Eligibility

ABLEnow accounts are available to eligible U.S. citizens and legal residents, regardless of state residency.

To open an ABLEnow account, the ABLE Act requires an “Eligible Individual” to have a qualifying disability that started before the age of 26. In addition, the individual must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Entitlement to benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) based on blindness or disability; or
• Self-certification of a qualifying disability.

"Self-certification" requires an individual to certify and agree to the following statements during enrollment:

• The individual has a written, signed disability diagnosis from a qualified, licensed physician (note: individuals do not have to provide a copy of the diagnosis during enrollment, but a copy of the diagnosis must be available upon request); and
• The individual is either:
  • blind, as defined by the Social Security Act (SSA), or
  • has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that results in "marked and severe functional limitations" lasting for a continuous period of 12 months or longer or which can be expected to result in death.
• Such blindness or disability started before the age of 26.

Enrollment is entirely online. You will not need to produce a copy of your disability diagnosis in order to open an ABLEnow account. However, a record of your eligibility or diagnosis must be readily available for verification.

You may use this optional Physician Diagnosis Form to obtain a written diagnosis for your records.

To qualify for an ABLE account, an individual must have developed the onset of their disability before their 26th birthday. However, an individual older than age 26 may open an ABLEnow account.

No. ABLEnow accounts are available to eligible U.S. citizens and legal residents, regardless of state residency.