Making a real difference with the MO ABLE Act

Dan Hegeman

It has been 25 years since Congress enacted the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, a comprehensive federal civil rights law prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities.

Over the past two decades, we have made great strides as a society in how we view and accommodate people with disabilities. Unfortunately, however, we have largely failed to address the costs and financial hardships confronting these individuals and their families.

That being said, there are millions of people throughout the country who understand the continued need for change and who are committed to improving the quality of life of every person living with a disability.

I’m very proud to say their hard work and dedication paid off in a big way this year, as Missouri lawmakers, and lawmakers in 30 other states, passed legislation that will make it easier for individuals and families living with a disability to save money and better provide for their future.

Based on the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, and similar to 529 college savings accounts, Missouri’s ABLE program, which was created by Senate Bill 174, will allow families to set up a tax-exempt savings account for their child’s disability-related expenses. In addition, these special savings accounts will not affect an individual’s or family’s eligibility for Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, and other benefits.

The MO ABLE program isn’t just about providing financial resources for education expenses or housing and transportation needs.

It’s about giving individuals with disabilities and their families a sense of hope and peace of mind, knowing they will be able to better plan and prepare for the long-term care of their loved ones.

As parents, we all have the same dream for our children: that they have the opportunity to live their best life every single day. For parents of a child living with a disability, that same dream is often weighted down by a government that is slow to change.

Thankfully, in the case of SB 174, Missouri families expressed their desire to have an ABLE program and state lawmakers acted quickly.