PNC Supports ABLEnow
Eligible individuals can save up to $16,000 a year without endangering
certain means-tested benefits critical to their health and well-being.
What is ABLEnow?
An Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account is a tax-advantaged savings account for individuals with disabilities, providing a new way to save, invest, and pay for qualified disability expenses without jeopardizing eligibility for certain means-tested benefit programs.
PNC is dedicated to the financial inclusion of individuals with disabilities, and has teamed up with a national leader in 529 savings accounts to bring the ABLEnow program to life.
ABLEnow Features and Benefits
Available Nationwide
ABLEnow accounts are available nationwide to eligible U.S. citizens and legal residents, regardless of state residency.
Works with Other Aid
Generally, you can have an ABLEnow account alongside other benefit programs, such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)[1].
Flexible
ABLEnow accounts are designed to be flexible – easy to manage, easy to contribute to, and easy to use. You can pay for a range of qualified disability expenses[2] with your ABLEnow card at no additional cost.
Tax Advantaged Savings
Earnings grow free from federal taxes and distributions are tax-free, if funds are spent on qualified disability expenses[2] . Some states may offer state tax incentives.
ABLEnow is tailored to meet the needs of the disability community with an easy-to-use debit card for daily expenses, auto-sweep functionality for maximizing investment ease, and a gifting portal that allows family and friends to contribute.
Who is Eligible?
Individuals who developed the onset of their disability before the age 26 may be eligible to open an ABLEnow account. Take the Eligibility Quiz to see if you or someone you know qualifies.
Additional ABLEnow Features
- Customers receive a debit card at no additional cost.
- Applications may only be opened online through ABLEnow's verified website: www.ablenow.com
- To see a full list of additional ABLEnow account features, click here: ABLEnow Account Features
About ABLEnow
For too long, people with disabilities could not save for the future out of fear of losing their benefits. Advocates fought hard to change this, resulting in the federal ABLE Act and the ABLEnow program.
ABLEnow accounts are made possible by the Stephen Beck Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014, considered the most significant federal legislation to address the needs of persons with disabilities since the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ABLE Act authorized states to establish tax-advantaged savings programs for individuals with disabilities.
Visit Official ABLEnow Website »
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I use the money in my ABLEnow account?
Money in your ABLEnow account may be used to pay for Qualified Disability Expenses. An expense is “qualified" if:
- You incurred the expense at a time you were considered an “Eligible Individual;”
- The expense relates to your blindness or disability; and
- The expense helps you maintain or improve your health, independence or quality of life.
Each person is unique and the needs of individuals can vary depending on the disability, circumstances and specific treatment.
What are examples of Qualified Disability Expenses?
ABLEnow accounts may be used to pay for a variety of expenses related to maintaining the Eligible Individual’s health, independence and quality of life. The major categories of expenses include:
- Basic Living Expenses
- Health and Wellness
- Housing
- Financial Management
- Transportation
- Education and Training
- Assistive Technology
- Legal Fees
Will the money in my ABLEnow account affect my eligibility for federal means-tested benefits?
An ABLEnow account is disregarded when determining certain federal benefit eligibility with the following two exceptions for individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI):
- For the purpose of determining eligibility for SSI, money in an ABLEnow account in excess of $100,000 is considered an asset to the individual with a disability and may cause SSI benefits to be reduced or suspended. An account balance up to and including $100,000 is disregarded.
- A withdrawal that will be used for a housing expense but that is not spent in the same calendar month is considered an asset to the individual with a disability and may cause SSI benefits to be reduced or suspended.
Is there a limit to the amount of money I can contribute to my ABLEnow account?
Annual contributions to an ABLEnow account are currently limited to $16,000. Working account owners who do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan may be eligible to contribute above the annual ABLE contribution limit.
The cumulative ABLEnow account value limit is currently $550,000.
Featured Articles on PNC Insights:
Protect
Child Identity Theft and Sharenting
Well-intended parents may put their child at risk of identity theft by oversharing on social media.
3 min read
Spend
What is Credit and Why is it Important: A Beginner's Guide to Credit
Good credit can work in your favor, whether you are applying for a loan or credit card, looking to move or getting a job. Bad credit can hold you back. Here’s what you need to know.
4 min read
Invest
6 Ways to Help Improve Your Financial Outlook at Every Life Stage
What should you be thinking about today, at this stage of your life, to improve your financial outlook? Get ideas for your 20s through your 70s and beyond.
6 min read
Important Legal Disclosures and Information
-
There is a limit at which SSI is suspended, as well as a total monetary limit at which your account balance cannot exceed. To learn more about these restrictions, visit www.ablenow.com
-
Qualified disability expenses: basic living expenses, health and wellness, housing, financial management, transportation, education and training, assistive technology, and legal fees. To learn about the full list of eligible services and products, visit irs.gov
ABLEnow is offered by the Virginia College Savings Plan and supported by PNC in its role as custodian. Qualified ABLE programs offered by other states may provide their residents or taxpayers with state tax benefits that are not available through ABLEnow. If you are not a resident of Virginia, you should consider whether your home state offers its residents or taxpayers state tax advantages or benefits for investing in its qualified ABLE program before making an investment in ABLEnow.
ABLEnow is a registered trademark of the Virginia College Savings Plan.
PNC is a registered mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. ("PNC").
Bank deposit products and services are provided by PNC Bank, National Association, Member FDIC.
Read a summary of privacy rights for California residents which outlines the types of information we collect, and how and why we use that information.
