News Releases from November 9, 2026

Disabled student in classroom.

How to Claim an Able UP Account

For Account Owners/Beneficiaries and Authorized Legal Representatives It’s official! All IL ABLE accounts have transitioned to the new Able UP account management platform, powered by Vestwell. Account owners and authorized legal representatives (previously called Authorized Individuals) can now retrieve their account on the new Able UP portal. Follow these steps to access your Able UP account. How to claim your account: Explore Your Able UP Account Dashboard Now that you’ve accessed your account, you can explore your new dashboard. Check that your information is up to date. You can also…

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Treasurer Frerichs smiles as he speaks from a podium. Backdrop has the Bright Start logo

Treasurer Frerichs Clinches 8th Gold Rating For Bright Start 529 College Savings Plan

CHICAGO — Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced that the Bright Start 529 College Savings Plan has earned its eighth Gold rating from independent investment analyst Morningstar, once again placing Illinois’ direct-sold college savings plan among the best in the nation. Bright Start 529 is one of only nine Gold-rated 529 college savings plans in the country. “For the eighth time under my watch, Morningstar has recognized Bright Start 529 as one of the nation’s best college savings plans,” Frerichs said. “That independent recognition confirms what Illinois families deserve:…

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Welcome to Able UP!

The IL ABLE program is now called Able UP If you had an IL ABLE account, it is now an Able UP account. Accounts in Able UP help people with disabilities and qualifying medical conditions live a life of Unlimited Possibilities and Unlimited Potential: now you can Able UP for today, tomorrow, and your future. Able UP offers more than a new name and a new website for the Illinois ABLE program. Able UP gives you: Some things will stay the same. Able UP accounts continue to offer tax advantages. Earnings…

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