Nineteen-year-old Jake Gehringer is like any other young adult. Last year he was Homecoming King, he likes to play video games and he has a job.
“Me, I’m a teach aide,” Gehringer said.
Jake’s also working to pass the Achieving a Better Life Experience or ABLE Act.
ABLE Act is an amendment to the 529-savings tax plan.
“It will allow people with intellectual disabilities, people with disabilities in general, to save for their future just like any other person is allowed to,” said Denise Gehringer, mother of Jake.
Under the current law, people with intellectual disabilities can’t have more than $2,000 in their name or else they become ineligible to Social Security Benefits.
“And as you know, $2,000, in this day and age, is not a lot of money,” said Sherri Harnisch, president of the board of the Down Syndome Alliance of the Midlands.
Harnisch believes the ABLE Act will pass.
“It has more than 85% of Congress supporting it,” Harnisch said. “We’re not asking Congress to create a new program, we’re not asking for a handout, we’re just asking Congress to allow an opportunity to set up an account.”
An account that will allow people like Jake to have more opportunities. Mother Denise Gehringer sums it up well:
“This will allow him to have support and services, be a hard working tax-paying American, contribute to society like he’s able to do and live a happy, healthy fulfilled life like the rest of us hope to do.”
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