Brittany Bullock: ABLEnow Allows People with Disabilities to Save

Welcome to Disability Matters with your host Joyce Bender. All comments, views, and opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host, guest, and callers. Now the host of Disability Matters, here's Joyce Bender.

And welcome to the show everyone. I hope you're having a great day and also to everyone around the world. You know, it means so much to me that we have so many different countries listening to this show. And what's more amazing is that it keeps changing. We keep getting more and more and different countries like Thailand, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, Ireland, Hong Kong. I mean, those are just some of the new, of the 17 listening. So, wow, this is really great. And I have to give a special shout out to my friend in Hong Kong because I met him and several other NGOs from different countries when he, when they were up here visiting. And also Carla and my dear friend Richard Roberts in Brazil. I love Richard so much, and Carla, I can't wait to meet you in person. And also to my friend Young-young Cho in South Korea. All of you, so awesome. You know, the State Department, they are just tremendous. I go with them around the world to Indonesia, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Japan, Panama, and soon Brazil. And it is because of them that I'm able to go spread the news about quality of life for people with disabilities, no matter where they are in the world. And I know, Yoshiko Dart, special shout out to you. I know you have a contingency of disability rights leaders in Japan. Because when I went there to meet the young people with disabilities, his disability rights chapter, what do I see? A banner, "Justin Dart and Yoshiko, lead on." And you are just such a great leader, Yoshiko. And so is my lead sponsor, Highmark. Highmark is such a great company. They have been the lead sponsor for years now. I couldn't speak highly enough of Karen and David. So, you know, thank you so much. And a new sponsor we have this year. I have with me today as a guest I'm so excited to have ABLE NOW on the show today with Brittany Bullock, the relationship marketing specialist and just a really great person. Brittany, welcome to the show.

Thank you, Joyce Bender. I'm very happy to be here today.

And also, Brittany, thank you for ABLE NOW being a sponsor. Of the show.

Oh, absolutely.

So I want to start with you, Brittany. You know, people will hear someone and then they'll say to me, wow, that person was really great. As you know, Brittany, we were just talking about this before the show. The show is on demand, so you can at any point in time go to Apple or Spotify or Amazon and listen to the show. And we have a lot of listeners on demand to this show, which is so great. So you can go listen to this ABLE Now after if you want to, and I hope you do, and I hope you tell everyone else too. But as I said, ABLE NOW has been a sponsor. But back to you, Brittany. Those listeners around the world say to me, hey, what's that person like? They were great, but I'd like to know more about them. So, we are going to start with your story. Brittany, where did you grow up, go to school, and maybe a little bit about your family?

Yeah, absolutely. So, again, I just want to say thank Thank you, Joyce Bender, for allowing us to sponsor Disability Matters and be here today. So, a little about myself. So, I grew up in Richmond, Virginia, which is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I studied business at Virginia Commonwealth University. So, we had our Final Four run a few years ago, and I know March Madness is happening right now here in the United States. So that's what some people may be familiar with Virginia Commonwealth University for. But soon after graduating, I actually joined our agency, Virginia 529, as a program operations analyst and kind of worked in that role for a little bit. And then since then, I have had the fortunate luck to work in a variety of roles here at the agency. And now I am happy to support the education and outreach for our— two of our programs, our Education Savings Plan, Invest529, and then, of course, our disability savings plan program, ABLE Now.

Great. Well, you know, you're working in a great industry because this is an industry that provides services to people in the disability community? What caused you to get involved?

Yeah, so I actually— I love this question. Our organization has a mission to really help families and individuals save for the future. So, of course, our education savings programs help families save for future education expenses. And our ABLE Now program really helps families and individuals save for those disability-related expenses. And personally, I really love to help others. I think that's what my calling is, is to educate others, help others. And so, in my role, I can see the true importance and the impact of ABLE Now in the community. So, it's been really rewarding to share such a great product and get to know a lot of wonderful people and organizations in the disability community. And it's kind of what keeps me going and doing kind of that, that good work that, you know, folks that work in this community get to do.

Well, that just shows how wonderful you are, because at Bender Consulting Services, We have a motto, and that is volunteerism is not an option, it's part of who we are. And that is, I strongly believe in volunteerism, but I also believe in organizations that do good work for the disability community, like ABLE NOW. And you're right that when you have a company where you focus on any service for people with disabilities, at least in my case, it is such, it's so rewarding. And next year, guess what, folks? Next year is the 30th anniversary of Bender Consulting Services. 30 years of working to find employment for people with disabilities, and 30 years of knowing great people like Brittany and the organization ABLE Now. So, Brittany, what is— if someone goes to your website, what is Virginia529? What does that mean?

Yeah, so that's a great question, Joyce. So, Virginia529 is an independent state agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia And what we do here is we offer tax-advantaged programs to save for things like education, retirement, and then, of course, disability expenses. And so you mentioned Bender Consulting turning 30 years next year. So a fun fact about Virginia529 is we actually manage the nation's largest education savings plan, and we too have been around for about 30 years. How about that? Yeah, so around for about 30 years now, our organization has been helping people save and invest for the future. And ABLE Now is the Virginia-sponsored ABLE savings program. So Virginia529 is the kind of parent organization, is the way that I explain it. And then ABLE Now is the disability savings program that we offer under Virginia 529. And even though we're Virginia's program, we do have it— I do want to note that it's— we do have nationwide enrollment. So, ABLE Now is open to eligible individuals in any state. And we actually have ABLE Now savers in all 50 states. States. And the ABLE Now program has actually grown to be one of the country's largest ABLE savings programs around. So that's pretty exciting for us as well.

So, just so my listeners understand, if you're in a state and they do have the ability to be part of a trust because of the ABLE Act, would that organization— would you be involved with them or are you only involved in the educational?

Part? So, our organization, we handle both the education and the disability savings. So, I do want to kind of make a quick note as well for your listeners. So, ABLE Now is the Virginia-sponsored ABLE program, but again, we're open to eligible individuals in all 50 states. Other states do offer ABLE programs as well. And if your listeners are interested, there are some resources and tools out there that can kind of show them the different ABLE programs that are available in the country.

Okay, that's good. Where would they go to see that?

A great resource that I typically refer people to would be the ABLE National Resource Center. So, they are— AbleNRC.org, or they can also go to ABLE Today, which is through the ABLE Savings Plan Network. So those are two great resources where they can get more information about our program, ABLE Now, or other programs as well.

Wow, I can't believe how large you are and that you can enroll no matter what state you're in. That's amazing.

Yeah, we're pretty excited about that.

Yes, I can see why you would be. And how about your organization? What is your email, your website?

Yeah, so our website is ablenow.com.

Ablenow.com. If you're listening to the show, we're talking to Brittany Bullock. Who is the relationship marketing specialist for ABLE NOW. So important. Remember what I said. If you know a family member or someone with a child with a disability or, you know, or family member, whatever the connection, and you're thinking, oh, I wish they would have heard this show, they can. Go to Spotify, Apple, Amazon, benderconsult.com, voiceamerica.com, and you can listen to all the old shows and share it with someone else. But right now we're going to get ready to go to break, talking to Brittany Bullock from Able Now. This is Joyce Bender, America's Voice, where disability matters, at voiceamerica.com. Don't go away, we'll be right back. Streaming live, the leader in internet talk radio, VoiceAmerica.com.

Everyone has unique abilities, and with ABLE Now, individuals with disabilities are able to save money while maintaining certain benefits, such as such as Medicaid. ABLE NOW is a tax-advantaged savings program specifically designed for people with disabilities. Open an account online today and start saving for the things that are important to you. To learn if you or someone you know is eligible, visit ablenow.com. ABLE NOW is administered by Virginia529.

Since 1985, Bender Consulting Services has served as a national leader in advancing employment of people with disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, with private sector companies and federal government agencies. Bender assists customers with achieving their diversity and workforce inclusion initiatives by tapping into a talent pool of individuals seeking professional positions, including those in the STEM fields. In addition, Bender services include disability employment consulting, training in technology accessibility through their high-tech line of service. For more information, please visit www.vendorconsult.com.

Are you currently receiving SSDI or SSI and wanting to work? Did you know there is a free Social Security program called Ticket to Work to help you try work without risking your benefits? My Employment Options is an authorized SSA Employment Network specializing in work-at-home and local job placement in 47 states. Our clients receive a personal counselor to help find the best job fit and a staff-certified benefits counselor for help with Ticket to Work protections. Ready to try working? Apply for free job placement help at myemploymentoptions.com.

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You're listening to Disability Matters. If you have a question or comment, call in toll-free free at 1-866-472-5788. That's 1-866-472-5788. Now please welcome back the host of Disability Matters. Here's Joyce Bender.

Hey everyone, welcome back to the show. And we are talking to Brittany Bullock, the relationship marketing specialist for ABLE Now. And Brittany, it's so great to have you on the show. But here is one of my favorite things to talk about, and that is the ABLE Act, which is what all of this is tied into. And one of my favorite people, Senator Casey, I know he was involved. So, let's start with what is the ABLE Act?

Yeah, absolutely. So, for your listeners to know what is the ABLE Act, so ABLE accounts for the results of a decades-long cross-disability advocacy effort. And the idea actually originated here in the state of Virginia. So, there was a group of parents who recognized the inequity of not being able to save in their child's name for the fear of losing those essential services and supports down the line. So, the Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Ability Experience Act, better known as the ABLE Act, received strong political support across party lines when it passed back in 2014. This federal legislation opened the door for ABLE programs, which must be set up and administered by a state. So, kind of earlier we talked about other states offering ABLE programs. The ABLE Act is what allowed for those states to set up these programs. Back in 2015, Virginia was actually one of the first states in the country to pass ABLE legislation following the federal ABLE statute. And the state legislation authorized development of the Virginia-sponsored ABLE program, which we're talking about today, which is ABLE Now. And then, thanks to a 2015 amendment of the ABLE Act, which eliminated the state residency requirement, ABLE now opened for national enrollment in December of 2016. So, just shy of a 10-year anniversary coming up in a few years. And then, we're also just very thankful for the leadership and advocates of individuals like Senator Casey, who really championed the original ABLE Act. And have supported legislative enhancements over the years. So we're very thankful for those individuals.

Yeah, he is really a great person. And you see what a small group of people can do. You know, they saw a problem, they didn't just talk about it, they did something about it. They made something happen. And I wanted to ask you, Brittany, what age a person can be involved with the ABLE Act.

Yeah, absolutely. So, one of the things, and we'll kind of talk about it, there's some eligibility requirements for ABLE accounts. And so, currently, the way that that works is that the onset of the disability has to occur prior to age 26. However, an individual can be any age and have an ABLE account. So, what I mean by that is, let's say you have a loved one who is 36, but they were born with their disability. They would still be able to be eligible for an ABLE account. And the same if there is a young child whose parent wants to open an ABLE account for them. As long as they have that disability prior to the age of 26 or the onset of that disability, they would be eligible and they could open an ABLE account.

And how do they prove that? Do they have to have something from a doctor or how does that work? You know, that they have a disability.

Yeah, so that's a really great question and one that we do get a lot. So, the— we call it the disability determination. So, physical, intellectual, mental disabilities may qualify someone to open an ABLE account. And there's two ways to do that. So, majority of our account holders here at ABLE now are actually eligible to have an account because they're entitled to those SSI, which is Supplemental Security Income, or SSDI, which is Social Security Disability Insurance. So, they're entitled to those benefits based on their blindness or disability. So, that will automatically make someone eligible to have an ABLE Now account. The other way is what we call self-certifying, and that's actually where they're just going to have a physician sign off on a form that they have a qualifying disability diagnosis. And the great thing is that our program ABLE Now makes that very easy because we have a physician diagnosis form on our website for our customers. And so, let's say they're not receiving SSI or SSDI, but they do have a qualifying disability, they just take that form to their physician, have them sign off, and they would be able to submit that form with their application when they're applying to open their ABLE Now account.

And this form they need, would they know how to get it or would the doctor give it to them? How does that work?

Yeah, so our form is right on our website under the resources section. So all they have to do is just print it off and take it with them to their doctor's appointment or that doctor, the physician who you know, had the diagnosis for them. So, it's very— it's right there on the website. They don't have to go to the doctor to get the form or anything like that.

Okay, that's good. See, that makes it easy. And that website again is?

ABLEnow.com.

ABLEnow.com. And I'm going to ask you in a minute, about Virginia 529, but I wanted to ask you one thing. As the years have progressed on, you know how you were talking about how long you've been there, what were they doing prior to the ABLE Act?

So, prior to the ABLE Act, Virginia 529 just had their education savings and then, like I mentioned, once the ABLE Act was passed into law and it opened the door for states to be able to create their ABLE savings program. Virginia 529 was kind of tasked with, or we decided to kind of step up and create Virginia's ABLE savings program. So, before that, individuals, you know, were relying on maybe other resources or things that were available to them before those ABLE accounts came along.

Okay, well, you have— wow, you have a lot you do there. But I wanted to ask you, if you don't mind reviewing, what are some of the key services that Virginia529 provides?

Yeah, absolutely. So Virginia529 offers tax-advantaged savings programs for education. So, that's our Invest529 plan program. We also offer retirement savings for individuals, and that's our RetirePath Virginia program. And then, of course, our disability savings program, which is ABLE Now. And so, again, for your listeners, because they're probably really interested in ABLE Now, it is, again, one of the country's largest ABLE savings programs. Open to eligible savers in all 50 states. I do want to stress that again because I know your caller— your listeners are listening in from all over. And again, these accounts are designed to empower individuals to be able to save funds in tax-advantaged accounts without jeopardizing eligibility for certain means-tested benefits such as their SSI, SSDI, and Medicaid. And then in return, the saver or the individual managing the account for them can use the funds saved towards a variety of qualified disability expenses.

Wow. Now, when they go to your website, can they see all of this information that you just were talking about?

Yeah. So, we have a really amazing website, and on our website, they can get basic information. They can register for a webinar or watch a video that we've already recorded and uploaded. There's an FAQ page, a resource page. There's even an eligibility quiz. So, maybe you're listening to the session today and you're not sure if you're eligible for an ABLE account. We have a quick eligibility quiz on our website that you can just answer a couple of questions and they'll let you know. We even have information on there for our customer service team if they have questions or anything like that as well.

Okay. Well, that gives you all the information you need. Right now, we're going to get ready to go to our news break, and after that, we'll have our commercial break. But first, with the news, Perry Jude, are you with us?

I am, Joyce. I'm happy to be here.

Always happy to have you here. So, Perry, what news do you have for us today?

Joyce, 13 days from now is our deadline. April 15th is our deadline to file our taxes with the Internal Revenue Service. I know we all know that, but to increase the accessibility for disabled taxpayers, the IRS, the Internal Revenue Service, released a tax tip that was meant to remind us of their Alternative Media Center. Now, their Alternative Media Center is a platform that's delivering information in a variety of accessible formats and languages. Now, the IRS Alternative Media Center provides products to individuals who use assistive technology like screen readers or Braille displays or screen magnifying software, voice recognition software. The IRS has hundreds of tax forms and publications also not only in these alternative formats or that is compatible with assistive technology, but it's— they're also in Spanish. So how do disabled taxpayers get these tax products? Well, you can download accessible forms through their accessible forms and publications page, or taxpayers can call the IRS and request tax notices in accessible formats. Their phone number is easy to remember. It's 800-TAX-INFO. Form, 800-TAX-FORM. Joyce, we know advocacy matters. If you or someone you know needs access to these accessible formats to file their taxes, go and visit disabilityrightsPA.org right now since there's only 13 days left before filing our taxes. That's disabilityrightsPA.org There you will find these phone numbers, links to the accessible form page, and all the information in the segment, including the link to the Alternative Media Center.

Boy, that is a great thing for people to have access to that, Perry. It sounds like it doesn't matter what the disability is, they're going to be able to access that information.

That's right. That's absolutely right. It was, Great to see this tax tip come out from the IRS, and maybe some of our listeners— your listeners, I've only been with you for 5 years.

You've been doing this longer. Our listeners. Our listeners, that's a flip of the tongue.

Our listeners would— may have known about this, but it is really important to make sure we get this information out there.

Okay, where do they go again?

Website? Yeah, disabilityrightspa.org. Scroll down to the middle of the page on our home page and you'll find today's Advocacy Matters segment with all the links to this important IRS tax tip.

And Perry knows this, but I want all of you listeners to know, you know, we are the only place you go to every Tuesday to hear the news of what's going on nationally. You know, if we don't do it, who will, right? And it's important. We're important. We need to know. You know, you can't just go flip on MSNBC and hear, "Hey, what's going on for accessibility for people that have to fill out tax forms?" But I want you to know, Perry does an absolutely fantastic job She takes this very seriously. So once again, stay tuned in. And if you know someone that you wish had heard it, all you do is send them to Spotify, Apple, uh, benderconsult.com, uh, voiceamerica.com. To be honest with you, almost every social media venue, and you can hear the show. And now, thank you, Perry, very much. This is Joyce Bender, America's Voice, where disability matters, at voiceamerica.com. Don't go away. We'll be right back.

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At Highmark, we believe what makes us different makes us better. Our differences broaden our perspectives and foster diverse skills which complement each other, creating a stronger and more vibrant workforce. It's this belief that earned us recognition by the USBLN and the American Association of People with Disabilities as a 2014 Disability Equality Index Best Place to Work. So we'll continue to celebrate diverse individuals because inclusion benefits us all. To find out more, visit highmark.com.

Since 1985, Bender Consulting Services has served as a national leader in advancing employment of people with disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, with private sector companies and federal government agencies. Bender assists customers with achieving their diversity and workforce inclusion initiatives by tapping into a talent pool of individuals seeking professional positions, including those in the STEM fields. In addition, Bender Services include disability employment consulting, training, and technology accessibility through their high-tech line of service. For more information, please visit www.benderconsult.com.

Today, people with disabilities can achieve a better life experience With ABLE Now, a tax-advantaged savings account specifically designed for people with disabilities, ABLE Now accounts help eligible individuals save and invest their own money without endangering certain disability benefits. Learn if you or someone you know is eligible for an ABLE Now account at able-now.com. This message is provided by ABLE Now, administered by Virginia529.

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You're listening to Disability Matters. If you have a question or comment, call in toll-free at 1-866-472-5788. That's 1-866-472-5788. Now please welcome back the host of Disability Matters. Here's Joyce Bender.

Hey, we're here with Brittany Bullock, the relationship marketing specialist for ABLE NOW, and I want to mention again, thank you Brittany. ABLE NOW has been a sponsor of the show, uh, and I so appreciate that, so thank you so much.

Absolutely happy to be here.

Um, you know, you have a great website, and I was looking at your website and it says millions of individuals with disabilities and their families depend on a wide variety of public benefits for income, for healthcare, for food, and for housing assistance. Many of these benefits require meeting a means or resource test that limits the eligibility of individuals who report more than $2,000. That's all. $2,000 in cash, savings, retirement funds, or other items of significant value. Now, how did the ABLE Act change all of that?

Yeah. So, one of the questions— this is one of the questions that I get. So, you know, Talking with families or individuals and they're like, the ABLE Act does what? Or ABLE now allows for what? So, ABLE accounts are designed to supplement resources provided through private insurance, Medicaid, SSI, employment, and other sources. And the funds in an ABLE account won't impact eligibility for public benefits that provide income healthcare food and housing assistance. So, what this means is that you can have an ABLE Now account and maintain your eligibility for benefits, including Medicaid, SNAP, which is, you know, like food assistance, SSDI, and even federal financial aid for those seeking higher education. Now, for those listeners who are receiving SSI benefit payments. I always kind of like to tell them to keep in mind this magic number. So, if you're receiving SSI, the magic number is $100,000. And you're— and what this means is that any savings in an ABLE Now account under $100,000 will not impact SSI benefit payments. But once an account exceeds $100,000, those benefits could be lowered or suspended. As for state benefits, we always just encourage account holders to consult with their benefit agency in their state to determine if an ABLE Now account will affect any state-based disability benefits. For those that live here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, there are no impacts.— on having an ABLE Now account, and it won't impact any of the state-based disability benefits. So, again, I know that was a lot of information, so I want to kind of repeat again. So, the idea of the ABLE Act or ABLE accounts, ABLE Now, is that, again, it allows for you to have a savings without impacting eligibility for those means-tested public benefits such as Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, SNAP, and even federal financial aid. And then, of course, if you're receiving SSI, you just want to keep that $100,000 amount in mind. And then lastly, I also want to note that an individual can be eligible for an ABLE Now account and not receive those benefits. So, we do get a lot of questions about that as well for folks aren't receiving those benefits, they want to know, can they still have an ABLE Now account if they have a qualifying disability diagnosis? And the answer is yes. ABLE Now accounts offer advantages that can outweigh other types of saving tools regardless of whether or not you're currently receiving public benefits. And actually, for many, an ABLE account or ABLE Now account is an essential part of a comprehensive special needs financial plan.

Well, that is really great information. So, you're meaning if you do get SSI, Medicaid, Medicare, whatever it is, and you make less than $100,000 a year, it will not impact you not having those services?

Not making— so, ABLE accounts don't change how much an individual can earn. That $100,000, what I meant by that is how much they can grow their ABLE account to. So, if you're receiving SSI, you can grow your account up to $100,000, but just keep in mind, if you go over that amount, your SSI payments could be lowered or suspended.

I'm sorry, I know I didn't explain that right. How much can you make and still qualify for the ABLE account?

So, we don't— I'm not going to be the person to answer that because we are a savings vehicle. We don't determine how much an individual can make. So, regardless if they're working, not working, how much ever they're receiving in, they would you would still be eligible to have an ABLE Now account. There's no income requirements or anything like that, if that makes sense.

Yeah, that is great. Yes, that does. And thank you for clarifying that because we are getting questions from our listeners as you are providing such great information. Thank you, Brittany. What about ABLE America? What is that?

Yeah, so ABLE America is actually the first and only national advisor-sold ABLE plan. And so ABLE America may appeal to ABLE-eligible individuals and their families who prefer to work with, like, a knowledgeable and experienced financial professional to kind of help build an ABLE savings plan that may meet their specific needs. So, a little different. ABLE America, they would actually reach out to a financial advisor, financial professional in order to set up and manage that account.

Wow. So many great sources. I mean, that is great. You know, I want to tell you that when this all happened, oh my goodness, parents that I knew they were so thrilled that now they knew their child could have a trust fund or an account and it not be taken. Do you know what I mean? They were so excited when this— I, I remember people, they were almost in tears, they were so thrilled that now they would have this, and in their words, protect their child's independence. Have you seen that a lot still?

Yes, yes. I had a mom cry on a presentation one time. And so, those moments like that where families are just very thankful for learning about the program or understanding it, just seeing that excitement and that happiness, I think, really just makes me happy and excited for the work that we're doing. So yeah, families are definitely still learning about the program and having that excitement and that happiness to know that something like this is available to assist them, to help them.

And Brittany, if you had to say of one person that stood out to you, would it be that woman you just talked about?

I think so because I wasn't expecting was expecting her to cry. She had a high school student who they were getting ready to transition into adulthood, and she just felt like there were so many resources and things out there, and she didn't know which way to go. And she joined a session of ours, and she just— she was so excited and so happy to know that she could have a savings for her son. And, you know, plan for his future and not have to worry about him losing those means-tested, those public benefits that they relied on. So I think that just, that really touched me, just how emotional she got to know that this program was available.

Yes, because so many families, for example, families with, we'll say, children with intellectual disabilities, just as an example. I mean, this is so— how can I say this— hopeful. This is hopeful for them, and that is so great, and that's why, as I said earlier, you should share this show. Brittany Bullock, relationship marketing specialist from ABLE Now. We want people to know that they have this access. We want people to know where to go. What you need to do is share this show with others so we can make sure we get the news out to as many people and families as possible so they know they do have a way to provide freedom and independence as far as monetary savings for their child. So we talked a little bit about eligibilities, which I know you have listed a lot on your web, but, you know, if I came to you and I said, am I eligible? I mean, a person would come to you and say, am I eligible? How do they know if they're eligible?

Yeah, so eligibility is going to be a key thing with the ABLE account. So, again, we'll talk about the ABLE Act really quick again. So, keep in mind, the federal ABLE Act is what established the rules and requirements on who is eligible to open an ABLE account. So, we kind of talked about it a little bit before, but the first rule is onset of disability. So, for your listeners, keep in mind, ABLE Now account owners range in age from infants to individuals in their 80s. But to qualify to open an ABLE account, the onset of symptoms of a person's disability must have occurred before the age of 26, although they can be older than 26. So, we kind of gave that example earlier of someone being 36 but born with their disability. They would still be eligible. And then that next step is determining disability or that disability determination. So, we kind of touched on that earlier as well. But again, physical, intellectual, mental disabilities, those are all going to qualify someone to open an ABLE account. So, keep in mind the two steps of that process is Are you entitled to SSI or SSDI based on blindness or disability? If so, you're automatically eligible to establish an ABLE account. And about— just a fun fact, about 70% of our ABLE Now customers open their account based on their eligibility for SSI or SSDI. And then about 30% of our ABLE Now customers open their account by that self-certifying process that I mentioned. So, that self-certifying process is where you're taking that form and having your physician sign off on that form that you have a qualifying disability diagnosis. And then, I also want to make a really quick note about the onset of disability. So, over the past couple of years, there's been some advocacy around the ABLE Age Adjustment Act, and we're very thankful because that was passed into the law this past December. And what the ABLE Age Adjustment Act will do is raise the onset of disability from age 26 to age 46. So, that's going to allow for millions more Americans to be eligible to have an ABLE Now account. So, we're really excited about that. It will go into effect January of 2026. So, we still have about a year, a little over a year and a half left before that law goes into effect. But again, we're very excited about that. It is going to expand that eligibility. And like I mentioned before, visit our website, ABLEnow.com. We do have that nice eligibility quiz that is available. Eligible. So, if you're still on the fence or have some questions, you can look at that eligibility quiz to help determine if you are eligible to open an ABLE Now account.

Okay. That's good. And how, how, how can people register? What do they do?

Yeah, absolutely. So, this is a great question and it's very simple. So, assuming you are ABLE eligible, Or you have someone who can act on your behalf as an authorized representative. The first step, of course, is determining what ABLE program you want to use. And so, of course, I work with ABLE NOW, which is open for national enrollment. And if you're interested in ABLE NOW, you just visit our website, ablenow.com, and follow the step-by-step instructions directly on our website. And for most people, enrollment takes less than 5 minutes. The last thing I do want to note— or another thing I do want to note is that many of your listeners probably work in the disability community as well, and they can play a very important role in sharing ABLE Now information with their clients. And, in fact, organizations that support individuals with disabilities can actually open and manage ABLE Now accounts for eligible clients. And this is something that we've been seeing a lot of interest in since ABLE accounts are valuable tools that may eliminate the need for things like spend-down in order to maintain eligibility for benefits. So, that's kind of another part of the ABLE Now program that we have available is for that options for individuals who provide services to be able to open and manage accounts as well.

Oh, that is good news. Very good news. And right now we have our What's Happening at Bender with our manager, Gerald Haume.

Hi, Joyce.

Hello, Gerald.

Thank you for having me on the show. What we have happening at Bender is tomorrow is our spring virtual career fair for people with disabilities. We're so excited to be hosting this event for employers with disabilities to connect with so many great candidates with disabilities. There's still time to register if you're an employer and you want to hire people with disabilities. Just about an hour ago, we broke the 1,400 the 1,400 mark, where we have 1,400 candidates with disabilities registered for this event that are looking for jobs. So, a lot of great talent, everything from early career talent looking for internships to seasoned professionals in their fields, veterans, alumni, and students with disabilities all looking for work. So, and if you're a student— a candidate with a disability looking to apply, apply. It's free to sign up. Go to benderconsult.com to our careers page. Sign up today and come chat with me and my team in the Bender booth at the career fair tomorrow.

And, uh, so exciting, Gerald, who is the lead sponsor?

I will grab that moment. It's Constellation Energy. Constellation is our gold-level sponsor for the event.

Wow, that is awesome. Um, you know, listen, this is your way to talk to corporations, uh, and/or public agencies when you're looking for employment. You've got to register. How do they register, Gerald?

Just go to benderconsult.com. If you go to our careers page, you can learn more about the fair there, and there's a link there to register.

All right, well, make sure you do. And, uh, Gerald, thank you so much for calling in.

Thank you, Joyce Bender.

This is a great thing to let everyone know because, as you know, Brittany, so many people with disabilities are unemployed. And as I said, what I love about ABLE now is you offering them this way to save their money or, you know, build this trust fund, especially during times like this. And I really am appreciative of everything you do at ABLE NOW.

Thank you. Yeah, we are excited to be able to offer ABLE accounts, and especially for individuals who are working. One great thing I'll notice Note about our program is that individuals who are working can set up direct deposits so they can have their funds go directly into their ABLE Now account if they would like to. So, you know, you mentioned your employment fair and employment and things like that. So that's just another great perk of the ABLE Now program.

That is great. Well, hey, Brittany, what message would you like to leave with our listeners today?

Yeah, absolutely. First, I just want to say, Joyce Bender, we really appreciate the opportunity to spread the word about ABLE accounts and ABLE Now. Believe it or not, there are still a lot of people in the disability community who do not know about this empowering program. So, again, thank you for this opportunity to share. We really, really appreciate that. And the last thing I'll I wanted to say is that your listeners can learn more about ABLE NOW and how to open an account, again, by visiting our website, ablenow.com. And another great thing they can do is to share this information with their friends, their family, their colleagues. Share a webinar. Share a video. The more that this information is shared, the more the individuals in the disability community more people in the community will learn about this empowering program.

Yes, that's right. And remember, you can share this show. Well, Brittany, thank you so much. If you just joined us late, don't worry, this show is on demand. We've been talking to Brittany Bullock, the relationship marketing specialist for ABLE Now. We end every show with a quote, and today that quote is, "Disabled children are equally entitled to an exciting and brilliant future," said Nelson Mandela. This is Joyce Bender, America's Voice, where disability matters, at Voice of voiceamerica.com. In the words of Mary Brooker, when you leave today, remember to choose joy.

Voice America would like to thank you for tuning in. Please join us next Tuesday at 11 AM Pacific time and 2 PM Eastern time for another installment of Disability Matters right here on the Voice America Vanity Channel. We are the leader in live internet talk radio. VoiceAmerica.com.