Step 5: Celebrating My Independence
The final stop on our ABLE journey is not really a stop at all. It’s about celebrating the freedom that comes with achieving and maintaining a higher degree of financial independence that might have felt beyond reach for many individuals with disabilities and their families prior to becoming ABLE account owners. It is important that you invite others to share in your success and to help others better understand your experiences as an ABLE account owner. The content on this page provides you with some suggestions on how to share your story!
Topics at a Glance
Why is it important for me to share my ABLE experience with others?
More than 8 Million people with disabilities are ABLE eligible. As of September, 2024, 46 states and DC have launched ABLE programs. 180,748 ABLE accounts have been opened nationwide. The average ABLE balance is $11,242 with $2.032 Billion saved and invested in ABLE accounts nationally. There are millions more who are ABLE eligible and have not learned of ABLE accounts. By sharing your ABLE-related story, you will motivate and educate others to start building a better financial future through ABLE.
How can I begin to share my ABLE experience?
To become a part of the ABLE National Resource Center Peer-to-Peer Support Community, you can …
- Sign up for our ABLE listserv.
- Share your story on social media and tag the ABLE National Resource Center (@theablenrc on Facebook and Twitter).
- Write a blog for your local disability network (see our ABLE Materials Toolkit).
- Discover and share our ABLE toolkits:
- Encourage others to join the ABLE NRC.
Additional Information
- A Special Needs and/or Pooled Trust may contribute to an ABLE account and it is not counted as income by means-tested benefit programs.
- Qualified disability expenses (QDE) may include payments for financial or tax advice. Examples of professional fees which may be QDEs include those provided by financial planners, accountants, tax practitioners, attorneys or other professionals.
- If you receive SSI, and your ABLE savings are more than $100,000 plus your resource limit of $2,000, your SSI payment would be suspended until you are no longer over your resource limit. Medicaid continues indefinitely. Best practice: If you receive SSI, spend down extra ABLE funds on qualified disability expenses when your ABLE balance is more than $100,000. Note that rules related to SSI and Medicaid are different for non-ABLE resources.