ABLE Account Washington State: Eligibility, Programs, and Benefits

To be eligible for an ABLE account in Washington State, you must have a disability that occurred before age 26, and you must have received a diagnosis from a licensed physician.

ABLE accounts in Washington State offer a range of benefits, including tax-free growth and withdrawals for qualified disability expenses.

If you're interested in opening an ABLE account in Washington State, you can choose from a variety of programs that offer different features and benefits.

To get started, you'll need to apply for an ABLE account through the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) or a private financial institution.

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To be eligible for an ABLE account in Washington state, you must have a disability that occurred before the age of 26. This can be verified by receiving SSI or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits based on a disability or blindness that occurred before age 26.

The onset of your disability must be before age 26 to be eligible for an ABLE account, and you can only have one account. You can open the account in the program of the state where you are a resident, or in another state's ABLE program.

The ABLE program in Washington state, like other states, is responsible for facilitating an accurate determination of eligibility for an ABLE account and will not monitor your account for potential impact on eligibility.

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As of 2026, an additional 6 million Americans, including 1 million veterans, will have access to ABLE programs, thanks to the ABLE Age Adjustment Act. This expansion will provide more people with disabilities and their families with a vital tool for saving and planning for the future.

The onset of a disability must occur before the age of 46 to be eligible for an ABLE account, up from the previous age limit of 26. This change will benefit many individuals who have developed disabilities later in life.

Currently, 46 states and Washington, D.C. have ABLE programs, with over 137,000 accounts opened and more than $1.25 billion saved to date. The first ABLE program opened in 2016.

The tax benefits of ABLE accounts are significant, with tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals when used for qualified disability expenses.

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If you're a third-party contributor to someone's ABLE account, you can still apply for Medicaid, but there are some important things to consider.

A contribution from a family member to a grandchild's ABLE account, for example, is considered a transfer of assets.

The transfer may need to be evaluated under the requirements in section 1917(c)(1) of the Act, depending on when it occurred.

This means that even if you contributed to someone's ABLE account, it might not be exempt in the determination of your own Medicaid eligibility.

For instance, if a grandfather contributes to his grandchild's ABLE account, the amount transferred would not be an exempt transfer for the grandfather's Medicaid eligibility.

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To access your Able account in Washington State, you'll need to log in with your username and password.

Your username is the email address you used to create your account, and your password is a combination of letters and numbers that you chose when you signed up. Make sure to keep your password secure to prevent unauthorized access to your account.

If you've forgotten your password, don't worry - you can easily reset it by clicking on the "Forgot Password" link on the login page.

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An ABLE account is a type of savings and investment account that works like a 529 college savings plan.

Contributions to an ABLE account grow tax-free, and withdrawals must be for qualified expenses.

These accounts are not meant to replace any services you’re already receiving.

More than 40 states and the District of Columbia offer ABLE accounts, and some programs are open to folks nationwide.

States run the programs and work with financial institutions that manage the banking or investment services.

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Having an ABLE account can provide peace of mind for families with loved ones with disabilities.

You can save money, including wages, without losing public benefits, which is a huge relief for many families. An ABLE account can have up to $15,000 in contributions per year, and an ABLE account holder can go over that limit with their own wages in some cases.

Cheryl Walfall-Flagg, an ABLE NRC ambassador, opened her son's ABLE account online in 2017 when the North Carolina program launched. She was able to switch from worrying about her son's future to smiling at his savings and bank statements.

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The first $100,000 in ABLE accounts doesn’t count toward asset limits that are part of eligibility for some public aid programs, such as Social Security Income. This means that families can plan for their loved ones' futures without fear of losing benefits.

Having an ABLE account can also give individuals with disabilities more autonomy and independence. The owner and beneficiary of an ABLE account is the person with a disability, not their parent or guardian.

Contributions to an ABLE account are treated differently depending on who makes the contribution. Third party contributions, such as from a family member or friend, are disregarded in determining Medicaid eligibility, but are counted as income if the beneficiary can access the money.

For SSI-based eligibility groups, money contributed by a third party is considered countable income in the month it's received, and a resource in the following month. However, this rule doesn't apply to ABLE accounts, where third party contributions are not counted as income or included in total resources.

ABLE account beneficiaries can contribute their own income or resources to their account, reducing their total countable resources. However, transferring income to an ABLE account won't reduce countable income, as how income is used doesn't change its designation as income at the point of receipt.

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Contributions can be made to an ABLE account in a few different ways. Third parties, such as family members or friends, can contribute to an ABLE account, and these contributions are disregarded in determining Medicaid eligibility.

Under SSI-based methodologies, money contributed by a third party to an account which an individual can access is generally considered countable income in the month it is received. However, per section 103, third party contributions to an ABLE account are not counted as income or included in total resources of the account beneficiary.

Designated beneficiaries of an ABLE account can also contribute their own income or resources to their ABLE account. If an ABLE account beneficiary transfers some of their own resources to their ABLE account, the effect is a corresponding reduction in total countable resources.

Distributions from special needs trusts or pooled trusts made on behalf of the trust beneficiary to the beneficiary's ABLE account should be treated the same as contributions to ABLE accounts from any other third party.

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Distributions from ABLE accounts are not included in the beneficiary's taxable income or counted as income in eligibility determinations for federal programs like Medicaid, as long as they're used for qualified disability expenses (QDEs).

Qualifying expenses can include things like education, housing, transportation, employment training, and assistive technology, which are all expenses related to the eligible individual's blindness or disability.

Distributions exceeding QDEs are treated differently for individuals whose financial eligibility is determined using SSI-based methodologies. In these cases, the distribution itself isn't considered income, but rather the conversion of a resource from one form to another.

For these individuals, a distribution from an ABLE account may only be countable as a resource if it's retained beyond the month it's received and used for something other than a QDE in that or a subsequent month.

Able Account Washington State is a vital resource for individuals and families who need support. NDI's loan program can help pay for devices that improve or maintain independence and quality of life.

Assistive technology can make a huge difference in daily life, and it's amazing how it can be a game-changer. NDI's loan program can be used to purchase devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, and communication devices that help individuals maintain their independence.

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