VA Benefits and Attainable: A Winning Team

In 2017 the Attainable^® Savings Plan was launched in Massachusetts. This is the Massachusetts response to the ABLE Act, which provides an opportunity for recipients of Social Security benefits to save money in a tax-advantaged account without losing eligibility for those benefits. Attainable^® account owners must have been diagnosed with their disability before the age of the 26 (and due to the recent passage of ABLE Age Adjustment, this will be expanded to age 46 in 2026). Those eligible for Attainable^® accounts include anyone with the diagnosis of PTSD/CPTSD and permanent physical injury.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits have always worked in concert with the supports created through Veterans Affairs (VA). As Attainable^® eligibility is based on your SSDI/SSI status, VA benefits and Attainable^® can be used together to improve the lives of Veterans in the Commonwealth and across the country. The VA and Social Security Administration (SSA) have different criteria to receive supports, which means many forms of assistance work well together. One example is the VA covering disability conditions that last less than one year, and SSA covering disabling conditions that last more than one year (lifelong). It is always advisable to seek out one of the free non-profits providing benefits counseling prior to engaging a new service.

Attainable^® Savings Plan funds can be withdrawn tax free as long as they are used for "qualified disability expenses," which include, but are not limited to, expenses related to: health, housing, education, transportation, assistive technology, employment training and support, personal support services, and basic living needs. One the areas where this can be particularly useful to Veterans is in the area of paying for health services like physical therapy or mental health services. Though you must apply for them separately, SSDI and VA compensation are not affected by each other.

The Attainable^® Savings Plan provides a unique opportunity to save and care for the health of disabled Veterans across the country. For more information on the program and to learn how to open an account, please visit mefa.org/attainable. For more information on Social Security benefits for Veterans, please visit the SSA site here. And finally, to keep up to date on all changes and information about the Attainable^® Savings Plan, please sign up to receive our email updates here.

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