It’s Not So Simple: An Examination of How the Internal Revenue Code Fails to Contemplate the Economic Realities of Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families

Families with disabled students often face extra out-of-pocket costs—costs they wouldn’t have if their child weren’t disabled—to secure the same education other students receive for free, yet tax relief for those expenses is limited and unclear. Garret Hoff, J.D., argues that Internal Revenue Code Section 213 and its interpretations reflect a time when disabled people were not viewed as worth public money to educate, leaving families with arbitrary distinctions under the medical expense deduction. Hoff recommends the IRS revise Treasury Regulation 1.213-1(e)(1)(v)(a) to recognize a broader reading of Section 213, and he urges Congress to amend Section 529A, created by the ABLE Act, to lift contribution limits and make contributions tax deductible so families can fund qualified disability expenses through ABLE accounts. Hoff adds that lasting access and justice require cultural change, not only tax revisions. Series: "Autism Tree Project Annual Neuroscience Conference" [Public Affairs] [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41178]

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It’s Not So Simple: An Examination of How the Internal Revenue Code Fails to Contemplate the Economic Realities of Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families is an episode from Economy/Labor Issues (Video) by UCTV.

This episode is 00:39:51 long.

This episode was published on Feb 16, 2026.

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