The collegeinvest authority administers the achieving a better life
experience (ABLE) savings program. Individuals who were declared disabled, as defined under federal law, before reaching 26 years of age are eligible to open an ABLE savings account. ABLE savings accounts under section 529A of the internal revenue code are modeled after section 529 college savings accounts, but, unlike those accounts, ABLE savings accounts may be used to save for many expenses related to an individual's disability without disqualifying the individual for certain federal benefits.
The bill modifies the administration and operation of these
accounts in 2 ways. First, the bill allows a person other than the individual with a disability to open an ABLE savings account for the individual and to have signature authority over that account. Second, the bill prohibits the state from filing a claim against the ABLE savings account upon the account owner's death for outstanding payments due for qualified disability expenses.
The bill also modifies the tax benefits associated with an ABLE
savings account. Under the bill, a taxpayer may deduct from their federal taxable income for purposes of calculating their state taxable income certain contributions made to an ABLE savings account. Further, the bill ensures that a taxpayer does not encounter tax recapture of any deductions claimed for these contributions when distributions are made from an ABLE savings account for qualified disability expenses.
