Financial education and asset development are critical to improving the economic self-sufficiency of all workers and may be especially important for people with disabilities. Learning how to stretch wages further, invest wisely, avoid debt, and plan for retirement is essential to avoiding the poverty level income connected with most disability benefit programs, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Several work and tax incentives exist to reduce disability- and work-related costs, such as medical expenses or reasonable job accommodations. Some work incentives can even be used to provide capital for disabled people interested in starting their own business.

The following resources provide more information about work and tax incentives, financial education, and asset development:

Secure Your Financial Future: A Toolkit for Individuals with Disabilities

The Securing Your Financial Future Toolkit was developed by ODEP and the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). The toolkit guides people with disabilities to strive for or maintain employment and achieve financial stability. Organized around five stages of the employment lifecycle, the toolkit provides best practices and resources to address common financial concerns during each stage. So, whether you are preparing for a job, starting a job, maintaining a job, changing or losing a job, or even planning for retirement, this toolkit has resources for you. 

Toolkit Spotlight

  • What are my Housing Options? — This resource, available in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese, is a helpful tool designed to assist disabled individuals considering their housing options to make informed decisions.
  • Aligning My Career Path with My Earning Needs — This manual, available in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese helps people with disabilities answer questions like: how much money do I need to earn to pay my bills and meet my financial goals? Answering these questions can help align career path with earning needs.
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Social Security Administration, SSI and SSDI — Are you wondering if you can work and receive social security benefits? These FAQs provide people with disabilities and their families an overview on social security benefits and answers common questions about these benefits and employment.
  • These blogs highlight how people with disabilities are using the toolkit to either prepare and maintain employment or to explore other employment opportunities.

Achieving A Better Life Experience (ABLE)

ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings and investment accounts for people with disabilities. They have been a game changer for many disabled people who want to work and save for the future without concerns about asset limits. The ABLE account owner is the person with the disability. The account owner, their family and friends, their employer and their Special Needs Trust (SNT) may contribute funds into the account. ABLE account owners – both those who do and do not receive public benefits – may save for qualified disability expenses related to transportation, health care, housing, education, retirement, and more.

ABLE Resources

Workforce System and Bank Partnerships: Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)

The CRA is a law passed in 1977 that encourages banks to conduct activities and make investments to benefit low- and moderate-income individuals and neighborhoods, including workforce development-related activities for disabled people. The CRA can be leveraged to provide financial coaching, financial assistance for entrepreneurs, workforce training, credit assistance, career preparation, and other activities.

Leveraging the CRA

  • Workforce System and Bank Partnerships: A “How-To” Online Guide —This online guide provides a blueprint to help workforce development boards establish stronger partnerships with banks. These resources encourage workforce development boards to examine whether existing partnerships focus on equity and support of historically underserved communities, including people with disabilities and people of color.
  • Community Reinvestment Act FAQ — From this FAQ, staff in the workforce system will learn how they can leverage bank resources to improve economic self-sufficiency and employment outcomes for low- and moderate-income individuals.

Financial Empowerment through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Youth participants and adult job seekers with and without disabilities under WIOA may be eligible to receive financial literacy education. WIOA supports the financial empowerment of people with disabilities and the right to manage their own money and benefits responsibly. There are many opportunities to integrate financial empowerment in workforce development systems to establish a community-wide culture of inclusiveness.

Leveraging WIOA

  • Aligning Employment and Financial Conversations in American Job Centers (AJCs) — This guide provides information and resources to help AJC staff and their partners discuss financial and employment goal setting with disabled job seekers. The guide provides the tools for successful conversations that align job seeker money and employment goals.
  • Financial Literacy FAQs Under WIOA — View responses to questions that support better understanding of the definition of financial literacy under WIOA, who can receive services, how services may be delivered and national resources to support local efforts.
  • Integrating Financial Capability and Asset Building Strategies into the Public Workforce Development System — AJCs are uniquely positioned to extend the promise of financial stability to prospective job seekers and workers with disabilities by serving as a bridge to accurate information, resources and successful strategies to assist in improving one’s financial capability. This paper describes some of the replicable models that AJCs have established to provide financial capability services.

Additional Resources for Financial Empowerment

  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — The CFPB is a 21st century agency that implements and enforces federal consumer financial law. CFPB’s Your Money, Your Goals is a set of financial empowerment materials for organizations that help people meet their financial goals by increasing their knowledge, skills, and resources.
  • Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) — The FDIC is an independent agency created by Congress to maintain stability and public confidence in the nation’s financial system. It’s Money Smart Education Program helps people of all ages enhance their financial skills and create positive banking relationships.
  • Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Assistant  — This guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) assists people in determining if they should claim the EITC, a refundable tax credit for eligible low-income workers with and without disabilities.
  • Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) — The EBSA works to ensure the security of retirement, health, and other workplace related benefits of workers and their families. It helps individuals know about their rights and responsibilities when covered by private retirement, health, and other benefit plans.
  • Social Security Administration (SSA) — The Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSDI) disability programs are the largest of several federal programs that provide assistance to disabled people. While these two programs are different in many ways, both are administered by SSA and only individuals who have a disability and meet medical criteria may qualify for benefits under either program.
  • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)  — This tax assistance program offers free help to low- to moderate-income individuals and families who cannot prepare their own tax returns. VITA sites are usually located at community centers, libraries, schools, malls, and other locations.
  • Work Incentives — These special rules make it possible for disabled people receiving SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to work and still receive monthly payments and Medicare or Medicaid.