Extra Help resource limits for 2027 have not been published yet. CMS releases them each fall, typically in late October or early November, in its annual LIS Resource and Cost-Sharing Limits memo. Based on the statutory formula and the CPI-U inflation running through mid-2026, the 2027 full Low-Income Subsidy resource limits are projected to land somewhere around $17,150 to $17,350 for an individual and $34,250 to $34,600 for a married couple living together, before the burial-expense allowance. With the $1,500-per-person burial set-aside, the projected 2027 caps rise to roughly $18,650 to $18,850 single and $37,250 to $37,600 married.
Those are projections, not official figures. Below is exactly how the number gets calculated, what the current 2026 limits are, and what to watch for when CMS publishes the real 2027 memo.
Confirmed 2026 Extra Help Limits (Your Baseline)
Every 2027 projection starts from the confirmed 2026 numbers. CMS published these in its CY 2026 LIS memo on October 31, 2025.
| Category | Individual | Married couple (living together) |
|---|
| Resource limit, full LIS | $16,590 | $33,100 |
| Resource limit with burial exclusion | $18,090 | $36,100 |
| Annual income limit (150% FPL) | $23,475 | $31,725 |
| Max generic copay | $5.10 | $5.10 |
| Max brand-name copay | $12.65 | $12.65 |
| Part D deductible under full LIS | $0 | $0 |
| Part D out-of-pocket cap (all enrollees) | $2,100 | $2,100 |
The 2026 resource limits rose 3.01% over 2025, when the caps were $16,100 single and $32,130 married before the burial allowance.
How CMS Calculates the Resource Limit Each Year
The Extra Help resource limit is not tied to the Federal Poverty Level. It is indexed to inflation.
Under Section 1860D-14 of the Social Security Act, the LIS resource limits are increased each year by the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), all items, U.S. city average, measured through September of the preceding year. CMS then rounds the result to the nearest multiple of $10.
So the 2027 limits will be driven by CPI-U growth from September 2025 to September 2026, a figure the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes in mid-October 2026. CMS turns that around into the LIS memo within a few weeks.
The income limit works differently. It is set at 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, which HHS updates every January. Because CMS and SSA finalize plan-year materials in the fall, the published income limit for a given year generally reflects the FPL guidelines already in effect, which creates a one-year lag. The 2026 limit of $23,475 is exactly 150% of the 2025 FPL for one person ($15,650).
Projected 2027 Resource Limits by Inflation Scenario
CPI-U ran 4.2% year over year in May 2026, up from 3.8% in April, pushed by energy and commodity prices. That is meaningfully hotter than the 3.01% factor that set the 2026 limits. If inflation holds anywhere near that pace through September 2026, the 2027 resource limits will see their largest jump in several years.
Here is what the math produces under three scenarios, applied to the 2026 base figures:
| CPI-U factor | Individual (no burial) | Married (no burial) | Individual with burial | Married with burial |
|---|
| 3.5% | ~$17,170 | ~$34,260 | ~$18,670 | ~$37,260 |
| 4.0% | ~$17,250 | ~$34,420 | ~$18,750 | ~$37,420 |
| 4.5% | ~$17,340 | ~$34,590 | ~$18,840 | ~$37,590 |
Two caveats on these figures. First, CMS compounds from unrounded internal values, so the official number can land $10 or $20 off a simple calculation from the rounded prior-year figure. Second, inflation between now and September can move in either direction. Treat the table as a planning range, not a promise.
The practical takeaway: someone with roughly $18,000 in countable resources who was just over the 2026 line has a reasonable chance of qualifying in 2027 if they claim the burial exclusion.
Projected 2027 Income Limits
HHS published the 2026 poverty guidelines on January 13, 2026, setting the one-person figure at $15,960 in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., and $21,640 for a household of two.
If the 2027 Extra Help income limits follow the usual pattern and apply 150% of the 2026 guidelines, the projected caps are:
| Household | 2026 FPL | Projected 2027 Extra Help income limit (150% FPL) |
|---|
| Individual | $15,960 | approximately $23,940 |
| Married couple living together | $21,640 | approximately $32,460 |
If SSA instead applies the 2027 poverty guidelines (published around mid-January 2027, reflecting 2026 price growth), the limits would run higher, likely in the range of $24,700 to $25,000 for an individual and $33,500 to $33,900 for a couple. Alaska and Hawaii use higher poverty guidelines and therefore have higher Extra Help income thresholds.
Do not disqualify yourself on income alone. SSA excludes several categories of income from the count, including a general $20 monthly exclusion, an earned-income exclusion, and, in many cases, income used to support other family members living with you. People whose gross income sits above the published limit still qualify with some regularity once exclusions are applied.
What Counts as a Resource, and What Does Not
This is where most applications go wrong. The resource test only counts liquid assets and non-home real estate.
Counted:
- Checking and savings account balances
- Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and CDs
- IRAs and 401(k) balances you can access
- Cash on hand
- Real estate other than your primary residence
Not counted:
- Your primary home and the land it sits on
- One vehicle
- Household goods and personal belongings
- Life insurance policies (SSA applies specific rules here)
- Burial plots
- Up to $1,500 per person set aside for burial or funeral expenses, if you tell SSA about it
That burial exclusion is worth $1,500 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. It is the single most commonly missed piece of the resource test, and applicants have to affirmatively tell SSA they intend to use the money for burial expenses in order to get it.
Who Gets Extra Help Automatically (Deemed Status)
You do not need to apply, and the resource test does not apply to you, if you are automatically deemed eligible. That covers people who have Medicare and any of the following:
- Full Medicaid coverage
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Enrollment in a Medicare Savings Program (QMB, SLMB, or QI)
If you are deemed, CMS mails you a purple or yellow notice and enrolls you in Extra Help automatically. Deemed status is redetermined annually, and losing Medicaid or SSI can end it, which is why some people are surprised by a Part D bill in January.
What Extra Help Is Actually Worth
Since 2024, the partial subsidy tier is gone. Everyone who qualifies under 150% FPL now receives the full Low-Income Subsidy, a change made by the Inflation Reduction Act. Full LIS in 2026 delivers:
- $0 Part D deductible
- Prescription copays capped at $5.10 for generics and $12.65 for brand-name drugs, with lower or $0 copays for some beneficiaries and $0 copays for those in institutional settings or receiving certain home and community-based services
- $0 copays for the rest of the year once you reach the annual out-of-pocket cap, which is $2,100 in 2026 and indexed upward for 2027
- $0 Part D premium if you enroll in a plan priced at or below your region's benchmark premium
- No late enrollment penalty for Part D, and any existing penalty is erased
- A continuous special enrollment period, letting you change Part D plans once per quarter in the first three quarters of the year
SSA estimates the subsidy is worth roughly $6,200 per year to the average beneficiary who gets it. Millions of people who qualify have never applied.
How to Apply for Extra Help
You can apply now under the 2026 limits. There is no need to wait for the 2027 numbers, and applying now means coverage starts sooner.
- Gather your financial records. Bank statements, investment account statements, Social Security award letters, pension statements, and pay stubs if you or your spouse work. If either of you owns real estate other than your home, have those details ready.
- Apply online at ssa.gov/medicare/part-d-extra-help. The application takes about 15 to 25 minutes. It is a single form, and you do not have to submit documentation up front. SSA verifies most of it electronically.
- Or apply by phone or in person. Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, or make an appointment at your local Social Security office.
- Claim the burial exclusion. When the application asks whether you have money set aside for burial or funeral expenses, say yes if you do. This raises your resource limit by $1,500 per person.
- Wait for the decision notice. SSA typically decides within a few weeks and mails a written notice. If approved, you also get an automatic referral for a Medicare Savings Program screening in most states.
- Enroll in a Part D plan if you do not already have one. Extra Help pays your subsidy, but it does not enroll you in drug coverage. If you do not pick a plan, CMS may auto-assign you to one.
- Appeal if denied. You have 60 days to request a reconsideration, and you can do it by phone. Denials over resource counts are common and frequently overturned when the applicant documents excluded assets correctly.
Timeline: When the 2027 Numbers Land
| Date | What happens |
|---|
| Mid-October 2026 | BLS publishes September 2026 CPI-U, fixing the LIS adjustment factor |
| Late October to early November 2026 | CMS publishes the CY 2027 LIS Resource and Cost-Sharing Limits memo |
| October 15 to December 7, 2026 | Medicare Open Enrollment; pick a Part D plan for 2027 |
| January 1, 2027 | New resource and cost-sharing limits take effect |
| Mid-January 2027 | HHS publishes 2027 Federal Poverty Guidelines |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the projected Extra Help resource limits for 2027?
Projected 2027 limits are approximately $17,150 to $17,350 for an individual and $34,250 to $34,600 for a married couple, before the burial allowance. With the $1,500-per-person burial exclusion, the projected caps are roughly $18,650 to $18,850 single and $37,250 to $37,600 married. CMS will publish official figures in late October or early November 2026.
How does CMS decide the LIS resource limit?
By statute, the limit rises each year by the annual percentage increase in the CPI-U through September of the prior year, rounded to the nearest $10. The 2026 increase was 3.01%. With CPI-U running above 4% in mid-2026, the 2027 increase is likely to be larger.
Do retirement accounts count toward the Extra Help resource limit?
Yes. IRAs, 401(k)s, and similar accounts you can access count as resources. Your home, one car, household goods, and burial plots do not.
Can I qualify for Extra Help if my income is above the limit?
Often, yes. SSA excludes certain income from the count, including a $20 general exclusion each month and part of any earned income. Apply even if your gross income looks slightly too high.
Does the resource limit apply if I have Medicaid or SSI?
No. If you have Medicare plus full Medicaid, SSI, or a Medicare Savings Program, you are automatically deemed eligible for full Extra Help regardless of your resources.
Should I wait for the 2027 limits to apply?
No. Apply under the current 2026 limits. Extra Help is redetermined annually, and applying now can get you the subsidy for the rest of 2026. If you are just over the 2026 resource line, reapply after CMS publishes the 2027 memo.
Will Extra Help still be a single full-subsidy tier in 2027?
Yes, based on current law. The Inflation Reduction Act eliminated the partial subsidy starting in 2024, so everyone who qualifies up to 150% FPL receives the full subsidy. No change to that structure has been announced for 2027.
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