Ready and ABLE to Work and Save

October 2022

The combination of earnings and savings from employment enhances long-term financial well-being and security for most working-age people. If you are a working-age, ABLE-eligible person with a disability you can use savings from your ABLE account to support you throughout your employment journey without effecting eligibility for most federally-funded means-tested benefits. Once you are working, you can save some – or even all – of your income in your ABLE account for a wide of array of short-term and long-term financial goals, including retirement.

There are many reasons you might be considering going to work, especially if you receive a disability benefit from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Many social security recipients find it challenging to meet all of their financial needs with just their SSA cash benefit. According to SSA, in July 2022, SSA reported that the average Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payment was $1,362 and the average Supplemental Security Income payment was $624.

Employment can increase your income, helping you save more for your future. There are also other reasons to consider employment. Working people can experience additional benefits that range from meeting co-workers and customers to being more active in their community. There can be a sense of pride associated with work, and this can be especially true for people with disabilities, many of whom may not have thought that work was an option for them. As a person with a disability, there are specific topics that you need to understand and plan for as you explore and move into employment.

The ABLE National Resource Center has information to help you and those supporting you as you consider employment and how an ABLE account can support and enhance your financial health and well-being.

This ABLE Decision Guide will provide guidance on how to effectively use your ABLE account to help you get a job, keep a job, advance in your career and save your employment earnings to achieve your financial goals.

Are you thinking about going to work?

Yes, I want to work       I’m not sure if I can work