Did you know that 1 in 4 Americans has a disability that impacts their ability to live independently? As if that’s not enough, disabled people also face disheartening financial problems because of their condition.
Fortunately, the government and nonprofit programs can provide financial assistance and relief to people with disability.
This article shares a comprehensive list of financial assistance and programs for people with disabilities.
General Financial Assistance For The Disabled
There is a broad range of financial assistance and support programs to help you manage your money, file your taxes, save for the future, and more.
- ABLE Savings Account
It is perhaps the most common financial assistance program for disabled people. Short for ‘Achieving a Better Life Experience,’ ABLE is tax-advantaged savings account designed for disabled persons and their families.
Contributions can be made by the owner of the account, their family, special needs trusts, or friends. Any income earned in this account is non-taxable.
You can use the money in this savings account to pay for a variety of qualified disability expenses, including:
- Food
- Education
- Transportation
- Assistive technology
- Employment Training
- Housing
- Healthcare expenses
- Social Security Administration Programs
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has two programs to help disabled people cover their monthly living expenses. They are:
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI is emergency insurance for people who can’t work because of a medical condition or disability. It supports a disabled individual with a qualifying work history, either through a family member or their employment.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI offers minimum financial assistance to people with disabilities and older adults with limited resources and income. If you’re looking to apply for this program, follow these tips for qualifying for SSI. With SSI, eligible individuals get a monthly check with payment amounts varying by individual situations and the state.
Medical Assistance For The Disabled
Most people with disabilities find themselves burdened with expensive medical bills. Fortunately, different medical financial assistance programs can help reduce some of these costs.
- Medicaid
Medicaid is public health insurance that provides coverage to eligible low-income families, disabled people, and the elderly. It is a federal-state program that pays for covered medical expenses, but sometimes a small co-payment is required.
- Veterans Affairs Healthcare
If you served in the military and were honorably discharged, you’re eligible for VA healthcare benefits via the US Department of Veterans Affairs. People discharged for a disability that happened in the line of duty tend to receive higher priority.
- Children’s Health Insurance Program
For those who have disabled children and are struggling to afford their medical expenses, you can try applying for CHIP. This program is offered through Medicaid and helps families who can’t afford health insurance or don’t have coverage through work to pay their child’s medical bills.
- Prescription
Disabled people also have a variety of assistance programs to cover prescription drug costs. Major pharmaceutical companies offer vouchers via pharmaceutical assistance programs.
You can also look into nonprofit organocations and programs like Medicare Extra Help, National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF), and State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (SPAP).
Employment Assistance For The Disabled
Some disabled people still need to find work to sustain their everyday expenses. Fortunately, many employment programs can make finding employment easier to improve their financial security.
- Work Incentives Program
The Work Incentive Program is a special dispensation that allows disabled people receiving SSI or Social Security to work and still receive their monthly Medicaid or Medicare benefits. You can also qualify for this program regardless of whether you work full- or part-time.
- AbilityOne Program
This program is run by an independent federal agency and is one of the largest providers for blind individuals or those with significant disabilities. It provides employment opportunities and training for participants to market their skills to private and public sector jobs.
- Ticket To Work Program
Offered through the SSA, the Ticket to Work program provides everything from vocational rehab and job referrals to legal aid and employment training.
Educational Assistance For The Disabled
Whether you have a disabled child in high school or you want to finish your college degree, there are financial aids that can help pay for school costs.
- Federal Student Loans
There are three types of federal student loans. None of them are specifically designed for disabled students but can still help you pay for your educational expenses.
These loans include:
- Direct unsubsidized loans
- Direct subsidized loans
- Direct PLUS loans
- Federal Grants
There are no federal grants specifically designed for students with disabilities. However, you want to check available ones that you may be eligible to. Unlike loans, you don’t have to pay grants, making them a great option if you or your family struggles with your education cost. Some of the possible grants you can apply to are:
- National SMART Grants
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
- Academic Competitiveness Grants
- Private Grants And Scholarship Programs
In addition to federal grants, there are also many private education grants and scholarships for disabled students. These can be applied to by anyone so long as they are qualified to be awarded scholarship grants.
- Individuals With Disabilities Education
IDEA is a law that makes available a free proper public education to eligible disabled children throughout the country, providing special education and related services.
Home Assistance For The Disabled
If you need to find a new apartment, purchase a home, or make changes to your home, like installing a wheelchair ramp, several financial programs can help you.
- Housing Programs and Grants for Veterans
For veterans who are honorably discharged and have a service- or age-related disability, you can be eligible for a housing program and grant.
Programs include:
- Special Housing Adaption (SHA) Program
- Specially-Adapted Housing (SAH) Program.
- Home improvements and Structural Alteration (HISA) Grant
These are programs designed to help disabled veterans modify or build a home that suits their needs.
If you’re ready to purchase a home or find a new apartment, there’s a financial assistance and support service for you.
- Section 8 Vouchers
The Housing Choice Voucher Program Section 8 is funded by the federal government. It is designed to help disabled people, low-income families, and the elderly afford safe housing.
- Section 504 Home Repair Program
Offered by the US Department of Agriculture, this program extends loans to low-income homeowners to help cover the cost of home advancements and repairs, including changes to accommodate a family member with a disability.
Take Away
And there you have it!
If you’re living with a disability and having trouble making ends meet, you can sort through your options from the above list. There’s a program that can assist you, whether you need to pay for your medical bills, living expenses, finding work, or paying for your home.
