Plain-language guides to disability benefits, ABLE accounts, and financial planning.
If you work and have an ABLE account, you may be able to contribute more than the standard $18,000 annual limit. Here's how the ABLE to Work provision works, who qualifies, and how to calculate your additional contribution.
SSI has a $2,000 resource limit for individuals. Most bank account balances count toward that limit — but some don't. Here's what's countable, what's excluded, and what to look for in a bank account.
SSI's $2,000 asset limit makes traditional saving nearly impossible — but some accounts and strategies don't count toward that limit. Here's how to bank and save while staying protected.
The benefit cliff is the point at which earning more money causes you to lose more in benefits than you gained in income. Here's how it works, why it traps people, and what tools exist to navigate it.
Budgeting on SSI or SSDI means working with constraints that most budgeting advice ignores: fixed payment amounts, asset limits, and expenses that don't fit neatly into standard categories. Here's a framework that actually fits.
Standard credit-building advice doesn't account for SSI's asset limit or the constraints of a fixed income. Here's a practical approach to building credit history without putting your benefits at risk.
First-party and third-party Special Needs Trusts both protect benefits eligibility — but they have very different rules, especially around Medicaid payback. Here's what distinguishes them and which applies to your situation.
When a disabled person turns 18, families often assume guardianship is the only option. It's not. Supported decision-making preserves legal rights while still providing the help a person needs.
Money saved in an ABLE account does not count against the SSI asset limit — up to $100,000. Here's exactly how the two programs interact, what the limits are, and what to watch for.
A Special Needs Trust lets a person with a disability hold assets without losing SSI or Medicaid eligibility. Here's what an SNT is, the different types, how money can be spent, and when you actually need one.
Medicare and Medicaid are two separate federal health programs that many people with disabilities rely on. They have different eligibility rules, cover different services, and work very differently in practice.
ABLE account funds must be spent on 'qualified disability expenses' to avoid taxes and penalties. The good news: the definition is broad. Here's exactly what qualifies, what doesn't, and how to keep records.
ABLE accounts and Special Needs Trusts both protect benefits eligibility while allowing savings — but they work very differently. Here's how to tell which one fits your situation, and when you might need both.
SSI and SSDI are both Social Security programs for people with disabilities, but they have different eligibility rules, payment structures, and health insurance connections. Here's a plain-language breakdown.
SSI and SSDI are both Social Security programs that provide income to people with disabilities — but they work very differently. One is based on financial need, the other on work history. Here's how to tell which one you have (or might qualify for).
A representative payee is a person or organization that receives and manages Social Security benefits on behalf of someone who needs help. Here's how payees are appointed, what they're required to do, and what your rights are.
An ABLE account lets people with disabilities save and invest money without losing SSI or Medicaid eligibility. Here's how they work, who qualifies, and how to open one.