The Achieving a Better Life Experience Act is a federal law that helps people with disabilities save money for the future. It has a design that helps to ensure it will not impact their ability to receive government benefits.
The loss of benefits is a serious concern when parents plan for the future of their special needs children. It can make estate planning and ensuring they are well-taken care of after the parents die difficult. But ABLE accounts can help. In Georgia, the option is known as STABLE accounts.
How it works
If you are a special needs parent, you can begin a STABLE account for your child to save money for the child’s future. It is an investment account that your child can access at any time.
You can create this account as long as your child is a resident of the state, a U.S. citizen and has a disability that qualifies. You would act as the authorized legal representative in setting up the account.
Why it works
A STABLE account allows you to provide your child with money that is not taxable and will not count toward government benefits. It is a nice alternative to leaving the child an inheritance that could possibly make them not eligible for certain benefits that they really need. Because it is an investment account, it is likely going to allow you to grow the money you put into it, which means your child will be even better off in the end.
As a parent of a special needs child, planning for the future is imperative. You might want to consider a STABLE account as one part of your plan for your child’s care after you are gone.
