North Carolina resident Dr. Michael Ribadeneyra is father to Abbie, a teenager with mild cerebral palsy, ADD and dyslexia. For years, the Ribadeneyra family sought a way to save for Abbie’s disability expenses – and they found just what they were looking for in ABLEnow. Dr. Ribadeneyra recently shared the following note of thanks with ABLEnow.
Dear ABLEnow,
Abbie is our delightful 17-year-old daughter, currently a senior at The John Crosland School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Abbie plans to go to college to study early childhood education with the desire of becoming a teacher’s assistant.
This sweet, caring teenager has a passion for mentoring young children and taking care of animals. She volunteers in the nursery at our church and is an active participant in Girl Scouts. She is presently working on her Girl Scouts Gold Award project: setting up a weekly therapy dog program at the local women’s shelter.
At home, she enjoys playing with our family’s two golden retrievers and likes to discuss politics and current affairs over the dinner table.
Planning for Abbie’s future is difficult in light of her cerebral palsy and the slowly progressive nature of the disease. We previously set up a special needs trust for her long-term needs. However, we were struggling to find something to assist her present financial needs … until we discovered the ABLE program.
After thorough investigation, we found the Virginia-based ABLEnow program to be the best one out there. We appreciate how easy the website is to navigate; it offers a straightforward explanation of the benefits of the program. We also appreciate the simple low monthly fee structure and the ability to use a debit card for expenses.
When Abbie goes away to college next year, this debit card will be indispensable for meeting her needs. And now, recently passed legislation allows us to move some of the money saved in Abbie’s 529 educational savings plan into her ABLEnow account. That is huge for us!
Most importantly, ABLEnow gives Abbie the ability to use her own money to meet her basic needs and educational expenses – without compromising her future eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid and Vocational Rehab services. These services will be vital for her in the coming years.
In sum, the ABLE Act legislation and the Virginia ABLEnow program could not have come at a better time in Abbie’s life. We are so thankful for it!
Sincerely,
Mike and Evelyn Ribadeneyra, proud parents of Abbie … as well as Grace Ribadeneyra (who is pretty great, too!)
*Dr. Michael Ribadeneyra is a paid ambassador for the ABLEnow program. His experience as an account owner may not be representative of other account owners.
