Asset limits are just one economic hurdle people with disabilities face

An outdated system that keeps people in poverty might finally get an upgrade.

In 1989, the government set $2,000 as the limit for how much money someone with a disability can keep in savings and remain eligible for federal benefits.

But a bipartisan proposal in the Senate seeks to lift asset limits so that someone collecting Supplemental Security Income could save up to $10,000 in the bank.

Disability rights advocate Patrice Jetter of Hamilton, New Jersey, is supportive of the change. She works part-time and relies on income-based assistance for food, housing and health care. She worries that the change wouldn’t mean much for her life and for others who want to live independently.

Patrice Jetter working as a crossing guard. (Courtesy of Ted Passon/All Ages Productions)

Full interview transcript

Deepa Fernandes: “Millions of people with disabilities who rely on the social safety net for basic needs like food, shelter and health care have a long way to go to feel stable