Family Focus

Financial options open up for people with disabilities

By Erica Bryant, wsoctv.com
By Erica Bryant, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There are new financial options for people living with disabilities, through Achieving Better Life Experiences accounts.

ABLE helps them with expenses such as health care, assistive technology and special transportation.

Brendan Hammeke, 35, has Down syndrome. He has worked at the East Boulevard Harris Teeter for three years and there's one part of his job he enjoys most.

“I like saying, ‘Good morning,’ and saying, ‘Hi,’ to the people,” Hammeke said.

The job helps cover the expenses of living on his own, and disability advocates say more adults like Hammeke will have opportunities thanks to new legislation.

“The ABLE accounts were a life-changer for adults with intellectual disabilities to really being able to raise that ceiling on their independence level,” said Kathryn Lariviere, with the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte.

Lariviere lobbied for the law that created ABLE accounts and said it has lifted a $2,000 limit on what people with disabilities could save and grow tax-free.

That is money they may need to pay for extra support.

“They may be working, but may have someone who checks on them and does job coaching,” Lariviere said. “They may live independently, but someone comes in to make sure they are eating and taking care of themselves.”

North Carolina recently approved Fifth Third Bank to offer checking and debit access to the accounts.

Those accounts are open to anyone with a severe disability and the onset of that disability had to have occurred before the age of 26, bank officials said.

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