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This Issue of our AchievABLE Newsletter - ABLE in Action Spring 2026 Issue contains stories on the following:
AMbASSaDOR Spotlight: Leah Campbell Turns Adversity into Advocacy
Born and raised in southwest Oklahoma, Leah’s journey is one of extraordinary resilience and purpose. Her path with rare disease and disability began at age 10, when unexplained symptoms led to total vision loss by age 12. After becoming completely blind in seventh grade, Leah continued to push forward. She was the first blind student to graduate from her high school (second in her class) and later, the first blind graduate of Rhodes College, earning a degree in mathematics.
A misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis at age 15 led to treatments that worsened her condition. At age 22, following another incorrect therapy, she experienced a severe relapse that left her paralyzed with quadriplegia. It was not until 2006 that she finally received the correct diagnosis of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD). This clarity transformed not only her medical care but also her sense of purpose.
Leah’s lived experience shaped her path to advocacy within the disability and rare disease communities and eventually led to leadership roles. Today, she serves as Community Support Coordinator for the Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association, an ABLE NRC Ambassador, Chapter Advocacy Coordinator for United Spinal’s OKC Chapter, and First Vice President and Legislative Director of the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma. She advocates in Washington, DC with the National Federation of the Blind, the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases, and United Spinal Association. She played a pivotal role in advocating for Oklahoma House Bill 1711, expanding accessible absentee voting for blind and low-vision residents. In 2025, she was featured in Amgen’s NMOSD Won’t Stop Me campaign, sharing her message of determination on a national stage.
ABLE accounts have been instrumental to Leah’s financial independence and long-term planning. Since opening her Oklahoma STABLE account in 2019, she has used it to save confidently for major goals ranging from assistive technology to her next wheelchair accessible vehicle without risking essential benefits she needs to survive.
Leah’s story exemplifies what is possible when perseverance meets empowerment: a life defined not by barriers, but by unwavering advocacy and achievement.
Resource Highlight
#ABLEtoSave activities are happening throughout the month of April 2026. Visit #ABLEtoSave 2026 – ABLE National Resource Center for free resources, register for webinars, access our outreach toolkit and review knowledge checks that will answer your biggest questions about ABLE accounts. Whether you have had an ABLE account for years, you are hearing about it for the first time or you are a supporter of someone who owns an ABLE account, #ABLEtoSave is for you.
ABLE NRC has made improvements to our online Resource Library to increase access and make it easier to find materials. We provide a rich and expanding set of resources across formats, topics, and customized audiences including service providers, employers, individuals with disabilities, transition-aged youth, Veterans, financial professionals, families and caregivers. We recently added a topic for investment education. The organization of our resources is designed to meet people where they are and support informed decision-making around ABLE accounts.
ABLE by Numbers
As of December 2025, more than 234,000 ABLE accounts have been opened nationwide with over $3 billion in assets under management. The average ABLE savings balance is just above $13,000. Thank you to the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) and the ABLE Savings Plans Network (ASPN) for this data.
Visit Home – ABLE National Resource Center for current ABLE numbers at a glance that highlight the life-changing power of ABLE accounts.
Top 2 ABLE Questions
- Question: How does the Social Security Administration (SSA) use ABLE account information to prevent Supplement Security Income (SSI) overpayment when an account goes over $100,000?
Answer: SSA receives ABLE account balance information from states, but this information does not automatically change SSI benefits. An SSA technician must review the information first. If the ABLE account balance is over $100,000, the technician will confirm the balance with the SSI recipient (or their representative). Once verified, any amount over $100,000 is treated as a countable resource for SSI along with other non-ABLE resources.
If total countable resources are too high, the technician may suspend SSI payments. In many cases, benefits are suspended (not terminated) so the person can keep Medicaid coverage while they spend down their balance.
There is no automated system for SSI recipients to report their ABLE balance through a my SSA account or another online tool. This means account owners will need to telephone SSA and should be ready to respond quickly if SSA contacts them about their ABLE savings.
SSI recipients can avoid benefit issues by tracking their ABLE account balance regularly, especially as it gets close to $100,000. If the balance is approaching this limit, it may help to:
- Plan purchases ahead of time for qualified disability expenses.
- Keep receipts for all ABLE spending for at least 6 years.
- Respond quickly if SSA contacts you to confirm your balance.
- Question: Does a person who could qualify for Disabled Widow benefits need to close out their ABLE account to qualify?
Answer: Disabled Widow Benefits are a type of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). There is no resource limit for SSDI. A person may save and invest up to the ABLE plan’s balance limit without impacting SSDI and disabled widow benefit eligibility. Medicaid and Medicare do not count ABLE funds as a resource. So, a Disabled Widow does not need to close their ABLE account or spend down funds to qualify. Funds may be invested in an ABLE account and when withdrawn to pay for Qualified Disability Expenses, they are not countable income for HUD or SNAP.
ABLE Poll
On April 7, 2026, ABLE NRC hosted a webinar, Finding Funds to Maximize your ABLE Contributions. We want to learn ways that you or others make contributions into your ABLE account.
Check all that apply in the past two years.
a) I deposit some of my employment earnings into my account.
b) I deposit some of/all my tax return.
c) I receive ABLE gift contributions from my family or friends.
d) I have a trust account, 529 education account or my sibling has an ABLE account and some funds are rolled over from one of these accounts to my ABLE account.
e) I deposit money from other sources of income such as a settlement agreement, lottery winnings, pension or inheritance.
f) I have my social security payment directly deposited into my ABLE account.
g) Other.
h) No contributions have been made to my ABLE account in the past 2 years.