08/24/2026
So many wonderful people asked if they could send funds to our family. It was odd turning down the remarkable generosity of others.
We cannot receive funds from individuals as it would disqualify Gardner from receiving medical benefits. The household can have no more than $2000 in resources to receive Medicaid, SNAP or SSI.
We setup an Able Savings account for Gardner.
What funds are not exhausted from treatment will roll into a 529 plan fund for his future and it’s automatically investing a portion.
It has a maximum annual contribution ($20,000). (Once the money is in the ABLE, the first $100,000 does not count against the SSI $2,000 resource limit.)
The Able account allows for payment of medical and necessary expenses during treatment and will not count against our benefits criteria.
Details on how to contribute are in the image.
These are called Qualified Disability Expenses (QDEs). As long as the expense relates to the beneficiary’s disability and helps maintain or improve their health, independence, or quality of life, it is generally allowed:
• Housing – rent, mortgage, property taxes, utilities, home modifications
• Education – tuition, books, tutoring, educational software
• Transportation – car payments, gas, repairs, public transit, accessible vehicle modifications
• Employment support – job coaching, training, work-related tools
• Health & medical – therapies, medical equipment, medications, dental, vision, hearing aids, hospital bills not covered by insurance
• Assistive technology – wheelchairs, communication devices, adaptive equipment
• Personal support services – caregivers, respite care, personal care attendants
• Financial management – legal fees related to the disability, financial planning
• Basic living expenses – food, clothing, personal care items (when related to the disability)
You can also use ABLE funds for things that improve the beneficiary’s quality of life in a disability-related way (examples: summer camp designed for kids with medical needs, certain recreational activities, etc.).
This is not affiliated with the Gardner Strong non profit. We do not receive all of these benefits but it’s interesting to note for those who have been affected by similar circumstances. I am not an accountant and am sharing this information, it’s not financial advice. If you are in a similar situation I hope this is helpful for research purposes. This also applies for aging people and others with chronic illnesses.
