ABLE Accounts in Florida: A Simpler Way to Save Without Losing Benefits
Based on your answers, an ABLE account may be the right tool for your situation — either on its own or alongside a trust. An ABLE account is a tax-advantaged savings account that lets a person with a disability hold and spend their own money for disability-related expenses without losing SSI, Medicaid, or other needs-based benefits. It is simpler and cheaper to open than a trust, and the account belongs to the person with the disability, who can often manage it themselves.
Why an ABLE account helps
To keep SSI, a person generally cannot hold more than $2,000 in countable resources. That makes ordinary saving almost impossible. Money held in an ABLE account is treated differently: the first $100,000 in the account does not count against the SSI resource limit, and Medicaid does not count any ABLE funds at all. The money grows tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified disability expenses are tax-free.
Who qualifies in Florida
Florida runs its own ABLE program, ABLE United, administered by the Florida Prepaid College Board. To open an account, the beneficiary must:
- be a Florida resident;
- have a disability that meets the Social Security Administration’s disability standard — if the person already receives SSI or SSDI, they automatically meet it; and
- have had a disability that began before age 46. This is new as of January 1, 2026 (the old cutoff was age 26, under the ABLE Age Adjustment Act). What matters is the onset age, not the person’s current age — someone who is 60 now can still qualify if their disability began before 46.
A person may have only one ABLE account.
How much can go in
- $20,000 per year (the 2026 limit), combining contributions from all sources — the beneficiary, family, friends, anyone.
- A working beneficiary who is not contributing to an employer retirement plan can add roughly $15,650 more per year through ABLE to Work.
- Florida’s ABLE United accounts have a lifetime contribution cap of about $418,000, though investment growth can push the balance higher.
Remember the $100,000 line: once the balance goes above $100,000, the excess counts as a resource and SSI can be suspended (not terminated) until the balance drops back down. Medicaid continues regardless of the balance.
What ABLE money can pay for
Funds can be spent on qualified disability expenses — a broad category that includes housing, education, transportation, employment support, assistive technology, health and wellness, personal support services, and basic living expenses that help maintain or improve the beneficiary’s health, independence, or quality of life. Unlike a trust, the beneficiary can pay for their own housing from an ABLE account without the usual SSI shelter penalty, which is one of ABLE’s quiet advantages.
ABLE account vs. third-party Special Needs Trust
| Feature | ABLE Account | Third-Party Special Needs Trust |
|---|---|---|
| Who controls it | The beneficiary (or an authorized representative) | The trustee — never the beneficiary |
| Whose money | Anyone’s, including the beneficiary’s own | Someone else’s (parents, grandparents) — never the beneficiary’s |
| How much | $20,000/year; $100,000 SSI-excluded; ~$418,000 cap | No limit |
| Eligibility | Disability onset before age 46 | No age limit |
| Pays for housing? | Yes, without the SSI shelter penalty | Yes, but shelter payments may reduce SSI |
| Medicaid payback at death? | Yes — the state may recover for Medicaid paid | No — remainder goes to whomever you name |
| Setup | Simple, low-cost, open online | A drafted legal document, signed with formalities |
Why families often use both
The two tools fit together well. The ABLE account handles day-to-day money the beneficiary can manage and spend directly — including rent — while the third-party trust holds larger or long-term assets, protects them under a trustee’s control, and passes whatever is left to your chosen family or causes with no Medicaid payback. A common pattern is to fund the ABLE account up to a comfortable level for spending and keep the rest in the trust.
How to open an ABLE United account
You open an ABLE United account directly with the program — you do not need a lawyer or a document service to do it. Visit ableunited.com, gather proof of the disability and its onset date, and set your savings goals. If you receive SSI or SSDI, your eligibility documentation is straightforward. It is worth coordinating the account with a benefits counselor so contributions and withdrawals stay aligned with your other benefits.
Important: This page is legal and financial information, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. JusticeXpress Florida is a legal document preparation and information service, not a law firm, and is not affiliated with ABLE United or the State of Florida. ABLE rules and dollar limits change; confirm current figures with ABLE United and consider speaking with a benefits counselor or a Florida elder-law or special-needs attorney before making decisions, especially if the money involved is the beneficiary’s own or comes from a settlement.