“My entire life, I have been proving people wrong about what I can do.”
Born at 27 weeks and just over 2 pounds, Logan was small enough to fit in the palm of his mom’s hands. He spent a month in the neonatal intensive care unit on heart monitors and chest tubes, and his lungs collapsed twice. The doctors told his mom that Logan would never talk or speak and that he would be a “vegetable.” But they were wrong.
With the support of his family, friends, and various aides, Logan grew to be a happy and healthy kid, and he discovered his life’s work.
Logan’s passion in life is livestock, and he’s ready to open his business.
In middle and high school, Logan joined the Future Farmers of America (FFA), a youth organization that prepares its members for leadership, growth, and career success through agricultural education. With the support of his teachers, who fostered his passion in this area and believed in his skills, he not only achieved his state level degrees but also his American degree, the highest FFA degree available. Now, Logan wants to start his own cattle company and knows that nothing is going to stop him from being successful if he can get started. He dreams of having his name on everything in his business—from the truck to the stock.
“My family raised cows growing up, and I got hit by the bug to learn more. My senior year, I showed and sold my first steer. I knew immediately that cattle was what I was meant to do. I want to give back to those who gave everything to me and be someone kids in the industry can look up to.”
But the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) asset limit is limiting Logan and stopping him from pursuing his dreams.
SSI provides critical support to Logan and nearly 8 million other people with disabilities and older Americans. Logan uses the money he gets from SSI to pay his rent and food. But most importantly, SSI qualifies Logan to use Medicaid to help pay for his health care needs. Without it, his family would struggle to pay for the things he needs for his daily life.
Right now, outdated rules stop people who get SSI from being able to save money. Unmarried people like Logan who get SSI can only have $2,000 in assets, which includes money in bank accounts, retirement accounts, and other savings. Married people can only have $3,000 in assets.
The current SSI asset limit means that Logan can’t open his own cattle business, since even owning one steer would put him over the limit.
“I want to do want I want to do and how I want to do it…. I want to make a living. I also have other dreams – to get married and have kids, to have a life like everyone else has.”
At 25, Logan’s not done—he’s just getting started to prove everyone wrong. But he needs Congress’ help to make his next dream possible by passing laws to increase the asset limit.
“Congress hasn’t done anything in 40 years to raise this limit. It’s time to take care of business and get this change done. I’ll keep going, even if I have to call 125 people. The words ‘I can’t’ are not in my vocabulary.”
Congress is considering bills that would raise the SSI asset limit. It would raise the limit from $2,000 to $10,000 for single people like Logan, and it would increase the limit from $3,000 to $20,000 for married couples who get SSI.
For Logan, this change would be huge, as it would allow him to start his business.
Support Logan’s dream and the dreams of other entrepreneurs with disabilities across the country. Contact your member of Congress to raise the SSI asset limit.
The post Logan Dreams of Starting His Business, But the SSI Asset Limit Holds Him Back appeared first on The Arc.