For Delaware families, the planning playbook mirrors what we run at home: keep your child's countable assets clear of the $2,000 SSI line, use an ABLE account for independence and a special needs trust for legacy money, and treat the 18th birthday as a project with a deadline rather than a surprise.
Being one state over helps in practice. Cross-border families with a parent working in Maryland and a child receiving services in Delaware are ordinary cases here, not exotic ones.
Delaware's ABLE program: DEpendABLE
Delaware's DEpendABLE program runs on a national ABLE platform, keeping costs reasonable for a small state. Delaware families can also choose most other states' programs, so we compare on fees and features rather than assuming the home flag wins.
Written by Colin Meeks, CFP® · Registered to serve Delaware residents · Last updated August 6, 2026