What happens if the beneficiary is no longer eligible for an account?

If a beneficiary no longer meets eligibility requirements, they no longer qualify for an ABLE account and they (or their account manager) should sign in to their account’s settings and update their eligibility. Their account will remain open and they can continue to use the account until the end of the year.

After the end of the year, they stop being eligible, no new contributions (including automatic transfers) will be allowed and account withdrawals will be treated as non-qualified withdrawals. The earnings portion of non-qualified withdrawals is subject to income taxation and to a 10% federal tax penalty, and non-qualified withdrawals may affect eligibility for SSI and other federal benefits. The account will close if all the money is withdrawn. 

If the beneficiary begins to experience an eligible disability again, they can sign into the account’s settings and update their eligibility. If the account has been closed, they can sign up for a new one here. 

Sign Up and Start Saving

Once you are ready to enroll, you can set up your account here online. When opening a Maryland ABLE account, make sure you have ready identifying information about the beneficiary, the qualifying disability, and how the ABLE account will be funded.

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Have specific questions?

Here are a few ways to get answers. You can contact us online, give us a call Monday through Friday, at 1-855-563-2253 from 9am-8pm ET, or you can browse frequently asked questions.

Individuals with speech or hearing disabilities may dial 711 to access Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) from a telephone or TTY.

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