ABLE Accounts: A Financial Tool to Promote Health, Independence, and Financial Stability March 06, 2024

FREE!

People with disabilities face barriers to economic and financial stability. People receiving federal and state means tested benefits such as SSI and Medicaid are not permitted to have assets over $2,000 without jeopardizing their vital benefits. This asset limit has created a cycle of poverty for people with disabilities by forcing it those receiving public benefits to spend down their assets just to maintain their benefits. The Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving A Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, passed in 2014 has made it possible for people with disabilities to save for everyday expense and invest for the future without jeopardizing their vital benefits. With an ABLE account, people with disabilities can build self-reliance as they can save for their goals as well as pay for the additional costs of living with a disability while still maintaining waiver benefits such as food, energy and housing assistance. According to the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) there are 150,615 ABLE accounts nationwide with $1.49 billion in assets. Still there are many people with disabilities who are not benefiting from an ABLE account because they either have not heard of ABLE or do not understand how ABLE programs work.