Stephen Wira ABLE Act

119th Congress Introduced by Debbie Dingell

Increases the SSI asset disregard for ABLE accounts, using annual CPI-based increases (starting at $150,000 in 2026) to protect ABLE balances from SSI counting.

Introduced in House

Summary of HR 9384 (119th Congress) — Stephen Wira ABLE Act

Purpose and intent

HR 9384, titled the Stephen Wira ABLE Act, amends the Stephen Beck, Jr. ABLE Act of 2014.

The primary goal is to adjust the amount of ABLE account assets that are disregarded (excluded) when determining eligibility and benefit computations for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.

In short: increase the asset disregard for ABLE accounts to better protect and empower individuals with disabilities who rely on SSI.

Key provisions and changes

Section 2(a) Adjusted Disregard Amounts:

Replaces the previous threshold of “exceeds $100,000” with new, higher disregard levels:
For calendar year 2026: $150,000.
For each subsequent calendar year: the greater of either
- the amount from the most recent prior year, or
- the prior year amount adjusted by the total percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U, U.S. city average) for the 12 months ending June 30 before the new year.

Section 2(b) Determination and Notice of Adjustment:

They designate a process for annual adjustment determinations:
The Commissioner of Social Security must determine the applicable amount for each calendar year as described in subsection (a)(2)(B).
The determination must be published in the Federal Register no later than November 1 of the year prior to the calendar year starting date.
This creates an automatic, CPI-based inflation adjustment mechanism for the ABLE asset disregard threshold.

Who/what is affected

Individuals with disabilities who maintain ABLE accounts and receive SSI benefits.

SSI program administration and oversight, specifically the asset-disregard calculations used to determine SSI eligibility and benefit amounts.

ABLE account holders could retain larger balances without counting toward SSI resource limits, potentially preserving or expanding SSI benefits for longer periods.

Procedural and timeline considerations

Effective mechanics rely on annual CPI-U-based adjustments to the ABLE disregard amount.

The 2026 starting point is set at $150,000, with subsequent years pegged to inflation plus prior year comparisons.

The Social Security Administration is tasked with calculating and publishing the new amounts by November 1 preceding each calendar year.

The bill was introduced on June 22, 2026, and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means; it has a co-sponsor (Debbie Dingell).

Overall impact

Financial: Increases in the ABLE asset disregard threshold, providing greater protection of ABLE balances from SSI asset counting.

Social policy: Helps individuals with disabilities save in ABLE accounts without jeopardizing SSI eligibility, aligning with evolving cost-of-living adjustments.

Administrative: Introduces a formal, inflation-adjusted process for setting annual disregard amounts, requiring regular federal notices.