Texas
No income tax, no estate tax, the country's strongest homestead protection — but a strict Medicaid program and minimal state-level caregiver leave. The four documents every TX family needs include a TODD most other states don't have.
Texas is an income-cap state. Retirees with income over $2,901/month (2026) need a Qualified Income Trust (QIT, sometimes called a Miller Trust) to qualify for nursing-home Medicaid. Most Texas families with even a modest pension or IRA require one. Setup is paperwork-heavy but not magic; $500–$1,500 through a TX elder-law attorney.
Tex. Est. Code §114 lets a homeowner name a beneficiary who receives the property at death — outside probate, with no present transfer. Owner retains full control during life. For TX families with a primary home (the most valuable asset most families own), the TODD avoids the cost and time of probate for less than a $200 recording fee.
The Texas Constitution (Art. XVI §§50-51) protects an unlimited home value from forced sale by most creditors, on 10 acres urban or 100 acres rural. This shapes Medicaid planning, estate planning, and asset protection in ways that no other state's law does (except FL, which has a similar but differently-shaped protection).
Medicare in Texas
Age-rated Medigap, 261 MA plans statewide, the WISeR prior-auth pilot starting 2026.
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Medicaid & LTC in Texas
STAR+PLUS managed care, the QIT requirement, the 5-year look-back, community-property rules.
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Care Settings & Costs in TX
Mid-range US pricing, Type A vs Type B AL licensure, the HHSC quality reporting.
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Legal & Financial — TX
Unlimited homestead, the TODD, statutory POA hot-power rules, no estate/inheritance tax.
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The Caregiver's Life — TX
Federal FMLA only, no state PFL, federal tax tools, the contractor-economy advantage.
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For when you don’t want to dig
Medicaid agency, Area Agency on Aging, Adult Protective Services, free Medicare counseling, legal aid, official forms, and every statute we cite. All in one page.
OCT 15 → DEC 7
Medicare Annual Enrollment Period
Switch Advantage, Medigap, or Part D plans. Texas has 261+ MA plans available; competition is heaviest in Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth.
JAN 1 ANNUAL
TX Medicaid threshold updates
Texas HHSC publishes updated income limits, asset limits, and the QIT cap each January (effective with the SSI Federal Benefit Rate update).
APR 30 ANNUAL
TX property tax — over-65 homestead exemption + tax ceiling
Texas seniors qualifying for the over-65 homestead exemption and tax ceiling must verify enrollment annually with their county appraisal district.
Recent from Texas
Reviewer to be assigned · May 21
Reviewer TBD · May 21
Reviewer TBD · May 21
Caregiving rules differ meaningfully across state lines. If you’re weighing where to relocate your parent, these comparisons matter.
How we research Texas-specific guidance.
Every state page is built from three sources: the state’s own statutes and regulatory filings, federal CMS and SSA documents that apply, and direct input from at least one credentialed reviewer who practices in or is licensed in that state. We re-review every state page quarterly. Texas was last fully reviewed on May 21, 2026 by Reviewer to be assigned.