Next Steps

• ABLE Accounts:
  • North Carolina's ABLE account program is NC ABLE.
  • Learn more about ABLE accounts and compare different state ABLE programs at the ABLE National Resource Center.
• Special Needs Trusts:

  • The Special Needs Alliance can help you find an attorney who specializes in Special Needs Trusts.

  • The Social Security Administration has excellent information about Special Needs Trusts and SSI eligibility.

• Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS): The PASS application is complex. Get help with it from a PASS specialist by calling the Atlanta Regional PASS Cadre (which handles North Carolina) in Birmingham, Alabama at 1-800-254-9489.

• Tax Help:
  • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) centers help people file their taxes for free. Find a local VITA center or call 1-800-906-9887.

  • If you prefer to file your own taxes online, you can do that for free, if you made less than $84,000 last year. Learn more about the IRS Free File program.

• Child Tax Credit (CTC): Get information about the CTC from the IRS.
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC):
  • IRS Publication 596 is a comprehensive guide to the EITC.
  • The IRS EITC Assistant can help you see whether you qualify for an EITC and how much you might get.
• North Carolina Property Tax Relief: Several programs lower property taxes for people with permanent disabilities, seniors, and disabled veterans. Learn more about the property tax relief programs.

North Carolina's Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD), formerly called the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS or VR), helps people with disabilities prepare for and find work. Whether you're looking to enter the workforce for the first time, return to work, or enter a new line of work, a counselor can work with you to figure out which services you need and develop a plan to help you reach your work goals.

Call or visit the Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD) office near you.

A trained Benefits Planner can help you understand your benefits programs. Exactly who you need to contact depends on your situation and the benefits you get.

View DB101's full list of experts who can help you understand different benefits.