>> PEOPLE WITH INVISIBLE AND VISIBLE DISABILITIES CAN FACE A VARIETY OF CHALLENGES BUT
SHOULD NOT STOP THEM FROM
PURSUING THESE FOUR GOALS.
>> MANY LIKE FINE EDUCATION
HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO GROW
THEIR SAVINGS.
BUT THERE IS A WAY FLORIDIANS
WITH DISABILITIES CAN FIND THE
RIGHT BENEFITS AND THE RIGHT
SUPPORT.
>> WHO TELLS OF FLORIDIANS WITH
DISABILITIES CAN LIVE LIMIT
FREE IS JOHN SIKORA ABLE UNITED
ADVOCATE.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU JEN AND
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU
FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR
PARENTS OF CHILDREN THAT HAVE
DISABILITIES.
I KNOW A LOT OF THEM MYSELF AND
A LOT OF THOSE PARENTS LIKE TO
SAY THEY ARE DIFFERENTLY ABLED.
AND THAT IS JUST A TERM THAT
SPREAD TO PEOPLE.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK PEOPLE
NEED TO KNOW WERE NOT -- BUT
THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO GRASP.
>> FOR ME, MY SON HAS DOWN
SYNDROME AND HE IS NOW 17.
WE WERE NEW TO THE DISABILITY
COMMUNITY WHEN HE WAS BORN.
WE LEARNED VERY QUICKLY WE
WOULD HAVE TO BE HIS ADVOCATE
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO BE THE
VOICE FOR HIM BECAUSE NO ONE
WILL BE ABLE TO STEP IN AND DO
THAT OTHER THAN SOMEONE WHO
REALLY LOVES AND CARES FOR HIM
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE
STARTED WORKING ON WERE ABLE
ACCOUNTS TO SAVE FOR OUR SON
THE WAY WE STAYED FOR OUR
DAUGHTER WHO DOES NOT HAVE A
DISABILITY.
AND IT’S SOMETHING WE’VE WORKED
ON FOR A LONG TIME.
>> EXPLAINED THE MEANS FOR ABLE
ACCOUNT FOR SOMEONE WHO DOES
NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DISABILITY.
IF THE RECEIVING ANY BENEFITS
LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY OR
MEDICAID, DAVE AN ASSET LIMIT
OF $2000.
IT MEANS THEY CAN HAVE MORE
THAN $2000 IN THEIR NAME BEFORE
THEY START LOSING THOSE REALLY
CRUCIAL BENEFITS.
IT’S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE KNOW.
BUT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAVE
FOR MY SON WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT
RECEIVING THE BENEFITS.
BEFORE THE APRIL ACCOUNT YOU
CANNOT DO THAT.
SO HE IS THE ACCOUNT HOLDER AND
IT’S HIS MONEY AND HIS NAME.
BECAUSE HE’S NOT OLD ENOUGH TO
HANDLE IT YET AND TAKING CARE
OF THAT FOR HIM.
BUT IT GIVES THEM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
THAT MONEY GOING FORWARD AND
HAVE THE IMPORTANT BENEFITS.
>> HOW DOES HE FEEL ABOUT THIS?
I KNOW HE’S A 17-YEAR-OLD BOY
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
>> HIS MONEY WOULD BE GOING
TOWARDS ICE CREAM AND DISNEY.
>> YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO BE THE
STEWARDS FOR HIM AND REALLY
PROTECT THAT FOR HIM.
AND HE IS THE HAPPIEST GUY YOU
CAN IMAGINE.
A TOTAL SWEETHEART ALTHOUGH HE
IS IS MOMENTS ARE SISTER WILL
TELL YOU THAT.
>> ANY PARENT CAN UNDERSTAND
THE WANT AND NEED TO SAVE THEIR
CHILD.
YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT HIS
FUTURE.
>> YES AND THE REAL QUESTION IS
WHEN WE STARTED THIS BACK IN
2005 HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT
SINCE THEN TO GET THE
LEGISLATION PASSED.
SINCE FLORIDA CAME ON BOARD.
WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT OUR
CHILDREN’S NEEDS WILL BE AND WE
NEED TO BUILD A SAFER KIDS WITH
DISABILITIES THE WAY WE SEE FOR
KIDS WITHOUT DISABILITIES.
>> AFTER 529 A FLORIDA PREPAID
YOU WANT TO BE AS PROACTIVE AS
POSSIBLE FOR YOUR KIDS.
NO MATTER WHAT THE FUTURE
HOLDS.
>> SO THEY ARE PART A 529.
520 9A.
THE GREAT THING THAT ABELED --
CAN USE THINGS THEY NEED.
THEY ARE NOT LIMITED TO JUST
EDUCATION BUT THEY CAN USE IT
FOR THAT AND ALSO USE IT FOR
HEALTHCARE NEEDS OR FOR
TRANSPORTATION.
IF THEY NEED TO USE A
COMMUNICATION DEVICE THEY CAN
USE IT FOR TECHNOLOGY AND
SERVICES.
IT IS A GREAT WAY FOR FAMILIES
TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT MONEY
ASIDE AND THEN BE ABLE TO
ACCESS IT LATER ON, WHATEVER
THEIR CHILD MIGHT NEED.
>> HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT IF
YOU’RE ELIGIBLE AND WANT TO GET
MORE INFORMATION?
>> IF YOU COULD ABLE UNITED.COM
WEBSITE DAVE AND ELIGIBILITY
WIZARD.
IT WALKS YOU THROUGH SO PEOPLE
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WHO
HAVE A DISABILITY THAT IT’S A
QUALIFYING DISABILITY BEFORE
THE AGE OF 26 ARE ELIGIBLE.
IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING LASTING
SO THINGS LIKE DOWN SYNDROME
AND CEREBRAL PALSY AND MEDICAL
AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
ARE INCLUDED IN THERE.
BUT IT IS ONE OF THE FIRST
TIMES YOU’VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE
TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY
BENEFICIAL FOR KIDS WITHOUT
LOSING ANY OF THE BENEFITS.
>> AND HOW EARLIER PARENTS ABLE
TO SAVE?
>> AS SOON AS THEIR CHILD HAS A
DIAGNOSIS.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM BIRTH UP
TO ADULTHOOD YOU ARE OPENING
ACCOUNTS BEING ABLE TO USE
THEM.
>> YOU ABLE TO SEE IF YOU WANT
TO SPREAD THE WORD TO FRIENDS
OUT-OF-STATE, ARE YOU ABLE TO
SEE IF THEIR STATE IS
PARTICIPATING?
>> YES.
IT IS A NATIONAL LAW.
NOT ALL THE STATES ARE ON
BOARD.
FLORIDA WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
DAYS TO COME ON BOARD SO VERY
PROUD OF THAT.
BUT THERE AE OTHER STATES WHO
HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT AS
WELL.
>> I BET IT MAKES YOU FEEL
GREAT TOO.