Piedmont Down Syndrome Support Network

Yesterday, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act passed the House by an overwhelming majority. The NDSC has worked for eight years with our partners in the disability community and with you, our members, to get this bill passed. If you were with us in Washington, DC in 2012, you’ll remember the excitement of our appointments on Capitol Hill, and the impact those visits made.

NDSC’s Governmental Affairs Director, Susan Goodman said, “The hard work behind the House passage of this bill is a testament to the power of parents and the importance of grass roots advocacy. Now, it’s on to the Senate.”

The ABLE Act is an excellent tool for families in planning for their child’s future and will enable individuals with disabilities to save money without losing important federal benefits such as SSI and Medicaid needed for long term support services, cash benefits and other benefits (e.g., food stamps, housing).

This is what the ABLE Act will do:

1.    Enable people with disabilities or family members to put up to $14,000 per year in the account, up to $100,000 total amount.
2.    ABLE accounts could generally be rolled over only into another ABLE account for the same individual or into an ABLE account for a sibling who is also an eligible individual.
3.    The funds must be spent on qualified expenses related to the individual’s disability, such as health, education, housing, transportation, training, assistive technology, personal support, and related services and expenses.

We applaud our advocates and Congress for recognizing the importance of a federal law that will encourage people to work and save money!  We will keep you informed as we learn more about a Senate vote.