Thomas P. DiNapoli,
State Comptroller

Woman with an amputated left arm below the elbow swimming laps while wearing goggles, a swim cap and a blue bathing suit with orange piping

To qualify, a beneficiary must:

Have a disability that was present before age 26, with one of the following:

 
 

ABLE account owners are advised to maintain copies of receipts for all purchases and fees when using money from their ABLE accounts.

Who can open an account?

An eligible individual


Someone selected by the Eligible Individual
 

 
 


An Authorized Individual- If an Eligible Individual is unable to open his or her own NY ABLE Account, an agent under a power of attorney may open the Account on behalf of the Eligible Individual and if none, by any of the following, listed in order of priority

 
  • A conservator or legal guardian
  • Spouse, parent, sibling, or grandparent of the Eligible Individual, or
  • A representative payee appointed for the Eligible Individual by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
 
 

To be eligible, a beneficiary must have a disability that was present before age 26, with one of the following:

  • Classified as blind (as defined in the Social Security Act), or
  • Entitled to SSI or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) because of the disability or
  • Have a disability that is included on the Social Security Administration’s List of Compassionate Allowances Conditions or
  • Have a written diagnosis from a licensed physician documenting a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which results in marked and severe functional limitations, that can be expected to last for at least a year or can cause death.