Resources for Navigating Adult Disability Services:
Financial Supports
Financial stability is an essential part of independence for individuals with disabilities. Tennessee offers a variety of financial supports, including federal and state benefits, savings programs, employment-related supports, and tax credits that help individuals meet their daily needs and plan for long-term goals. This page provides clear information about financial assistance programs, eligibility, and strategies for managing money and benefits.
Financial supports for individuals with disabilities can include:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- ABLE Accounts (tax-advantaged savings)
- Special needs trusts
- Food and nutrition programs
Many families find it helpful to combine multiple programs to support daily living, employment, housing, and long-term financial security.
Types of Financial Supports
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Federal monthly income support for individuals with limited income/resources who have disabilities.
- Provides cash benefits for basic needs
- Automatically qualifies recipients for TennCare Medicaid (in TN)
- Amount varies based on income, living situation, and earnings
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
Provides monthly income for individuals who have a qualifying work history OR through a parent’s work record (Disabled Adult Child benefits).
ABLE Accounts (Achieving a Better Life Experience)
A tax-free savings account for individuals with disabilities.
- Can save up to $100,000 without affecting SSI
- Funds can be used for education, housing, employment supports, transportation, medical needs, and more.
- Tennessee’s program is ABLE TN
Special Needs Trusts (SNTs)
Legal tools to protect assets while maintaining benefits.
- Managed by a trustee
- Can be used for quality-of-life expenses
- Does not affect SSI/Medicaid eligibility
Food, Utilities & Daily Living Programs
- SNAP (food assistance)
- LIHEAP (utility payment assistance)
- Public transportation disability fares
- Nonprofit emergency funds
Many of these supports are based on income, household size, and disability status.
Below, we share some relevant resources in Tennessee. Click a resource title to visit its website. All resource descriptions are derived from the respective organizations.
Resource |
Eligibility |
Contact |
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources. |
Anyone who is: aged (age 65 or older); blind; or disabled.
And, who:
has limited income; has limited resources; Is a U.S. citizen or national, or a noncitizen in one of certain alien classifications granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Read more on eligibility
|
1-800-772-1213
If you’re deaf or hard of hearing and use TTY equipment, you can call our TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.
Email Form
|
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) / Disabled Adult Child (DAC)
SSDI or “Disability” provides monthly payments to people who have a disability that stops or limits their ability to work. |
Must meet SSA definition of disability; DAC requires disability before age 22 + parent eligible for retirement/disability.
Read "How Does Someone Become Eligible?"
|
1-800-772-1213
If you’re deaf or hard of hearing and use TTY equipment, you can call our TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.
Email Form
|
ABLE TN (ABLE Accounts)
Tennessee Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE TN) is a saving program designed to help Tennessee residents with disabilities put aside money to pay for qualified expenses.
|
An individual who has been diagnosed with a disability on or before age 26 and resides in Tennessee may qualify by meeting one of the following:
- Is eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Is eligible to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- Has been diagnosed by a qualifying physician as having a physical or mental disability resulting in marked and severe functional limitations that is expected to last no less than 12 months
- Has an impairment found on the Social Security Administration's List of Compassionate Allowances.
|
1-855-922.5386
ABLE.TN@tn.gov
|
|
SNAP (Food Stamps)
In Tennessee, SNAP is managed by the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS). SNAP can be viewed as a bridge to help Tennesseans reach their full potential as self-sufficient, contributing members of our community and economy. At TDHS, they administer SNAP with the belief that you can focus on work, school, and family wellness when you’re well-nourished and don’t have to worry about where your next meal will come from. Excelling at your job, training, or higher education can increase career prospects, earning potential, and levels of self-sufficiency.
These opportunities can help your family transition from today’s challenges to a brighter future. |
SNAP is available to households (individuals who live and prepare food together) that meet certain qualifications referred to as eligibility criteria. SNAP eligibility takes residency, age and relationship, citizenship, social security number assignment, employment, resource, income, and related deductions factors into consideration. These factors not only determine a household’s eligibility to receive SNAP but also determine if additional documents will be required for a household to maintain SNAP after SNAP approval. |
1-833-772-8347
|
LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
LIHEAP is a federally funded grant program created by the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981. In Tennessee, LIHEAP is administered through a network of 19 local agencies that reach all 95 counties. LIHEAP is a one-time assistance program that helps defray heating and cooling expenses, as long as funding is available. |
The program aims to assist low-income households, primarily those who pay a high proportion of household income on home energy, in meeting their immediate energy needs. |
1-800-228-8432
|
Information last reviewed January 2026
To recommend other helpful resources, please send suggestions to ucedd@vumc.org.
How to Apply for Financial Support
- Identify Financial Needs
Checklist:
- Income support
- Health insurance
- Food/utility support
- Education/training funds
- Transportation help
- Savings for future housing/work
- Gather Documents
Most financial programs require:
- Disability documentation
- Proof of income
- Medical evaluations
- ID and Social Security card
- Bank account information
- Submit Applications
Apply online for:
- SSI/SSDI
- SNAP or LIHEAP
- ABLE TN
- WIOA funding
- VR supports
- Attend Interviews or Assessments
Programs may require:
- Benefits interviews
- Functional assessments
- Income verification
- Maintain Eligibility
- Report changes in income
- Respond to letters quickly
- Keep documentation organized
- Advocacy Tips
- Keep a benefits binder
- Ask for help from social workers or benefits counselors
- Request written instructions for reporting income
Advocacy & Self-Advocacy Strategies
For Families
- Create a yearly review checklist for benefits
- Ask agencies to explain rules in plain language
- Track reporting deadlines to avoid overpayments
- Use ABLE accounts or trusts to protect financial security
For Self-Advocates
Teach individuals how to:
- Budget small amounts of money
- Use a debit card safely
- Request help when confused about paperwork
- Understand pay stubs
Encourage independence by using:
- Visual budgeting tools
- Banking apps
- Automated bill pay (if appropriate)
If you are looking for more finance-related services and programs, search topics of interest on the Tennessee Disability Pathfinder website.
Sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start in Pathfinder. If you are struggling to understand how to find resources related to finances, here are some step-by-step directions:
- Start at the main page and click “Financial Assistance”
- Click next
- Select the stage of life - Transition/Young Adult
- Click next
- Select the diagnosis that you or the individual identifies with/has
- Click next
- Choose the appropriate payment option that fits your needs
- Click next
- Select the appropriate city or search by your city and/or address
- Take time and navigate the resulting resources to further find what fits your specific