In the time I have spent in public service, I have been privileged to be a part of some important legislative changes and met some incredible people in the process.

One of my favorite experiences that brings together both of these things happened in 2017 when I got to meet Rachel Mast. Rachel is a vibrant young woman who just finished her first semester of college, loves to be active in her community, and spreads her contagious enthusiasm for life to everyone she meets. She was also born with Down syndrome.

Rachel has the distinct honor of being the first individual to open a Kansas ABLE savings account, which became available just a few short years ago when my fellow legislators and I passed the ABLE Act through the Kansas Legislature.

ABLE accounts are new to Kansas and created specifically for people living with a disability. Those within the disabled community and the family members tied to the community often face the hardship of higher medical costs, along with other disability-related expenses. Prior to the ABLE Act’s passage, saving money was often a tricky issue for the disabled community. Saving more than $2,000 in one’s name could jeopardize that individual’s eligibility for necessary benefits such as SSI and Medicaid. ABLE accounts were designed to alleviate that savings restriction, and in turn give individuals living with a disability and their families the freedom to plan ahead and save for a more secure future without the worry of losing much needed public assistance.

An ABLE account for Rachel has allowed her to experience things in life that were previously financially out of reach. Rachel now attends college and is using the saved funds within the account to pay for parts of her higher education. Rachel now has a job where a portion of her earnings go into her ABLE account and her desire to work and earn an income is not limited by a $2,000 savings cap. Rachel now has an achievable dream where she can save a sizable amount of money in order to make a down payment on the pink house she’d like to own one day.

It has been very heart-warming from my vantage point now in the Kansas State Treasurer’s office, where we administer ABLE accounts, to see these accounts being opened and the disabled community feeling the relief of being able to save for the future. As awareness of ABLE accounts grows it is my hope that more and more families caring for a disabled family member will consider this path of saving.

For Rachel, ABLE has been a key to opening new doors that will assist her in living an independent and fulfilling life. We at the Treasurer’s office are excited to continue assisting more Kansans with opening ABLE accounts that we hope will allow them to live their best life as well.

For more information on how to get started with an ABLE account for yourself or a family member, please give our office a call at 785-296-7950.

Jake LaTurner is the Kansas State Treasurer.