Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Financial Planning: SSDI Challenges, PT Costs, and SNT Strategy

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of connective tissue disorders caused by defects in collagen synthesis. Unlike most conditions on this site, EDS creates a financial planning problem where the external appearance often doesn't match the internal reality: many people with EDS look healthy while managing constant joint instability, chronic pain, and a cascade of comorbidities that make consistent employment difficult and medical costs high. The most common subtype — hypermobile EDS (hEDS) — has no diagnostic genetic test, which creates a specific documentation burden for Social Security disability claims. And the rarest severe subtype — vascular EDS (vEDS) — carries life expectancy implications that require immediate insurance and estate planning action. This guide covers the full financial planning landscape for EDS families and adults across the severity spectrum.

EDS subtypes and financial planning implications

The 2017 International Classification recognized 13 EDS subtypes.¹ For financial planning purposes, three subtypes drive the large majority of cases:

A fourth subtype worth noting for parents of affected children: kyphoscoliotic EDS (kEDS) presents with severe muscle weakness at birth and progressive scoliosis, resembling a combination of EDS and muscular dystrophy. kEDS qualifies for SSDI early under musculoskeletal and neurological functional criteria and typically requires full SNT planning from infancy.

SSDI and SSI eligibility for EDS

The hEDS documentation challenge

Hypermobile EDS — the most common subtype — creates a specific challenge for Social Security disability claims: there is no diagnostic genetic test, no imaging finding that SSA can point to as definitive, and the condition's hallmark (joint hypermobility) is counterintuitively difficult to document on paper in a way that satisfies SSA reviewers accustomed to seeing concrete laboratory or imaging abnormalities.

This does not mean hEDS is unqualifiable — many people with severe hEDS do receive SSDI approval. But the documentation burden falls on clinical records rather than a laboratory result, which means:

• Years of physical therapy and orthopedic records documenting recurring subluxations and dislocations are essential
• Beighton score documentation from a treating physician familiar with EDS criteria matters more than a single assessment
• Orthostatic vital signs records and POTS documentation strengthen the claim when cardiovascular dysautonomia is present
• A treating physician who can write a detailed RFC (Residual Functional Capacity) letter — documenting what the patient cannot do, for how long, with what frequency — is often the single most important factor in approval

Blue Book Listing 1.18: joint abnormalities

The primary Social Security Blue Book pathway for EDS is Listing 1.18 (Abnormality of a major joint or joints in any extremity).² To meet Listing 1.18, the medical record must document:

• History of pain, stiffness, or limited range of movement in the affected joint(s)
• Findings on appropriate imaging showing joint abnormality — which for EDS means documented subluxation on X-ray or MRI of the affected joint(s)
• Involvement of a major weight-bearing joint resulting in the inability to ambulate effectively (requiring bilateral canes, crutches, or wheeled mobility, or being unable to walk a block at a reasonable pace), OR involvement of both upper extremity joints resulting in inability to perform fine and gross movements effectively

Meeting Listing 1.18 exactly requires documented imaging subluxation plus severe functional limitation. Many people with EDS — particularly hEDS — do not have conveniently-timed imaging at the moment of a subluxation event, which makes meeting the listing harder even when the functional impact is real.

The RFC approach: when listings aren't met

When a specific Blue Book listing isn't met exactly, SSA evaluates disability through the Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) process: what can this person still do on a sustained, consistent basis for a full 8-hour workday, 5 days per week? For EDS adults with severe hEDS, the relevant functional limitations include:

• Limits on lifting/carrying (joints that sublux under load)
• Limits on standing and walking (particularly with POTS — orthostatic intolerance prevents sustained upright positioning)
• Limits on pushing and pulling (shoulder and hip instability)
• Limits on postural activities (bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching — all destabilizing for hypermobile joints)
• Limits on fine motor tasks (finger and wrist subluxation affecting keyboards, tools)
• Fatigue-related limitations on cognitive function and sustained concentration

A well-documented RFC that establishes the inability to perform even sedentary work on a consistent 8-hour-per-day basis — accounting for flare cycles, pain days, and the inability to maintain any single position for prolonged periods — can support disability approval even without meeting a specific listing. The key word is consistent: SSA denies many EDS claims because the person can perform activities some days but not others, and SSA looks for sustainable daily capacity, not occasional good days.

POTS as a co-qualifying condition

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) affects an estimated 70–80% of people with hEDS.³ Severe POTS independently limits the ability to maintain an upright position for sustained periods — the basis of nearly all sedentary work. SSA evaluates POTS-related limitations under cardiovascular criteria (including Listing 4.05 for recurrent arrhythmias, when documented arrhythmia with documented functional limitation is present) or through RFC, documenting orthostatic intolerance, syncope frequency, and inability to sit or stand for sustained periods. A strong POTS diagnosis — with tilt table test documentation, orthostatic heart rate increase of 30+ bpm on standing, and a treating cardiologist's functional assessment — significantly strengthens an EDS disability claim.

vEDS: SSDI after major events

Vascular EDS causes arterial ruptures, aortic dissections, and hollow organ perforation — frequently in adults under age 40. Survivors of a major vEDS event typically qualify for SSDI under cardiovascular listings (Listing 4.04 for ischemic heart disease, or RFC following aortic dissection) or through the documented functional limitations of post-surgical recovery. The more pressing financial planning priority in vEDS is acting before a major event occurs — because the planning window for life insurance and long-term disability coverage closes with disease progression. See the insurance section below.

Children with severe EDS: SSI for families

Children under 18 with severe EDS (particularly kEDS or severe hEDS with significant functional limitation) can qualify for SSI, which is means-tested on parental income and resources. In middle- and upper-income families, the SSI cash benefit may be $0 — but the Medicaid that attaches to SSI eligibility is separately valuable, covering physical therapy, specialist visits, and equipment that would otherwise cost $15,000–$50,000+ per year out of pocket. SSI should be applied for regardless of expected cash benefit if the child's functional limitations meet SSA criteria and the family has commercial insurance with significant cost-sharing.

The diagnostic odyssey and its financial cost

The average time from symptom onset to EDS diagnosis has historically been 4 to 12 years.¹ During this period, patients undergo evaluations for conditions that mimic EDS — fibromyalgia, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, anxiety disorder, Lyme disease, conversion disorder — and accumulate medical costs that are not reimbursed by any disability benefit because no diagnosis exists yet. This diagnostic odyssey has three financial planning implications:

1. Medical debt from the undiagnosed years. The costs incurred before diagnosis — emergency visits for dislocations without a clear cause, psychiatric evaluations for "medically unexplained symptoms," specialist co-pays and diagnostic tests — are out-of-pocket expenses that don't generate a disability onset date. They create financial stress without benefit entitlement.
2. The SSDI onset date question. SSDI back pay is calculated from the established onset date (EOD) — the date SSA determines the disability began. For EDS, the EOD is often years earlier than the diagnosis date, because the functional limitations were present before the diagnosis was made. An attorney or advocate familiar with EDS can argue for an earlier onset date using pre-diagnosis medical records documenting consistent functional limitations, potentially generating substantial back pay.
3. Life and LTD insurance becomes harder to obtain after diagnosis. Once EDS — particularly vEDS — is documented in medical records, obtaining standard-rate life insurance or long-term disability insurance becomes significantly harder. The window to act is before the diagnosis is formal, particularly for adult family members with known COL3A1 family history. See the insurance section below.

Medical costs: physical therapy as a lifelong disability expense

For most disabilities on this site, medical treatment is a discrete expense — a surgery, a device replacement cycle, a drug regimen. EDS is different: the primary treatment for hEDS and cEDS is physical therapy, and it never ends. There is no cure, no surgery that restores ligamentous stability, and no medication that addresses the underlying collagen defect (for hEDS). Physical therapy is the management strategy — and it runs 2–3 sessions per week during active rehabilitation and 2–4 sessions per month for ongoing maintenance throughout adulthood.

Vascular EDS: the insurance and estate planning emergency

Vascular EDS (vEDS) is the most life-limiting EDS subtype. It is caused by mutations in the COL3A1 gene, which encodes type III collagen — the structural protein in blood vessel walls, hollow organs (intestines, uterus), and skin. The clinical consequence is spontaneous arterial rupture, aortic dissection, and hollow organ perforation, frequently occurring in individuals under age 40. Historically, median survival was approximately 48–51 years with a median age at first major complication around 29 years.⁴ Celiprolol, a selective beta-blocker, has shown approximately 36% reduction in major vascular events in the primary prospective study of vEDS.⁴

For vEDS families, the financial planning priority order is reversed from most disabilities:

1. Life insurance first — immediately after diagnosis, before any vascular events. A confirmed vEDS diagnosis (COL3A1 mutation) is a rating or declination event for life insurance underwriters. The window to obtain standard-rate or mildly rated life insurance is brief, if it exists at all once the diagnosis is documented. Families with a known COL3A1 family history should obtain life insurance on the affected individual before genetic testing confirms the mutation — because GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act) does not protect life insurance from genetic discrimination. Once a vascular event has occurred, standard-rate life insurance is virtually unavailable.
2. Long-term disability insurance before first event. Many vEDS adults are working and functional until a major vascular event. LTD insurance obtained while working and healthy — before a cardiac or arterial event — can provide income replacement through the disability period. As with life insurance, the window closes with disease documentation.
3. Estate plan and SNT immediately. Because vEDS affects the individual rather than a child they are caring for, the SNT planning in vEDS is different: it is about ensuring a surviving spouse or dependent is provided for, and that the vEDS individual's own resources — and any settlement from trauma-related injuries — are structured to preserve Medicaid if needed. Third-party SNT planning by the vEDS individual's parents is also critical if they want to ensure the affected child has lifetime support even if they cannot work.

Section 1619(b): protecting Medicaid for working EDS adults

Many EDS adults work — sometimes full-time, sometimes part-time, sometimes intermittently — because the disorder's fluctuating nature allows periods of reasonable function. For an EDS adult who receives SSI and works, Section 1619(b) is the critical protection: it allows SSI recipients to earn above the Substantial Gainful Activity level ($1,690/month in 2026) and have their SSI cash benefit reduced to zero — while retaining full Medicaid coverage.⁵

For an EDS adult with significant out-of-pocket medical costs — $10,000–$30,000/year in PT, compression garments, POTS medications, and equipment — Medicaid coverage is not optional. Losing Medicaid to an earnings increase that crosses the 1619(b) threshold would force the individual to choose between income and medical coverage.

IRWE deductions that increase the effective threshold for EDS

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) are disability-related costs that can be deducted from countable earnings for both the SGA determination and the 1619(b) threshold calculation. For EDS adults, significant IRWE categories include:

• Physical therapy costs incurred to enable work — PT that maintains the joint stability and endurance necessary to perform work activities qualifies as IRWE. A $400/month PT cost that is medically necessary to sustain employment capacity can be deducted from countable earnings.
• Medical-grade compression garments used during work hours to manage POTS
• Custom bracing for joints that would otherwise limit work capacity
• Ergonomic accommodations and assistive technology paid by the individual (not the employer)
• Transportation to medical appointments required to maintain work capacity

An EDS adult earning $55,000/year with $12,000 in IRWEs has a countable income of $43,000 for the 1619(b) threshold calculation — significantly affecting whether Medicaid is retained. Before accepting any significant earnings increase, an EDS adult on SSI should consult a Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) counselor to calculate their individualized 1619(b) threshold with IRWEs factored in.

ABLE accounts for working EDS adults

An ABLE account — available to individuals whose disability onset was before age 46 — provides a dedicated, tax-advantaged account for disability-related expenses that does not count against SSI's $2,000 resource limit (up to $100,000). For working EDS adults, the key 2026 rules are:⁶

• Annual contribution limit: $20,000 from all sources
• ABLE-to-Work additional contribution: up to $15,650 from the beneficiary's own earned income, sheltering earnings from the SSI resource limit
• Qualified disability expenses for EDS include: physical therapy and occupational therapy co-pays, compression garments, custom bracing, medical equipment, accessible transportation, home modifications for joint protection, and assistive technology

The ABLE account is particularly suited to EDS for day-to-day medical expenses — PT co-pays, compression garment replacement, medication costs — without requiring trustee approval for each distribution. A Special Needs Trust, if established, should handle larger capital items (custom wheelchair if needed, home accessibility renovation, major surgery reserves), while the ABLE account covers the ongoing stream of smaller EDS-related costs.

EDS with childhood onset (before age 26 under original ABLE eligibility rules, or before age 46 under the January 2026 ABLE Age Adjustment Act expansion) qualifies. Adults newly diagnosed with hEDS or cEDS who have documented symptom history before age 46 should confirm their eligibility based on onset date, not diagnosis date. See the ABLE Account 2026 guide for full eligibility rules and state plan selection.

Special Needs Trust considerations for EDS

When an SNT makes sense for EDS

Unlike conditions where the affected individual is entirely dependent on public benefits, many EDS adults have variable earnings and may cycle between working and receiving benefits. An SNT is most clearly indicated when:

• The affected individual is on SSI/Medicaid and a parent or grandparent wants to leave an inheritance or annual gifts without destroying benefit eligibility. This is a third-party SNT, established and funded by family members, with no Medicaid payback requirement at the beneficiary's death.
• The individual received a personal injury settlement — for example, a motor vehicle accident that exacerbated existing EDS joint damage and required corrective surgery. A first-party d4A SNT allows the settlement proceeds to be held for the individual's benefit without counting as a resource under SSI's $2,000 limit. Note: first-party SNTs require a Medicaid payback provision at death.
• The individual has severe EDS (particularly kEDS or severe hEDS preventing any consistent employment) and requires lifetime support funded by life insurance on the parents. The parents' life insurance should name the SNT — not the individual — as owner and beneficiary.

The inherited-condition trustee problem

hEDS and cEDS are both autosomal dominant: each first-degree relative of an affected individual has a 50% chance of also having the condition. This creates a planning problem that is specific to EDS: the parent who is supposed to serve as trustee of the child's SNT may also have EDS — with deteriorating joint function, POTS, fatigue, and cognitive load that progressively affects their ability to manage trust assets and make complex distribution decisions.

A Special Needs Trust for an EDS beneficiary should include:

• A named co-trustee (a sibling or professional trustee) with authority to act independently if the primary family trustee cannot
• A clear succession chain that does not depend entirely on family members who may themselves have EDS
• A trust protector provision allowing a third party to remove and replace trustees if the family trustee's health makes trust administration impractical
• Explicit guidance in the letter of intent about EDS-specific care needs, trusted medical providers, and the beneficiary's current management strategies — so a professional successor trustee can step in without needing a learning curve

This is not a theoretical concern. It is a practical risk in a condition with 50% heritability, variable penetrance, and a tendency to worsen with age and cumulative joint trauma. See the SNT Trustee Guide for the full trustee selection framework.

Life and long-term disability insurance for EDS families

For most EDS subtypes (hEDS, cEDS), life and long-term disability insurance are obtainable but subject to underwriting scrutiny. The window for securing coverage is while the individual is working, relatively stable, and before the full medical record documents severe functional limitation. Key principles:

• Apply for LTD insurance through employer group plans as soon as eligible — group LTD typically has guaranteed issue for employees enrolling during initial eligibility windows without requiring individual underwriting. This is the best coverage pathway for EDS adults who are newly employed. Voluntary buy-up amounts may require evidence of insurability.
• Individual LTD policies become harder to obtain as the medical record builds. An EDS adult with documented frequent dislocations, PT records, POTS diagnosis, and MCAS records presents a higher risk profile than the same individual before those records exist. Individual disability income policies, if desired as a supplement to group coverage, should be applied for early in the career.
• Life insurance is generally obtainable for hEDS and cEDS at rated premiums, depending on severity. vEDS is a different situation: the life-shortening vascular risk makes standard-rate coverage very difficult to obtain after diagnosis.
• For vEDS: act before genetic confirmation. GINA does not protect life insurance or disability insurance. A family member with a known COL3A1 family history who has not yet undergone genetic testing has a window to obtain life insurance at standard or mildly rated premiums. Once genetic testing confirms vEDS, the underwriting outcome changes dramatically.

Housing modifications for joint protection

EDS-related housing modifications are disability expenses that can be funded through the SNT (for SSI beneficiaries) or through ABLE account qualified disability expense distributions (housing modifications are a qualified disability expense under ABLE). Common modifications:

• Grab bars in bathrooms and stairways (reduces fall and dislocation risk from balance loss)
• Roll-in shower or walk-in tub access (reduces squat-and-stand joint loading)
• Lever-style door and faucet handles (replaces round knobs that require grip torque damaging to hypermobile fingers and wrists)
• Stair lift or ground-floor bedroom relocation (for lower extremity joint instability)
• Adjustable-height countertops and kitchen modifications (reduces overhead reach and awkward postures)
• Non-slip flooring (reduces falls, which cause dislocations)

Note: housing modifications funded by the SNT that constitute "shelter" may be treated as In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) under SSI rules, potentially reducing the SSI monthly benefit by up to $331/month (the 2026 PMV cap). Modifications that are not regular shelter costs — grab bars, accessible fixtures, flooring surfaces — are less likely to trigger ISM than payment of rent or mortgage principal. For major renovations, consult a benefits counselor before proceeding. See the SNT Distributions guide for the ISM framework.

Priority actions for EDS families and adults

1. Build and maintain a comprehensive medical record. For SSDI purposes, the medical record is everything. Ensure that every PT visit, every dislocation event, every orthostatic vital sign measurement, and every functional limitation is documented in clinical notes. Gaps in the medical record are gaps in the SSDI claim.
2. vEDS families: obtain life insurance and LTD now, before genetic testing if possible. If a first-degree relative has confirmed COL3A1 vEDS and you have not yet been genetically tested, the window to obtain life and LTD insurance without genetic discrimination is before testing. Consult a financial advisor before scheduling genetic testing.
3. Apply for SSI/Medicaid if functional limitations are severe. The cash benefit may be $0 based on earnings or parental income. Apply anyway — Medicaid eligibility is separate and covers thousands of dollars annually in PT, equipment, and specialist costs that would otherwise be out-of-pocket.
4. Consult a WIPA counselor before any earnings change. The Section 1619(b) threshold calculation with IRWE deductions is not intuitive. A WIPA counselor can run the numbers before a job change or raise causes unintended Medicaid loss.
5. Open an ABLE account immediately if SSI-eligible and working. The ABLE-to-Work additional contribution ($15,650 in 2026) shelters earned income from the SSI resource limit while funding EDS-related medical costs tax-free. The account earns interest and preserves benefit eligibility simultaneously.
6. Review all beneficiary designations and the estate plan. Any IRA, 401(k), or life insurance that names an EDS individual receiving SSI directly as beneficiary will destroy Medicaid eligibility. Redirect through an SNT. See the Retirement Accounts and Special Needs guide and the Inheritance Planning guide.
7. Establish SNT trustee succession with EDS heritability in mind. If the primary trustee also has EDS (common in first-degree family members), establish a co-trustee and formal succession chain that does not depend entirely on family members whose own health may deteriorate. See the SNT Trustee Guide.
8. Draft a detailed letter of intent. The letter of intent for an EDS beneficiary should document their specific joint instability pattern (which joints, which activities to avoid), their POTS management strategy (compression, hydration, medications, position changes), MCAS trigger profile if applicable, and their trusted medical providers. This document survives them and guides future trustees and caregivers. See the Letter of Intent Template.

Sources

1. The Ehlers-Danlos Society — EDS Types (2017 International Classification). The 2017 International Classification of the Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes recognized 13 subtypes, replacing the previous classification system. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is the most common type; its prevalence is uncertain but estimated at 1 in 5,000 or higher under clinical diagnostic criteria. Classical EDS (cEDS) is caused by COL5A1/COL5A2 mutations in approximately 90% of cases (COL1A1 in the remainder) and occurs in approximately 1 in 20,000–40,000 individuals. Vascular EDS (vEDS) is caused by COL3A1 mutations and occurs in approximately 1 in 50,000–250,000 individuals. Kyphoscoliotic EDS (kEDS) is autosomal recessive (PLOD1 or FKBP14 mutations) and presents with severe muscle hypotonia at birth and progressive scoliosis. Diagnostic delay for hEDS: historically 4–12 years from symptom onset to diagnosis. GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008) does not protect life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance from genetic discrimination — only health insurance and employment.
2. SSA Blue Book — 1.00 Musculoskeletal Disorders (Adult), Listing 1.18. Listing 1.18 (Abnormality of a major joint or joints in any extremity) requires documented history of pain/stiffness/limited range of motion, appropriate medically acceptable imaging showing joint abnormality (including subluxation), and functional limitation: inability to ambulate effectively (requiring bilateral assistive devices, or unable to walk one block at a reasonable pace) OR inability to perform fine and gross movements effectively OR inability to perform work-related activities. RFC (Residual Functional Capacity) evaluation applies when a specific listing is not met exactly — SSA assesses sustained daily functional capacity, accounting for lifting, standing, walking, postural activities, fine motor, and concentration. SSDI SGA: $1,690/month (non-blind, 2026); $2,830/month (blind, 2026). SSI FBR: $994/month (2026).
3. Dysautonomia International — POTS and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is characterized by an increase in heart rate of 30 or more beats per minute within 10 minutes of standing (or 40+ bpm for those under age 19), without sustained orthostatic hypotension. POTS prevalence in hypermobile EDS: estimated 70–80% of hEDS patients. Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) comorbidity: estimated 25–50% of hEDS patients. POTS SSA evaluation: cardiovascular criteria including Listing 4.05 (recurrent arrhythmias with documented functional limitation) or RFC assessment documenting orthostatic intolerance, syncope frequency, and inability to maintain upright position for sustained periods. Tilt table test (positive: HR increase ≥30 bpm in 10 minutes, or ≥40 bpm in adolescents) is the primary objective documentation for SSDI claims involving POTS.
4. Ong KT et al. (2010) — Celiprolol trial in vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Lancet 376(9751):1476–1484. Prospective study of celiprolol vs no treatment in confirmed COL3A1 vEDS (n=55). Celiprolol group: 5 clinical events; control group: 14 events; hazard ratio 0.36 (p=0.04) — approximately 64% relative risk reduction in major arterial rupture, dissection, or hollow organ perforation. Historical cohort data: median age at first major complication approximately 29 years; median survival historically 48–51 years (Pepin M et al., 2000). Celiprolol is not FDA-approved in the United States and must be obtained via compounding pharmacy or international pharmacy under physician supervision. Current clinical guidance recommends celiprolol for all confirmed COL3A1 vEDS patients without contraindication, pending any new randomized data. Gene therapy trials for COL3A1 are in early preclinical stages as of 2026; no clinical trials have reached Phase 1 enrollment.
5. SSA POMS SI 02302.200 — 1619(b) Charted Threshold Amounts (updated 01/20/2026). Section 1619(b) allows SSI recipients to retain Medicaid coverage when earnings exceed the SSI payment level, provided earnings remain below the state threshold. 2026 state thresholds range from $29,412 (Northern Mariana Islands) to $84,208 (Minnesota). Continental US thresholds for most states fall in the $35,000–$55,000 range. Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) — disability-related costs necessary to enable work — are deducted from countable earned income for both the SGA determination and the 1619(b) threshold calculation. IRWEs for EDS include PT costs incurred to maintain work capacity, compression garments used during work, custom bracing, ergonomic assistive technology paid by the individual, and work-related medical transportation. Individualized threshold available when IRWE + attendant care + medical costs exceed state average.
6. ABLE National Resource Center — 2026 Contribution Limits and Eligibility. Annual ABLE contribution limit: $20,000 from all sources (2026). ABLE-to-Work additional contribution: up to $15,650 from beneficiary's own earned income (federal poverty level for one-person household, 2026). Age eligibility: disability onset before age 46, effective January 2026 (ABLE Age Adjustment Act). SSI protection: ABLE account balance up to $100,000 does not count toward SSI's $2,000 resource limit. Qualified disability expenses include transportation, housing (including modifications), education, health, employment support, assistive technology, and personal support services. Housing modifications — grab bars, accessible fixtures, roll-in showers — are qualified disability expenses under ABLE, though distributions for shelter costs (rent, mortgage) trigger ISM considerations under SSI. State plan selection note: most states accept out-of-state ABLE account holders; some offer deductions only for in-state accounts.

Rules verified against 2026 SSA, ABLE, and clinical standards. SSI FBR $994/month (2026). SSDI SGA $1,690/month non-blind; $2,830/month blind (2026). ABLE contribution limit $20,000/year; ABLE-to-Work additional $15,650/year; age eligibility onset before 46 (all 2026). Section 1619(b) thresholds per SSA POMS SI 02302.200 updated January 2026. EDS subtype prevalence and clinical data per Ehlers-Danlos Society and published cohort studies. vEDS celiprolol data per Ong et al. (2010) Lancet. Medical cost ranges are estimates based on published therapy and equipment cost data; actual out-of-pocket costs depend heavily on insurance coverage, geography, and individual clinical presentation. SNT corpus targets are illustrative and not guarantees of adequacy.