The Kansas ABLE Savings Plan provides a tax-advantaged investment account to qualified individuals with a disability or blindness. To be eligible for an ABLE account, an individual must have a disability or blindness of a severity that would qualify them for SSI, whether or not the individual is actually receiving SSI benefits. The person’s disability or blindness must have first onset before age 26.

Contributions into the account may be made by the account owner, their employers, family or friends, and are made on an after-tax basis. Account owners can invest in a range of investment options, including a checking account offering easy debit-card access to account funds. Individuals with disabilities can only have $2,000 in assets at any given time in order to remain eligible for many federal means-tested benefits programs, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Under ABLE, eligible individuals and families may establish ABLE savings accounts that will not affect their eligibility for SSI (up to $100,000), Medicaid and other public benefits. ABLE accounts provide a mechanism to essentially increase this $2,000 asset limitation so that individuals with disabilities and their families can save money for their future and to improve their quality of life.

ABLE accounts are designed to help pay for the account owner’s “Qualified Disability Expenses,” which include: education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, assistive technology and related services, health, prevention and wellness, financial management and administrative services, legal fees, expenses for ABLE account oversight and monitoring, funeral and burial expenses, and basic living expenses. The Kansas ABLE program is administered by the Kansas State Treasurer’s Office.

Learn more about the benefits of an ABLE account.

For individuals with IDD who are on the IDD Waitlist in Kansas, we are offering an opportunity grant of $100 for individuals with IDD who are currently on the IDD waitlist who open up an ABLE account. To qualify for this incentive, the individual listed on the Kansas I/DD waitlist and/or their caregiver(s) must:

• Submit the name of an individual on the I/DD waiver list.
• Attend one in-person or virtual ABLE Roadshow session between April 15 - October 3.
• Establish a new Kansas ABLE savings account between April 1 – November 1. Please note that opening an ABLE account is subject to certain eligibility restrictions. In general, an individual is eligible for an ABLE account if he or she has been diagnosed with a qualifying disability, and the disability began before the age of 26. For more details on qualifying disabilities and other eligibility requirements, please see kansascash.ks.gov/able and the Plan Disclosure Booklet.

Upon completion and verification that a qualified individual completed the above three steps, grant dollars will be funded into the newly established Kansas ABLE savings account. The Office of the Kansas State Treasurer may share a grant applicant’s name and city of residency with the local CDDO and/or KDADS to verify I/DD waitlist status. Opportunity grant dollars will be disbursed from a Kansas Financial Empowerment Foundation account and awarded to fund qualified Kansas ABLE accounts on a monthly basis starting in May of 2024.

The ABLE roadshow is a statewide tour with 50 in-person events planned from April 15th until October 3rd. These free educational events will provide valuable insight into the benefits of an ABLE account and offer families one-on-one assistance in opening of a Kansas ABLE account.

Interested in attending one of the in-person ABLE educational presentations listed below? RSVP for the event by:

• Submitting this registration form
• Emailing ABLEgrant@treasurer.ks.gov
• Calling 785.250.2896.

Can’t join us in person? You can take advantage of one of our small-group virtual Kansas ABLE presentations.

Virtual ABLE Presentation Registration

• IDD – intellectual or developmental disability
• ABLE – Achieving a Better Life Experience
• KCDD – Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities
• STO - State Treasurer’s Office
• KDADS – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
• CDDO – Community Developmental Disability Organization