Illinois ABLE Account Program
As students with disabilities prepare for adulthood, families often begin thinking about how to support future goals such as college, job training, independent living, transportation, and long-term financial stability. An Illinois Achieving Better Life Experience account, offered through Illinois ABLE, is a special savings and investment account designed to help individuals with disabilities save money for their future needs while protecting eligibility for important public benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Funds in an ABLE account can be used for many disability-related expenses, including education, housing, transportation, assistive technology, health care, employment supports, and other services that promote independence and adult success.
ABLE accounts can be an important transition planning tool for high school students and their families. Parents, relatives, friends, and students themselves can contribute to the account, helping students gradually build financial independence as they move toward adulthood. To qualify, the individual’s disability must have begun before age 26 (federal law is expanding this age limit to 46 beginning in 2026). Unlike traditional savings accounts, ABLE accounts allow individuals with disabilities to save beyond the strict asset limits connected to SSI and other benefit programs. For many families, an ABLE account is a practical way to support a student’s post-secondary goals while encouraging long-term independence and financial security.