Achieving A Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act Adopted by Nevada

Carson City, NV - January 26, 2017

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Aging and Disabilities Division (ADSD) today announced that Nevada has adopted the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act recently passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Obama. Nevada adoptedthe Act into law during the 2015 Legislature through Senate Bill 419.

“We are extremely pleased that the ABLE Act is now law,” said Edward Ableser, ADSD Administrator. “Nevada families, who are assisting their loved ones with disabilities, will have the opportunity to save for related financial expenses with no penalties from other income sources. This is a huge step in helping bring independence to those who may otherwise be limited.”

The ABLE Act allows people with disabilities and their families to set up a special savings account for related expenses such as education, housing, transportation, employment, health care and purchasing assistive technology and personal support services, health, prevention and wellness, financial management and administrative services, legal fees, expenses for oversight and monitoring, funeral and burial expenses. Earnings on an ABLE account would not be taxed, and account funds would generally not be considered for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, Medicaid, and other federal means-tested benefits.

Without these accounts, many people with disabilities have limited avenues to save and achieve further independence. Any person, such as a family member, friend, account owner, may contribute to an ABLE account for an eligible beneficiary.

Individuals eligible for the program are: (1) those who are entitled to benefits on the basis of disability or blindness under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program or under the Social Security disability, retirement, and survivors program OR (2) those who submit certification that meets the criteria for a disability certification as defined by the SSI program. An eligible individual’s disability must have occurred before the age 26. The eligible individual who establishes an ABLE account and is the owner of the account is the “designated beneficiary.”

For more information regarding the ABLE Act, please link to:
https://www.mda.org/sites/default/files/ABLE_Act_FAQs_113th_Congress.pdf

For more information on Senate Bill 419, please link to:
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/78th2015/Bills/SB/SB419_EN.pdf

For additional information on ADSD, please link to:
http://adsd.nv.gov

Contact

Ben Johnson
Public Information Officer
(775) 687-0979