As children, many of us read the classic by Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You Will Go! In this story the reader is taken on a winding journey that presents experiences to which many can relate. One such stop along the way is The Waiting Place. Here the main character is surrounded by others “waiting for a phone to ring, or the snow to snow, or waiting around for a Yes or No.” They wait for something to happen, anything, without taking action to find their way out.

This circumstance resonates with ABLE as we await movement on the ABLE Age Adjustment Act. But how do we get out of this “Waiting Place”? Our protagonist doesn’t accept their fate to be there, and neither should we. So, what more can we do?

As partners and state administrators we have been reminded of persisting with our federal advocacy efforts and the importance of reaching out to our delegation. NAST recently distributed updated talking points and a draft letter to the editor that we can use to refresh our outreach. By using these tools and engaging in important conversations with our legislators we can keep the buzz going about ABLE Age Adjustment.

INvestABLE Indiana has worked diligently to engage our state Department of Veteran’s Affairs and their affiliates. Shortly after the introduction of the ABLE Age Adjustment Act in 2021, INvestABLE, with the support of the Office of the Indiana Treasurer of State, began meeting with our Department of Veteran’s Affairs and federal delegation. As a result of this early and consistent dialogue, Indiana’s VA was an eager supporter the legislation, knowing that its passage will get this impactful savings tool into the hands of those who served their country. Through this partnership INvestABLE Indiana connected with other allies and advocates to support the legislation. Because of the collaboration between INvestABLE Indiana and the Indiana VA, INvestABLE has provided general education and outreach on ABLE accounts to Indiana VA ally and advocate groups across the state.

While we continue to make considerable progress educating and promoting the financial tools available to disabled veterans through our collaboration with the Indiana VA, challenges still exist. Specifically challenging is the age of onset ceiling currently required for ABLE eligibility. Many of the disabled veterans who are interested in establishing ABLE accounts are unable to, as they experienced service-related disabilities after the age of 26.

We shouldn’t be discouraged though, and we shouldn’t stop the conversation. Veterans are a strong and passionate community who live a shared experience that only strengthens their bond. They support each other and INvestABLE Indiana is thankful for their support offered on ABLE accounts.

We don’t need to accept the Waiting Place as our fate, and we must actively work to find our way out. If you don’t know where to start or have become stalled, accessing the NAST ABLE Age Adjustment Act toolkit and the updated resources from NAST are a great start. Engagement with our legislators and community partners, such the state’s Department of Veteran’s Affairs, can be the critical first step to finding our way out of the Waiting Place. And, oh the places we can go, we will continue to dream big dreams and provide even greater and diverse options to aid in the journey of individuals with disabilities to achieve a better life through financial independence.

Visit savewithable.com/in to learn more about INvestABLE Indiana.