South Carolina Long-Term Care Planning
Planning turns on a strict income-cap route, an Income Trust when needed, five-year transfer review, and title-specific recovery analysis.
South Carolina's income-cap rule is the planning pivot
For the relevant nursing-home and HCBS pathways, South Carolina uses a special Medicaid income cap equal to 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate. CMS lists that 2026 figure as $2,982 monthly. SCDHHS says that when gross income exceeds the cap, an applicant may establish an Income Trust if otherwise eligible; this is a central South Carolina planning issue rather than an optional technique for every applicant (CMS 2026 SSI and Medicaid standards; SCDHHS MPPM Chapter 304).
Section 44-6-720 governs an Income Trust used for this purpose. It limits trust funding to the applicant’s monthly unearned income, makes the applicant and state Medicaid agency beneficiaries, requires distributions for nursing-home expenses, and directs remaining funds at death to the state. The statute is why the trust must be reviewed and administered as a Medicaid device, not as an ordinary family trust (South Carolina Code Section 44-6-720).
Want to know how this fits your family's plan?
Twelve questions. About four minutes. A shortlist of funding strategies ranked for your situation — not a generic list.