One woman is on a mission to have Congress change laws that keep many people with disabilities from saving much money
MOSCOW, Pa. – Sara Wolff works for a law firm, sits on the board of directors for several advocacy organizations and is a gifted public speaker. But due to a federal regulation, she’s prohibited from doing something almost every other American has the right to do: save for her future.
That’s because Wolff has Down syndrome and, like millions born with a disability, she receives Supplemental Security Income to help pay her living expenses. In order to meet SSI eligibility requirements, she isn’t allowed to earn more than $700 a month or have more than $2,000 in savings.
If Wolff, a law clerk, worked full time or got a raise, she’d lose her disability benefits and health insurance. In short, she and everyone else with a disability in the United States who receives SSI is legally obliged to be poor.
But since childhood, Wolff, 31, has been known for fighting for her rights. Now, she’s on a mission to have Congress change this longstanding regulation that affects millions of people with disabilities, and she’s attracting strong support for her efforts to help people with disabilities save for their futures.
