Understanding the ABLE Age Adjustment Act

Key features of ABLE accounts

• You can contribute up to $19,000 a year, and save a total of up to $100,000 without jeopardizing SSI benefits — far more than the standard $2,000 asset limit for means-tested benefits.

• The account belongs to your child and can stay with them through life, while you help manage the account, with the option to use an ABLE Visa® Prepaid Card to easily pay for expenses.

• ABLE accounts give your child financial tools without the complexities and expense of legal guardianship or trust management.

• A great complement to a broader estate or care plan.

Key features of ABLE accounts

• You own the account and decide how to use it

• ABLE works alongside, not in place of, your VA benefits

• You can contribute up to $19,000 a year

• If you’re working, you may be able to contribute even more than the standard limit

• ABLE may help you save for your transition from the military or supplement healthcare needs that go beyond what VA covers

When can I register for an account?

You can register today if your disability meets the requirements and the disability age of onset is prior to age 26.  If your age of onset is after 26 but before your 46th birthday, you can register starting January 1, 2026.

Who is eligible for an account with the ABLE Age Adjustment Act?

Eligibility for ABLE is self-certified. To be eligible for an ABLE account, the beneficiary must:

• Be blind or have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that results in marked and severe functional limitations, and such condition developed before the age of 46 and will last, or has lasted, at least a year;

• Have a Social Security number or a tax identification number;

• Have a U.S. permanent address that is not a P.O. Box; and

• Confirm one of the following:

  • Are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) because of a disability;

  • Experience blindness as determined by the Social Security Act; or

  • Have an eligible disability included in the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments or list of Compassionate Allowances Conditions.*

*CalABLE recommends you seek a signed diagnosis form from a licensed physician if you are not already receiving SSI or SSDI. This is not required to open an account and will not be submitted to CalABLE, but CalABLE suggests you have one on hand for your own record keeping. 

You do not need to receive public benefits like SSI, SSDI, or VA care to be eligible.

What do I need to open an account?

Make sure you have this information handy:

• Your email address;

• Beneficiary’s birthday;

• Beneficiary’s Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number;

• Beneficiary’s residency address.

If you’re an Authorized Legal Representative, you’ll need the same information as the beneficiary’s, plus your work status.

If the beneficiary is not eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, they need a signed Diagnosis Form from a licensed physician. The form is not required upon registration, but should be available if requested.

Will an ABLE account affect my VA benefits, SSI, or Medicaid?

No. An ABLE account allows you to save with no impact on your means-tested benefits.

What counts as a qualified expense?

There’s a wide range of qualified expenses that cover most expenses related to your disability. Some of these include:

As long as the expense helps maintain or improve the health, independence, or quality of life of the person living with a disability, it can qualify as a qualified expense.

See the approved categories for more details about eligible expenses.

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