PRESS RELEASE
Treasurer Fitzpatrick Announces City of Kansas City Offering MO ABLE Payroll Deductions for Employees
Kansas City, MO – At a City
Council meeting this afternoon, Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick recognized
the City of Kansas City as Missouri’s first local government to offer payroll
deductions for MO ABLE accounts to its employees. “As a parent and as Treasurer, I
am committed to increasing inclusion and opportunity for individuals with
disabilities. Payroll deductions for MO ABLE accounts help do this for employees
with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities,” Treasurer
Fitzpatrick said. “As we continue to raise awareness about this valuable
program and how it helps make it easier for individuals with disabilities to
save for the future, I am grateful to those who are providing this opportunity
for employees. I thank Councilwoman Hall and the City of Kansas City for their
leadership on this and I hope other municipal and county governments across the
state will follow their example.” “I am thrilled to work with City
Manager Brian Platt, Human Resources Director Teri Casey, and Marleen Leonce, a
City Employee and mother of a child with special needs who has already opened a
MO ABLE Account for the benefit of her child, to offer MO ABLE Accounts for all
city employees who have children with special needs,” City of Kansas City
Councilwoman Heather Hall said. “The City needs to offer equity in savings
plans for all our employees for the benefit of their children. Thank you
to Treasurer Fitzpatrick and his staff for promoting this important savings vehicle
so all families in Missouri may provide for our children’s future.” The Treasurer also presented
City of Kansas City Human Resources Director Teri Casey with a Best of Missouri
Award for her work implementing the new benefit for employees in time for open
enrollment this year. Best of MO Awards recognize Missourians who are working
to make their communities better places to live. Today’s announcement is the
result of the Treasurer’s effort to increase inclusion and equity for employees
with disabilities by encouraging employers across the state to add payroll
deductions for MO ABLE accounts. The City of Kansas City joins employers across
the state including CoxHealth,
Truman
State University, the
University of Central Missouri, Missouri
State University, and Central
Bank in adding payroll deductions for MO ABLE accounts to their benefits
packages for employees. Launched in 2017, MO ABLE allows
individuals with disabilities and their families to save up to $15,000 per
year, tax-free, without losing federal benefits like Medicaid and SSI. For more
information about the MO ABLE program and to take an eligibility quiz, visit moable.com.
MO ABLE currently has 2,109 accounts and over $16 million in assets under
management, making it one of the largest ABLE programs in the country. ### Follow the Treasurer’s Office on Twitter, Facebook,
and Instagram @motreasurer.