income?

Some states use a computerized system to cross reference a Medicaid applicant's reported income. For instance, in California, an electronic database, the Income Eligibility Verification System (IEVS), is used to match the income information provided by the applicant to other databases to verify it is accurate.

Too Much Income for Medicaid? What Can I Do?

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How do I protect my income from Medicaid?

One such option to protect assets is a Medicaid Trust. By placing some of your assets in an appropriate trust, you can protect them from Medicaid and have them not be counted when you are applying for benefits.

Can Medicaid see your bank account?

This makes sense given Medicaid is a need-based program with financial eligibility requirements so they need to verify your assets. Medicaid agencies can check your bank account balances at any financial institution you've used during the month you apply or during a 5 year look-back period.

Does my child's income count as my income?

Your dependent's earned income doesn't go on your return. Filing tax returns for children is easy in that respect. If you're the dependent in question, you might be asking, “Do I file taxes if I'm a dependent?” Even if you're a child, filing a tax return might be necessary depending on your income and circumstances.

What disqualifies you from Medicaid?

In general, a single person must have no more than $2,000 in cash assets to qualify. If you're over 65, the requirements are more complex. Whatever your age, there are strict rules about asset transfers. Medicaid may take into consideration any gifts or transfers of cash you've made recently.

Can my parents get Medicaid if they live with me?

If your parent is living with you, they can still qualify for Medicaid. It is very common for a parent who is ill, or one that requires some care, to move in with an adult son or daughter to receive the attention they need.

Why are people being kicked off Medicaid?

So, because states kept people on the Medicaid program for three years during the pandemic, there are a number of people who have had changes in circumstances, they have gotten new jobs, they have increased their hours at their existing jobs, and because of that increase in income, are no longer eligible.

What happens if you make too much money while on Medicare?

If you have a higher income, you'll pay an additional premium amount for Medicare Part B and Medicare prescription drug coverage. We call the additional amount the “income-related monthly adjustment amount.”

How much money can you give away on Medicaid?

Medicaid has much more stringent rules about gifts. Generally, if you give away more than $500 to anyone for any reason in any given month, you risk having the gift create a period of Medicaid ineligibility if you or your spouse apply for benefits. The more you give away, the longer the period of ineligibility.

Can my kids get Medicaid if I make too much money?

If your income is too high for Medicaid, your child may still qualify for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It covers medical and dental care for uninsured children and teens up to age 19. CHIP qualifications are different in every state. In most cases, they depend on income.

Does a child's income affect food stamps?

You will need to include any children under the age of 22 on your application if they are still living with you. Any money earned by a child under 18 who is attending high school is not counted toward your eligibility.

Can you keep Medicaid while working?

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY MEDICAID IF I GO TO WORK? In most cases, if you are blind or have a qualifying disability, regardless of age, and you have Medicaid before you go to work, your Medicaid will continue while you are working as long as your disabling condition still exists.

Who gets denied Medicaid?

The most common reason an applicant is denied Medicaid is income or assets above the eligibility criteria. In most states in 2025, an applicant's monthly income must be less than $2,901/month, and their assets (including money in bank accounts) must be less than $2,000.

Do you have to pay back Medicaid if you get a job?

After you start working, your Medicaid coverage can continue, even if your earnings (alone or in combination with your other income) become too high to receive SSI.

Can you be too poor for Medicaid?

Eligibility for children was extended to at least 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL) in every state (most states cover children to higher income levels), and states were given the option to extend eligibility to adults with income at or below 133% of the FPL.

How much can a child earn and still be a dependent?

If the dependent child is being claimed under the qualifying relative rules, the child's gross income must be less than $5,050 for the year in 2024. This threshold increases to $5,200 for 2025. When should I stop claiming my child as a dependent?

Do I have to report my child's income?

You can use IRS Form 8814 to report your child's income on your tax return instead of them filing a separate tax return. If you choose to include your child's income, the first $1,300 of their income isn't taxed, but the next $1,300 may be taxed at up to 10% in 2024.

What is the $3600 child tax credit?

Lawmakers should, at a minimum, reinstate the successful 2021 American Rescue Plan expansion of the Child Tax Credit, including making the full credit available to children in families with low incomes and increasing the maximum amount of the credit to $3,600 for children aged 5 and younger and $3,000 for children aged ...

How can I protect my money from Medicaid?

A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is exactly as it sounds—a trust designed to protect assets from being counted for Medicaid eligibility. An MAPT allows a person to qualify for long term care benefits from Medicaid, while protecting assets from being depleted if long-term care is needed.