<p><strong>To the editor:</strong></p>
<p>To begin with, I am honored to be a board member for INvestABLE Indiana, and it has been rewarding to be a part of the process of creating INvestABLE Indiana. I enjoyed listening to the public feedback as the program was being developed, and I feel it is stronger due to incorporation of this valuable information.</p>
<p>ABLE accounts, also known as 529A accounts, allow for individuals with disabilities to save for their futures and pay for disability related expenses without jeopardizing access to public benefits. The intent of these accounts is to ease financial burdens on individuals with disabilities by allowing for tax-free savings to cover qualified expenses such as education, transportation, housing and medical needs.</p>
<p>This program was signed into federal law in 2014 and passed into state law in 2016. Today, Indiana will celebrate the first anniversary of this impactful program for Hoosiers! To qualify for this program, the individual’s disability has to have been present before the age of 26. Additionally, the individual must be eligible for SSI or SSDI because of a disability, have experienced blindness as determined by the Social Security Act, or have a written diagnosis from a doctor outlining severe functional impairment.</p>
<p>The account owner is the individual with a disability. They can open an account on their own or an authorized person such as a parent can open the account and act on their behalf. One of the best features is that anyone can contribute to an owner’s savings account. This can easily be accomplished online through the plan’s Ugift platform. The owner remains in control of the account and can experience financial empowerment, while not having to worry about jeopardizing their eligibility for government assistance.</p>
<p><p style="text-align: right"><strong>Jake Sipe</strong></p>
<p><p style="text-align: right"><strong>Greenwood</strong></p>
