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SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
MiABLE: Helps Individuals Gain Independence
Able to dream, able to plan, able to save — that’s what MiABLE promises individuals with disabilities and their families.
People with disabilities hear enough about what they’re not able to do. It’s time to talk about what they are able to do and how MiABLE - Michigan’s 529 savings program for individuals with disabilities and their families - can help them get there.
Finances can limit attempts to achieve independence, health and quality of life, but MiABLE is helping to change that. Someone with a disability or their family member can open a MiABLE account and start on the path to saving right away. A MiABLE account acts in addition to, not in replacement of, government programs like Medicaid or Supplemental Social Security Income. That means MiABLE account holders can save without losing their benefits. A MiABLE account can also be used in combination with a special needs trust for those who have one.
WHAT CAN FUNDS BE USED FOR?
MiABLE savings can be used on everything from buying or renting a home to making home improvements and for college tuition, transportation and more.
MiABLE account holder Edward Lofton, 31, is using his MiABLE account to save for a car, travel and, someday, buy his own home. As a person with autism, Lofton’s big plans seemed impossible before MiABLE came along. That’s because he, like many others with disabilities, was limited to accumulating assets of just $2,000 or risk losing government benefits. Now, thanks to MiABLE, Lofton’s dreams are in reach.
He has a job at Ford’s Advanced Engineering Center in Dearborn and is saving his money in his MiABLE account for his first car. “[I want] something good on gas,” Lofton said. He also earns enough money at his job to contribute to the household he currently shares with his mother, paying his share of living expenses. One activity Lofton enjoys in his free time is traveling. He also uses his MiABLE account savings to take exciting trips and visit destinations he’s always dreamed of. According to his mother, Joanna, “[Edward] splits the costs on the trips we take.” The two recently traveled to Nashville and Milwaukee, and Edward picked up his portion of the expenses. The next trip on his itinerary is Trinidad in South America.
Joanna Lofton is grateful for the full life and independence her son has found. “Without MiABLE,” she said, “this never would have happened. MiABLE gave my son the opportunity to hold a job and provide a decent life for himself.”
USING MIABLE FOR UNEXPECTED NEEDS AND EXPENSES
Lofton isn’t the only one using his MiABLE savings account to pay for everyday expenses. Ivy Filcik and her family have been using her MiABLE account since she was an infant.
Ivy is a precocious 5-year-old — she’s curious, adventurous, cute as a button and comes with a warning label to watch out for any unexpected safety risks. These risks have a very real presence in her life as a person with Down syndrome, and as a result, Ivy has some unexpected needs and expenses. That’s why her parents opened a MiABLE account for her six months after she was born. It has been the gift that keeps on giving ever since.
“We learned pretty quickly about the unfortunate limits imposed on earnings for people with disabilities receiving government benefits,” said Lindsay Filcik, Ivy’s mother. “But it is fantastic that MiABLE steps into that space.”
Lindsay’s father, who is a banker, recommended that she open a MiABLE account shortly after Ivy was born. He makes a gift into Ivy’s MiABLE account on special occasions like her birthday. This gift-giving option is one of the things Lindsay likes most about MiABLE.
Friends and family can contribute directly into a loved one’s MiABLE account using Ugift, a free, easy-to-use service. It makes a great alternative to traditional gift-giving. Other friends and family of the Filciks’ have used Ugift to send gifts to Ivy’s MiABLE account. A girl whom Lindsay once babysat for donated all the profits from her 4-H project to Ivy’s account.
Ivy’s parents have used some of her MiABLE money to pay for Ivy’s horse therapy and other experiences. One of MiABLE’s overall goals is to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities, and no one who has seen Ivy riding a horse can deny it’s an experience she won’t soon forget.
Along with her parents, Ivy’s older brother and sister remain ever-vigilant for the always-on-the-go youngster. Her activities often require purchasing safety devices — and they can pay for it all with MiABLE money. “She’s always on the move, running, escaping,” Lindsay said. “She’s so curious. MiABLE helps us buy some of the things we need to keep her safe.”
FIND PEACE OF MIND WITH MIABLE
Whether it’s saving for a car, traveling, renting or purchasing a home or paying for medical expenses, treatments and more, MiABLE is helping individuals with disabilities and their families find greater independence, health and quality of life. And more than that, a MiABLE savings account can help them find peace of mind.
Every individual deserves access to not only the things they need but also the chance to dream and plan for the future. Visit MiABLE.org to learn more and open an account today.
