February 2022
Highlighted in this issue:

  • Updated 2022 Medicaid Eligibility Fact Sheet
  • The Dynamic Duo Oral Health and Dental Care for People with Disabilities (Webinar Presented in Spanish)
  • Updated 2022 Non DAC Fact Sheet
  • Update From Social Security on Requirements For Representative Payees
  • Free Webinar: ABLE Tax Time Tips for Persons with ABLE Accounts
The Arc of New Jersey's Medicaid Fact Sheet has been updated
This helpful fact sheet, developed by The Arc of New Jersey Family Institute, was distributed last year, and it has been updated with Medicaid income threshold numbers for 2022. Click the image below to download a copy of the factsheet.
The Dynamic Duo: Oral Health and Dental Care for People with Disabilities Webinar (Presented in Spanish)
February 22, 2022 at 6:00 pm 

The Dynamic Duo: Oral Health and Dental Care for People with Disabilities

The New Jersey Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (NJAAP) has announced a webinar in Spanish on oral health for people with disabilities. This webinar is possible through a grant from the NJ Division of Disability Services, on “Improving Oral Health Across the Lifespan”. Click the image below to download a copy of the flyer.


Ø Martes, 22 de Febrero 6:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.mET

El Dúo Dinámico: Salud Bucal y Atención Dental para Personas con Discapacidades por Zoom (Español)

Fact Sheet on "Non-DACs" Has Been Updated
The Arc of New Jersey's fact sheet on "Non-DACs" has been available for a while, and it was recently updated. 

The information in this fact sheet is pertinent for individuals age 18 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who are not eligible for NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid in any of the usual Medicaid categories. To be approved to receive services from the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) at age 21 (or older), all individuals must be approved as having "functional eligibility" for DDD services, and they must also have NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid. A relatively small number of individuals with IDD have income that is too high for Medicaid eligibility, usually from having Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) from a parent's work record or due to a Survivor's benefit from a deceased parent. The "Non-DAC" process will allow these individuals to be granted a Medicaid "exception" and be approved for DDD services, as long as they also receive DDD approval that they are functionally eligible for those services.  Please note that the maximum income for approval as a Non-DAC in 2022 is $2,523/month. After approval as a "Non-DAC" and at a later date, the parents will also need to complete a Medicaid application for their adult child with IDD.
After reading the updated fact sheet, if you have questions, please contact Beverly Roberts at BRoberts@arcnj.org
Update from Social Security on Requirements for Representative Payees
In the past, everyone who was approved by Social Security to be a representative payee was required to complete an annual rep payee report, but that requirement has recently changed. This is very good news for parents who are the representative payee for their adult son or daughter with IDD who primarily lives in the same household as the beneficiary. Please see below for the exact wording from Social Security on this issue:

"Due to a recent change in law, we no longer require the following representative payees to complete an annual Representative Payee Report

  • Natural or adoptive parents of a minor child beneficiary who primarily reside in the same household as the child;
  • Legal guardians of a minor child beneficiary who primarily reside in the same household as the child;
  • Natural or adoptive parents of a disabled adult beneficiary who primarily reside in the same household as the beneficiary; and
  • Spouse of a beneficiary."

Please see this link for a long list of very helpful frequently asked questions (FAQs) about representative payees, from the Social Security website: Social Security FAQ
Free Webinar: ABLE Tax Time Tips for persons with ABLE accounts
The ABLE National Resource Center is a highly regarded non-profit organization that provides helpful information about ABLE accounts, including webinars. Please see below for information on a free webinar being held on Thursday, February 24th, focusing on ABLE Tax Time Tips. For further information about the ABLE National Resource Center go to www.ablenrc.org

WEBINAR:
ABLE Tax Time Tips

Thursday, February 24, 2022
2:00-3:30 PM ET

Join us for our ABLE Tax Time Tips webinar to learn how you can increase your ABLE savings and qualify for tax incentives now and in the future.
This may result in significant tax savings and/or a refund you can deposit directly into your ABLE account! Hear how ABLE account owners like you have maximized their ABLE savings through tax deductions and credits, and how you can do the same!

In this webinar, we will:

  • Discuss tax incentives, deductions and refunds to build ABLE savings;
  • Share why you should consider filing taxes even if you are not required to file;
  • Tell you about free tax filing options;
  • Cover guidance that will help ABLE account owners’ 2021 tax filing;
  • Identify steps now that may benefit your ABLE account in 2022 tax filing;

Webinar Presenters:

  • Don Dill, IRS Senior Tax Analyst with SPEC Headquarters
  • Miranda Kennedy, Director, ABLE National Resource Center
  • Laurie Schaller, Manager, Financial Empowerment, National Disability Institute
You are encouraged to share this information with others who may also be interested. However, if you are forwarding this, please delete the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of this email. If you do not remove the "unsubscribe" option and a person who receives your forwarded email clicks "unsubscribe," it would result in your name being removed from our distribution list.

Click here to see The Arc of NJ's COVID-19 information and resource page. 
Click here to access information from the State Of New Jersey on COVID-19.