O’Malley & Langan PC Law Clerk Sara Wolff Testifies on Behalf of People With Long-Term Disabilities

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Those of us at O'Malley & Langan who watched our own Sara Wolff testify before the Senate Finance Committee are basking in her glory.

Scranton, PA (PRWEB) August 16, 2014

Efforts to pass a law that would help people with long-term disabilities become financially independent were bolstered this week by testimony in Washington, D.C., from people living with disabilities, including Scranton, PA law clerk Sara Wolff, who works for O’Malley & Langan PC.

O’Malley & Langan PC co-founder Todd J. O’Malley personally praised Wolff for her testimony on July 23 in Washington, D.C., before the Senate Finance Committee about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act (S. 313/H.R. 647). The handles a variety of cases, including Social Security disability claims.

The ABLE Act “would allow people with long-term disabilities like those on the autism spectrum or Down syndrome to save money in a tax shelter solely for important costs like housing and education, while still qualifying for Medicaid and government services,” according to a July 24 story in MSNBC, which interviewed Wolff about her testimony and the proposed bill.

“Those of us at O'Malley & Langan who watched our own Sara Wolff testify before the Senate Finance Committee are basking in her glory,” O’Malley said today. “She has spearheaded the drive to get the ABLE Act passed. Senator Bob Casey has done a spectacular job in helping Sara make this dream a reality. This Act will help millions of disabled citizens on SSI. Thank you Sara--we are so proud of you!”

Wolff, who happens to have Down syndrome, created an online petition in support of the ABLE Act. On the change.org page created by Wolff, titled “Pass the ABLE Act,” Wolff explains why she supports the bill and hopes the U.S. Congress passes the bill into law:

"When the ABLE Act passes into law this year, it will change my life forever. I lost my mother this past year, Connie, to a sudden, rapid illness. With my whole life ahead of me, I need an ABLE account to plan for my future. And, I am not alone, like most individuals with disabilities, people with Down syndrome and other conditions are outliving their parents.

Families, like mine, need to rest assure that they can equally care for their children and adults with disabilities, just like they can for their other children and family members. Just because I have Down syndrome, that shouldn’t hold me back from achieving my full potential in life. I can work a full-time job, be a productive member of society, and pay taxes – but because of these outdated laws placed on individuals with disabilities, we hold people like me back in life. This is the year we call on leaders in Congress to put an end to the inequities that exist for people with disabilities by passing the ABLE Act and allowing individuals and families to save for the future and break down the barriers to employment for these individuals."

The ABLE Act would amend Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986 to create tax-free savings accounts for individuals with disabilities, according to Wolff’s change.org petition.

U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, serves as the bill’s lead sponsor. The Scranton, PA-native told MSNBC the decision to serve as the lead sponsor for the ABLE Act was a simple one. The bill “just makes a lot of sense,” Casey told MSNBC.

The bill has 74 co-sponsors in the Senate and 366 co-sponsors in the House, according to MSNBC. Sen. Casey said he expects it to pass in September, according to MSNBC.

The MSNBC story cited is “Congress comes together to help the disabled save, tax-free.”

About O’Malley & Langan PC

With offices in Scranton, Hazleton, Pittston and Towanda, O’Malley & Langan PC has a well-earned reputation for being a top-notch workers’ compensation and personal injury law firm in Northeastern Pennsylvania. O’Malley & Langan has grown to 31 staff and attorneys since Todd J. O’Malley and Gerard Langan founded the firm in 1990, but we still offer clients the personalized service and attention of a small law firm. Our law firm handles a wide range of cases, including workers’ compensation, construction & workplace accidents, long-term workplace illnesses, Social Security disability, auto accidents, personal injury, oil & gas drilling accidents and other cases. Call (800) 817-2667 and schedule a free case evaluation today.

O’Malley & Langan PC
201 Franklin Ave
Scranton, PA 18503
http://www.omalleylangan.com/

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