Frequently Asked Questions

The Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act is a federal law enacted in 2014 that authorized states to establish tax-advantaged savings programs designed to help individuals with disabilities and their families save funds to maintain health, independence and quality of life.

The Texas ABLE Program (“Texas ABLE” or the “program”) is the state’s savings program.  The program helps Texans with disabilities to save and pay for disability-related expenses while maintaining eligibility for federal and state means-tested benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid.

The program was created by the Texas Legislature in 2015 and is administered by the Texas Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board through the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

An Eligible Individual who opens an account, or for whom an account is opened, is referred to as the “beneficiary” of the account.

Balances in the Texas ABLE account are disregarded for purposes of determining the beneficiary’s eligibility to receive benefits under Medicaid. Balances of up to $100,000 will be disregarded for purposes of determining the beneficiary’s eligibility to receive benefits under the SSI program.

You are eligible (an “Eligible Individual”) to open an account if you meet the following three requirements:

1. You are a Texas resident.
2. Your disability was present before age 26.
3. You can prove your disability through one of the following ways:

   SSI or SSDI Eligibility
   You are currently receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits based on blindness or disability, or your entitlement to SSI benefits has been suspended solely based on excess income or resources; or 

   Physician’s Diagnosis
   A licensed physician has provided you a written diagnosis that you:
   a) are blind (within the meaning of the Social Security Act); or
   b) have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that results in marked and severe limitations that can be expected to result in death or has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months.Note: you do not have to provide us with a copy of the diagnosis during enrollment, but a copy of the diagnosis must be available upon request; or

   Compassionate Allowances Conditions
   You have a condition listed on the Social Security Administration’s list of Compassionate Allowances Conditions.

The Texas ABLE Program is an online program, which means you can enroll and manage your Texas ABLE account online. To open an account, you must certify that you possess the appropriate documentation related to your eligibility. Also, if you establish an account as an Authorized Legal Representative (“ALR”) on behalf of a beneficiary, you must certify that you possess the appropriate documents during online enrollment.

The program reserves the right to request documents supporting your eligibility (such as the SSA’s SSI or SSDI letter or a physician’s written diagnosis) or demonstrating your status as an ALR for the beneficiary.

After enrolling in the program, an ALR may receive an email notification or letter requesting submission of supporting documentation to validate his or her legal authority to act on behalf of the beneficiary. Documentation must be received by the program before an ALR will be able to transact on the account. The ALR cannot have the power to acquire any beneficial interest in the account or funds held therein and must administer the account solely for the benefit of the beneficiary in accordance with Section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations. In other words, the ALR must not have the authority to make gifts to themselves.

If documentation is requested by the program, it must be received by the program within ninety days of enrollment in the program or the account may be suspended or closed and refunded.

The program will accept the following types of documents, if submitted in good order, to demonstrate that an individual has legal authority to establish an account acting as the beneficiary’s Authorized Legal Representative:

Power of Attorney: a Power of Attorney instrument (such as our Limited Power of Attorney form), a trust agreement, or other legal document proving fiduciary status.

A Texas power of attorney must:

• be in writing;
• be signed by an adult beneficiary who has legal capacity;
• designate one person to act as attorney in fact or agent (no co-agents are allowed but successors are allowed);
• grant the agent the authority to act in place of the beneficiary regardless of whether the term “power of attorney” is used;
• grant the agent the authority or power to manage the banking and other financial institution transactions of the beneficiary or specifically, the beneficiary’s Texas ABLE account;
• if a durable power of attorney, it must also contain: “This power of attorney is not affected by subsequent disability or incapacity of the principal”; and
• be notarized.

NOTE: A power of attorney instrument executed in another state must comply with the laws of that state.

A Texas trust agreement must:

• be in writing;
• identify a trustor who intends to create a trust;
• name the beneficiary as the only person intended to be the beneficiary;
• appoint one person as trustee authorized to manage the trust property (no co-trustees are allowed but successor trustees are allowed);
• have the beneficiary’s Texas ABLE account as the sole trust property;
• not authorize or grant the trustee gifting authority or any beneficial interest in the beneficiary’s Texas ABLE account and
• be signed by trustee and trustor.

NOTE: A trust agreement executed in another state must comply with the laws of that state.

Conservator: a valid court order or other documentation establishing a conservatorship for the beneficiary.

Legal Guardian: a valid court order or other documentation establishing legal guardianship of person or estate.

Spouse: beneficiary’s marriage certificate.

Parent: beneficiary’s birth certificate or adoption order.

Sibling: birth certificates or adoption orders for both the beneficiary and the sibling.

Grandparent: birth certificates or adoption orders for both the beneficiary and the beneficiary’s parent(s).

Representative Payee: the letter appointing the Representative Payee for the beneficiary.

Failure to provide documents requested by the program in a timely manner may lead to suspension or closure of the account.

Funds in the account can be used to pay bills or expenses. There are two categories of expenses:

1. Qualified Disability Expenses, and
2. Non-Qualified Disability Expenses.

Qualified Disability Expenses must be:

1. Incurred while the beneficiary is an Eligible Individual,
2. Related to the beneficiary’s blindness or disability, and
3. For maintaining or improving the beneficiary’s health, independence, or quality of life.

Withdrawals for Non-Qualified Disability Expenses do not meet these requirements. Withdrawals that are used for Non-Qualified Disability Expenses may negatively impact benefit eligibility including benefits for SSI, SSDI, and Medicaid. Non-Qualified Withdrawals will also be subject to income tax on any earnings and an additional 10% federal tax on any earnings unless an exception applies.

Qualified Disability Expenses can include basic living expenses and are not limited to expenses for medically necessary items or those which only benefit the beneficiary.

Such expenses include, but are not limited to, expenses related to:

• Education
• Housing (if paid during the month of the withdrawal)
• Transportation
• Employment training and support
• Assistive technology and related services
• Personal support services
• Health
• Prevention and wellness
• Financial management and administrative services
• Legal fees
• Expenses for oversight and monitoring
• Funeral and burial costs
• Other expenses that may be identified from time to time by the Internal Revenue Service

You are solely responsible for maintaining records to show Texas ABLE account funds were used for a Qualified Disability Expense, including bank records, invoices, and receipts. While we do not require documentation when you are requesting a withdrawal, you may be asked by state or federal agencies to verify your expenditures.

Any funds you withdraw that are not used to pay for a Qualified Disability Expense (a “Non-Qualified Withdrawal”) will be considered an asset for purposes of determining your eligibility for certain means-tested federal programs, including Medicaid, SSI and SSDI. Any withdrawal for housing expenses that is not spent in the month the withdrawal is received will also be considered an asset for SSI purposes.

The earnings portion of a Non-Qualified Withdrawal is subject to federal income taxation, and an additional 10% federal tax will be assessed (unless an exception applies). You should consult a qualified tax advisor regarding how federal tax laws may apply to your circumstances.

An Eligible Individual who is at least 18 years old can open his or her own account.

Authorized Legal Representative
If the Eligible Individual is under the age of 18 or is not able or chooses not to manage his or her account, an Authorized Legal Representative may act on his or her behalf.

The Internal Revenue Service has established the following hierarchy of people who can serve as the Eligible Individual’s ALR:

• An agent acting under a Power of Attorney,
• A legal guardian or conservator,
• A spouse,
• A parent,
• A sibling,
• A grandparent, or
• A representative payee appointed by the SSA.

Once an Eligible Individual opens an account, or an ALR opens an account on an Eligible Individual’s behalf, the Eligible Individual is referred to as the beneficiary of the account. The program may request the ALR provide copies of the legal documents establishing the ALR’s legal authority to act for the beneficiary.

Online enrollment is quick and easy at TexasABLE.org. There is no application fee, but there is a $50 minimum deposit to open an account.

You should have the following information available before you begin the enrollment process:

• The beneficiary’s contact information, Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number, and date of birth. If the beneficiary is certifying eligibility with a written diagnosis from a physician, you will be asked for the physician’s name and address, the date of diagnosis, and the applicable diagnosis code.
• If applicable, the Authorized Legal Representative’s contact information, Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number, and date of birth. The ALR may be asked by the program to submit proof of his or her legal authority to establish an account for the beneficiary.
• Routing number and account number for your bank if you will be making the initial contribution via electronic transfer.

The minimum initial contribution to open an account is $50, and there is a minimum of $25 for subsequent contributions.

The beneficiary manages his or her own account unless an Authorized Legal Representative is named on the account, in which case the ALR will be the only person who can manage the account.

The beneficiary is the owner of the account, regardless of whether there is a named Authorized Legal Representative. An account may have only one owner.

Except for rollovers and program-to-program transfers, an Eligible Individual is allowed to have only one ABLE account open at any time.

You will be asked to submit additional documentation to verify your identity and, if you are an Authorized Legal Representative, you may be asked to submit proof of your legal authority to establish an account for the beneficiary. You will be unable to perform financial transactions unless all requested documents are submitted in good order in a timely manner. Failure to do so may result in suspension or closure of the account.

The two primary tax advantages of investing in an ABLE program are:

1. First, any investment earnings on the money contributed to a qualified ABLE program will not be subject to federal income tax until they are distributed.
2. Second, any investment earnings distributed and spent on a Qualified Disability Expense will not be subject to federal income tax.

The State of Texas does not impose a state income tax on individuals.

The earnings portion of a Non-Qualified Withdrawal from an account is subject to federal income taxation and an additional 10% tax except in certain limited circumstances. Also, if an excess contribution is not returned within the required time, it will be subject to a 6% excise tax.

For more information about Qualified Disability Expenses, please review the “Qualified Disability Expenses” section of the Texas ABLE Program Disclosure Statement and Participation Agreement (“Program Disclosure Statement”).

The program will provide IRS Form 1099-QA each year, which will show the total amount of withdrawals from the account and identify the earnings and contribution portions of the withdrawals. The program will also provide IRS Form 5498-QA, which will show the total annual contributions to the account, the amount of any rollover contributions, the fair market value of the account, and the basis for the beneficiary’s eligibility for the program.

The Texas ABLE Program cannot provide individual tax advice. You may wish to seek tax advice from an independent tax advisor based on your own circumstances.

When you contribute money to your account, you will designate how your money will be invested among the investment options we provide. The program offers four Managed Allocation investment options and one Bank Savings Account Option from which to choose. You may allocate all your contributions to one option, or you may choose to allocate your contributions among more than one.

The investment options are:

• Aggressive Allocation Option
• Moderate Allocation Option
• Moderately Conservative Allocation Option
• Conservative Allocation Option
• Bank Savings Account Option

For more information about the investment options, please review the “Investing an Account” section of the Program Disclosure Statement.

Yes. You may log in to the online portal to access your Texas ABLE account and change the investment options for the funds already in your account up to two times per calendar year. In addition, you may change your investment options for future contributions to your account at any time.

Only funds placed in the Bank Savings Account Option are insured under the guidelines of the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) up to the maximum amount set by federal law, which is currently $250,000. Accounts, contributions, and rates of return on investment are not guaranteed by the State of Texas or any other entity, and you could lose money on your investment in the program. Please review the “Risk Considerations” section of the Program Disclosure Statement.

Investment performance information can be found investments section of the program website.

Contributions can easily be made to an account by electronic funds transfer simply by providing your personal bank information and requesting a one-time contribution. You can also set up recurring contributions from your bank account on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis.

Additionally, contributions can be made with a check made payable to the “Texas ABLE Program” and mailed to the Texas ABLE Program, P.O. Box 44035, Jacksonville, FL 32231. Your name and your Texas ABLE account number should be included in the memo field of the check.

You can contribute through payroll deduction if your employer provides that option.

You also can contribute through a rollover or program-to-program transfer by completing the appropriate section of the application and/or the applicable account form.

Any person (including your friends and family), corporation, trust, or other legal entity may contribute to your account.

There are certain limits on contributions and account balances.

• The Annual Contribution Limit set by the Internal Revenue Code is currently $18,000 per beneficiary (unless the expanded contribution for working individuals with disabilities under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act applies) from all sources.
• You may not make additional contributions to your account if your account balance, including any earnings, is greater than or equal to the Account Balance Limit, currently $500,000. Accounts that have reached the Account Balance Limit can continue to accrue earnings. Once your balance falls below the Account Balance Limit, contributions may resume.
• If the beneficiary is an SSI recipient, SSI benefits may be suspended if the account balance, including any earnings, exceeds $100,000. Benefits can be reinstated when the account balance no longer causes the recipient to exceed the resource limit as long as he or she is otherwise eligible for SSI benefits. See the “Impact on Government Benefits” section below for more information on this and other considerations.

Our system is designed to reject contributions that will cause your account to exceed the Annual Contribution or Account Balance Limits (an “excess contribution”).

Electronic transfers that would exceed these limits may be rejected automatically. Checks or other amounts that are received but cannot be applied to an account because it would be an excess contribution will be placed in a non-interest-bearing account pending a refund and subject to a 10-day hold.

If an excess contribution is inadvertently accepted by the program and deposited to your account, the program will make a good-faith effort to return it, plus any earnings or minus any losses on the excess contribution, to the contributor in accordance with current IRS regulations. Otherwise, the refund will be made to the beneficiary.

An excess contribution inadvertently applied to an account and not returned to the contributor on or before the due date (including extensions) of the beneficiary’s income tax return for the year in which the excess contribution was received will result in the imposition on the beneficiary of a 6% excise tax on the amount of the excess contribution.

In accordance with federal and state law, the program will provide advance written or electronic notification to the beneficiary of any returned excess contribution within a reasonable time (i.e., not less than thirty days) prior to the return.

Yes. Our online system provides a gifting tool that allows you to create an eGift event. You may input the email addresses of your friends or family members, and we will send each of them an email with a unique link and instructions allowing them to make a gift to your account provided the limits noted above are not exceeded.

Yes. Before January 1, 2026, amounts in a 529 account may be rolled over to an ABLE account of the 529 account’s beneficiary or a “Member of the Family” of the 529 account’s beneficiary. Such rollover amounts count toward the Annual Contribution Limit, which is $18,000. To qualify as a rollover, it must be paid to a Texas ABLE account within 60 days after the date of the withdrawal from the 529 account. Only one rollover is allowed within 12 months of a previous rollover to the account for that beneficiary. Please see the offering document from your 529 account administrator for information regarding the tax consequences of rollovers out of your 529 account.

Yes. You may transfer funds through rollover or program-to-program transfer. Rollovers are limited to once every 12 months for the same beneficiary and must be contributed to the ABLE program within 60 days of the date of distribution from the former ABLE program, otherwise the earnings in the account will be subject to federal income tax and the 10% additional federal tax. Please see the Program Disclosure Statement for more details on program-to-program transfers or rollovers. There is no fee to roll over funds into the Texas ABLE Program, but you should check with the program from which you are transferring the funds to determine if they will charge an outgoing rollover fee.

You may log in to the online portal to pay bills by electronic transfer or by check or to move funds from your account to your personal bank account and pay expenses from that account. Please keep in mind that payment of expenses other than Qualified Disability Expenses is subject to certain tax and government benefit consequences.

We typically process electronic transfers in 3-5 business days. We typically issue and mail paper checks within 7-10 business days.

The program also reserves the right to place a temporary hold on a withdrawal as follows:

• 10 business days following receipt of a contribution by check if that contribution is needed to fund the withdrawal;
• 10 business days following receipt of a contribution made by electronic transfer if that contribution is needed to fund the withdrawal;
• 10 business days following a change of address for either the Authorized Legal Representative or the beneficiary; and
• 15 business days following a change of ALR.

You are allowed two free electronic (ACH) withdrawals per month. Additional ACH transactions will be subject to a $1.00 processing fee per transaction.

Each check withdrawal will be assessed a $5.00 processing fee.

We do not require you to send us any documentation for withdrawals. You should maintain good records of how you are spending your ABLE funds in case you are asked by state or federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service or SSA to provide that information.

Yes. You have the option to request a reloadable prepaid debit card (the “Focus Card”) to use with your account. You can request a Focus Card when opening your account or if you are an existing account owner, by logging into your account on the program website and requesting a card. The Focus Card is issued by U.S. Bank® (the “Bank”). You will be required to agree to the Bank’s privacy policy and Cardholder Agreement (including all card account-related fees) when you request a card.

You can load your Focus Card from your program account by requesting a withdrawal online, which may be subject to load, hold, and transaction limits set by the Bank. Once “loaded,” you can then use your Focus Card to pay for Qualified Disability Expenses both online and in stores wherever Visa cards are accepted.

Loading funds onto your Focus Card is treated as an ACH withdrawal from your account. After the second withdrawal per month, each subsequent withdrawal is subject to a $1.00 ACH processing fee. See the Program Disclosure Statement for more information about using the program’s debit card.

The program does not conduct any approval process related to the purpose of your withdrawals. Whether a withdrawal complies with applicable laws and regulations and can be classified as a Qualified Disability Expense, rollover, or a program-to-program transfer is a matter between the beneficiary and state and federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service and the SSA. The program assumes no responsibility for monitoring the beneficiary’s compliance with applicable rules.

Note: The program will not withhold taxes or penalties due on a withdrawal or an excess contribution, if applicable. The taxpayer is responsible for reporting taxes and penalties due on the taxpayer’s federal tax return. The program will annually file IRS Form 1099-QA to report withdrawals and IRS Form 5498-QA to report contributions.

The program is required to provide monthly electronic reports to the SSA that include: the name of the beneficiary; the Social Security or taxpayer identification number of the beneficiary; the beneficiary’s date of birth; the name of the person who has signature authority for the account (if different from the beneficiary); the account number; opening and closing dates for the account; the balance as of the first of the month; and, the date and amount of each withdrawal in the reporting period.

Funds in your account are generally disregarded for purposes of determining eligibility to receive government assistance or benefits, with the following special limits and considerations:

• SSA will exclude up to $100,000 of the balance of funds in an account from the resources of the beneficiary.
• SSA will consider as a countable resource of the beneficiary any amount by which an account balance, including any earnings, exceeds $100,000.
• SSA will count as a resource a withdrawal for a housing-related Qualified Disability Expense if the withdrawal is retained into the month following the month of receipt. If the withdrawal is spent within the month of receipt, it will not affect eligibility. Section SI 01130.740 of the SSA Program Operations Manual states that housing expenses for purposes of an ABLE account are the same as they are for in-kind support and maintenance purposes, except for food, and include: mortgage (including any property insurance required by the mortgage holder), real property taxes, rent, heating fuel, gas, electricity, water, sewer, and garbage removal.
• SSA will include as a countable resource any withdrawal that is not spent on a Qualified Disability Expense.
• SSA will exclude from a beneficiary’s countable resources a withdrawal for a Qualified Disability Expense (other than housing) retained beyond the month received if:
  • The beneficiary maintains, makes contributions to, or receives withdrawals from the account,
  • The withdrawal is unspent,
  • The withdrawal is identifiable, and
  • The individual still intends to use the withdrawal for non-housing-related Qualified Disability Expenses.

Contributions from the Authorized Legal Representative, family, friends, or another third party are not considered income to the beneficiary when determining eligibility for federal disability benefits.

Contributions to an account from the income of the beneficiary are still considered countable income of the individual. The fact that a beneficiary uses his or her income to contribute to his or her account does not mean that income is not countable for SSI purposes.

Yes. A Texas ABLE account can be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, a Special Needs Trust.

First, all outstanding requests for withdrawals for Qualified Disability Expenses, including funeral and burial expenses, will be paid from the account.

Next, any state that has provided Medicaid assistance to the beneficiary may file a claim against the beneficiary’s estate or the account for the amount of the total medical assistance paid for the beneficiary under the state’s Medicaid plan after the account (or any ABLE account from which amounts were rolled over or transferred to) was established.

Enrollment Fee – There is no fee for enrolling in the program.

Monthly Account Maintenance Fee – The Monthly Account Maintenance Fee is $3.50 and includes two ACH withdrawal transactions per month.

Annual Print/Mail Fee – There is a $10 annual fee for paper delivery of program correspondence and documents. There is no fee if you elect to receive program correspondence and documents via email.

Returned Item Fee – There will be a charge of $20 for processing contributions that are returned unpaid.

Check Processing Fee – There is a $5 charge for each withdrawal by check.

ACH Processing Fee – There is a $1 charge for each withdrawal by ACH exceeding two (2) per month.

Annual Asset-Based Fees – There are annual asset-based fees charged by the Program Manager, the state, and the mutual funds underlying each investment option. You can review the asset-based fees in the allocation worksheet on the program website.

Additional Fees – Fees for additional services will vary depending on services provided.

 All fees are subject to change.

If an account has a zero balance for 90 days or more, it may be closed by the program. The $3.50 per month account maintenance fee will continue to accrue until the account is closed. If the account owner wishes to reinstate a zero-balance account that has been closed by the program, the beneficiary or the Authorized Legal Representative must complete an online reinstatement process and pay any outstanding fees that have accrued.

It is the responsibility of the beneficiary or their Authorized Legal Representative, if applicable, to notify the program if the beneficiary is no longer an Eligible Individual. If the beneficiary ceases to be an Eligible Individual, beginning on the first day of the beneficiary’s first taxable year for which the beneficiary does not satisfy the definition of an Eligible Individual, additional contributions to the Texas ABLE account will not be accepted by the program, provided the program has notice of such ineligibility.

Any withdrawals for expenses made while the beneficiary is no longer eligible will not be considered Qualified Disability Expenses. Any earnings on withdrawals made subsequently will be subject to ordinary federal income taxes and an additional 10% federal tax.

If the beneficiary subsequently re-qualifies as an Eligible Individual, contributions to the account may again be accepted subject to the applicable Annual Contribution Limit and the Account Balance Limit, and expenses incurred that meet the definition will again be considered Qualified Disability Expenses by the IRS and SSA.

The program annually files IRS Form 1099-QA to report withdrawals and IRS Form 5498-QA to report contributions. IRS Form 1099-QA shows the total amount of withdrawals from the account and identifies the earnings and contribution portions of the withdrawals. IRS Form 5498-QA shows the total annual contributions to the account, the amount of any rollover contributions, the fair market value of the account, and the basis for the beneficiary’s eligibility for the program.

The Federal ABLE Act also requires the program to report account information on each beneficiary to the SSA on a monthly basis. SSA will match the Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number furnished by the program against their records and incorporate the account information into their records.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued guidance stating that ABLE account balances are excluded from income for purposes of determining eligibility for HUD benefits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has similarly issued guidance stating that account balances are excluded as both income and resources in determining Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility.

Yes. There can only be one Authorized Legal Representative on the account at any time, but you can request a change of the ALR by contacting the program directly at 1-844-489-2253 (1-844-4TX-ABLE).

The program will require documentation necessary to support the change and reserves the right to not allow withdrawals from the account for up to 15 business days following the change of ALR.

For information about the program or to enroll, see the other sections of our website at TexasABLE.org.

You should read the Program Disclosure Statement available on the website prior to enrolling.

You can also call the program at 844-4TX-ABLE (844-489-2253) or send an email to customerservice@texasable.org if you have any questions.

The U.S. Bank Focus Card (“Focus Card”) is a reloadable prepaid debit card that is connected to your Texas ABLE account. It allows you increased flexibility in using the funds in your Texas ABLE account for qualified disability expenses. You can transfer money from your Texas ABLE account¹ to the Focus Card and use it when you need to pay for qualified disability expenses anywhere Visa® debit cards are accepted including in stores or online. The Focus Card is not a credit card that extends credit nor does it draw directly from your Texas ABLE account. The Focus Card is a reloadable prepaid debit card that is funded by withdrawals you initiate from your Texas ABLE account.

You can request a Focus Card at the time of enrollment in the Texas ABLE Program or if you are an existing ABLE account owner, you can request a Focus Card at any time by logging into your Texas ABLE account and requesting a Focus Card on the profile tab and selecting Prepaid Card Request.

After you receive your Focus Card, follow the instructions included with your card to activate it via the U.S. Bank Mobile App or by logging into the cardholder website at usbankfocus.com.

Once you receive your Focus Card, you can load funds onto the card by logging into your Texas ABLE account at TexasABLE.org. Request an ACH withdrawal¹ and select the prepaid card option. Funds will be transferred from your Texas ABLE account to your Focus Card and will be available on your card within 3 to 5 business days from the date of the withdrawal.

Please reference the Texas ABLE® Program Disclosure Statement for more information on when contributions are available for withdrawals from your Texas ABLE account.

Your funds, and your balance, are protected if lost or stolen.² To report a lost or stolen card, please immediately call 1-888-863-0681, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Focus Card can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, online and in stores; however, you cannot use your card for ATM transactions or to receive cash at a financial institution or receive cash back from a merchant transaction. Using the card for non-qualified expenses could result in loss of certain means-tested government benefits, including Social Security Income. Find more information about qualified disability expenses at texasable.org/faqs/#prepaid-debit-card.

Check your available balance and transaction history by logging into the cardholder website at usbankfocus.com. You can also check your balance and transactions via the U.S. Bank Mobile App, and set up email or text³ alerts to get notified when your card is loaded and when your balance gets low.

If you need additional assistance contact Texas ABLE Customer Service at 1-844-4TX-ABLE (1-844-489-2253) Monday thru Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, excluding holidays.

There is no cost to enroll in the Focus Card program. Fees are located on the Fee Schedule sent to you with your card. On the back of your card carrier, you’ll find details regarding all of the fees associated with the Focus program, including fees associated with adding money and using your card outside of the U.S. You will also find information regarding daily limits. You may view your fee schedule online by logging into your account at usbankfocus.com. You may also call Cardholder Services at 888-863-0681 to request fee information.

U.S. Bank Focus Card Pre-Acquisition Disclosure
The fees for using the Focus Card are separate from and in addition to the fees that may be charged by Texas ABLE.

The Texas ABLE Program will charge $1.00 for each withdrawal by ACH in excess of two (2) per month from your Texas ABLE account. Making a withdrawal to the Focus Card is considered an ACH withdrawal.

No, cash withdrawals by ATM, teller or cash back from merchants are not available with the card.

Reference the Transaction Limits on the Fee Schedule for details regarding load amounts and frequency.

You will not be able to exceed your available balance. Attempted transactions that would result in exceeding your available balance will be denied.

Loading funds onto your Focus Card is treated as a withdrawal from your Texas ABLE account.

You are responsible for using the card for qualified disability expenses. Receipts should be retained in case the Internal Revenue Service or Social Security Administration has questions about an expense. Any funds loaded onto your Focus Card and not spent on qualified disability expenses in the same calendar year will be considered an asset for purposes of determining your eligibility for certain means-tested Federal programs, including Medicaid, SSI and SSDI. Any withdrawals for housing expenses that are not spent in the month the withdrawal is loaded onto your card will also be considered an asset for SSI purposes.

For more information on qualified disability expenses, please see our Texas ABLE FAQs at texasable.org/faqs/#prepaid-debit-card. Any earnings on withdrawals used for non-qualified expenses may be subject to federal income tax, including an additional 10% tax and may affect your eligibility to receive certain means-tested government benefits, including Social Security Income.

Any earnings on funds loaded onto your Focus Card that are not used for qualified disability expenses within the same calendar year may be subject to federal (and if the individual moves to a state other than Texas, possible state and/or local) income tax, including an additional 10% tax. Beginning in 2021, for federal tax purposes, the deadline to spend any funds loaded onto your Focus Card on qualified disability expenses will be sixty days following the end of the calendar year to avoid taxes and penalties.

Receipts should be retained in case the Internal Revenue Service has questions about an expense.

The executor of the Beneficiary’s estate would contact U.S. Bank customer service at 1-888-863-0681 to discuss the required documentation and steps necessary to terminate the Focus Card and handle the funds based on the beneficiary’s estate.

The former Authorized Legal Representative’s card will be inactivated. If there is a remaining balance on the card, it will be transferred to the New Authorized Legal Representative’s card.

Our customer service teams are ready to help. For inquiries about your Texas ABLE account, including requesting a Focus Card or loading funds to an existing Focus Card, please call Texas ABLE customer service at 1-844-4TX-ABLE (1-844-489-2253). Our customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM CT, excluding holidays.
For general inquiries about your Focus Card, call the number on the back of your card or visit the cardholder website.