Episode 11: Intro to ABLE Accounts

Welcome to the POSABILITY Podcast! POSABILITY is a nonprofit creating positive opportunities for families in the disability community.Today’s episode is an important one.Over a decade ago, a small group of parents gathered around a kitchen table asking a question that far too many families know all too well:How do we save for our children with disabilities the same way we save for our children without disabilities — without putting their benefits at risk?For years, families were stuck.If a person with a disability had more than $2,000 in assets, they could lose access to essential supports like SSI and Medicaid.There was no real incentive — or safe pathway — to save for education, housing, transportation, or even basic quality-of-life expenses.But today, we have a better way forward.This year marks 10 years since the passage of the Achieving a Better Life Experience — or ABLE — Act, a bipartisan, transformational law that created ABLE accounts:a way for individuals with disabilities to save and invest for their future without losing critical benefits.And joining us today is someone who has been deeply involved in making that vision a reality here in Florida.Our guest is John Finch, Director of ABLE United, Florida’s disability savings program.John has spent years advocating for individuals with disabilities — from his time at The Arc of Florida to his leadership with the Florida Prepaid College Board — and today he helps oversee a program that has already empowered over 12,000 Floridians, with the potential to impact hundreds of thousands more.John is also a husband, a father of three boys, a man of faith, and someone who believes deeply that financial dignity is part of independence.Today, we’re going to break this down in a way that’s clear, honest, and family-friendly —what ABLE accounts are, who they’re for, how they work, and why this matters so much for the disability community.So grab a cup of coffee, take a breath, and let’s dive in.To learn more about POSABILITY and what we do, visit www.posability.lifeIf you would like to support the Posability Podcast financially or to donation of any amount at www.donorbox.org/posabilitypodcast