Self-employment can fit around a disability better than most jobs. The money side has a few extra rules. Here is how public programs, benefits and business funding fit together.
Check My OptionsDisability-owned business funding
Three months of bank statements, a 5-minute application, and a soft credit pull to start. Funding in as little as 24 hours for qualified businesses.
Amount to request
$85,000.00
Funding range$25K to $5M
*Sample amounts shown. Your actual offer depends on your business and is reviewed before approval.
Updated October 16, 2026
Several public programs exist specifically to help people with disabilities start or grow a business. They tend to be slower than private funding, but some come with grants of equipment or services, and they can be combined with financing later. Most owners should look at them first.
Every state runs a VR agency under federal oversight from the Rehabilitation Services Administration. VR can support self-employment as an employment goal, which may include help with a business plan, training and, in some states, equipment or start-up costs. Rules and amounts vary by state, so ask your local office what its self-employment policy covers.
A PASS plan lets people who receive SSI set aside income or resources for a work goal, including starting a business, without that money counting against SSI eligibility. The plan must be written down and approved by Social Security.
Through Ticket to Work, Social Security connects beneficiaries with free work incentives counseling. Business income, assets and debt can interact with SSI and SSDI rules in ways that are easy to get wrong, so speak to a counselor before you sign for new funding.
ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts for people whose disability began before a set age. They can hold savings without affecting many means-tested benefits and can be one way to build a cushion while the business grows.
Disability:IN certifies Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (DOBE) that are at least 51% owned, operated, managed and controlled by one or more people with disabilities, and connects them with corporate supplier programs. Service-disabled veterans can certify as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business through the SBA's veteran contracting programs. Contracts won this way turn into steady deposits, which is what most funders weigh first. The Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy also publishes self-employment resources.
| Program | Run by | What it can help with |
|---|---|---|
| Vocational rehabilitation | Your state VR agency | Plans, training and in some states start-up costs |
| PASS plan | Social Security | Setting aside SSI-countable money for a business goal |
| Ticket to Work | Social Security | Free work incentives and benefits counseling |
| ABLE account | State ABLE programs | Savings that many benefits do not count |
| DOBE certification | Disability:IN | Access to corporate supplier diversity programs |
| SDVOSB certification | SBA | Federal contracting for service-disabled veterans |
| Microloans | SBA and nonprofit community lenders | Loans up to $50,000 |
Public programs are best for planning and starting. Once a business has steady deposits, private funding can move faster for a specific need: equipment, a large order, payroll timing or an accessible build-out of a space. A business line of credit covers recurring gaps, while working capital and equipment financing handle one-time costs. Before you borrow, run the payment against your slowest month, not your best one, and check with your benefits counselor.
Free advising on plans and financing is also available from a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and from SCORE mentors, and both can meet remotely.
We do not run a special program for owners with disabilities. We review these businesses the same way we review every established business: deposits, existing obligations, credit, and how the business operates. Applying starts with a 5-minute application and about three months of business bank statements, with a soft credit pull to start. FICO 500+ is considered, and funding ranges from $25,000 to $5,000,000. No tax returns are required to apply. Every offer shows the full repayment amount before you accept. Sole proprietors can apply the same way an LLC or corporation does. If you need an accommodation to complete the application, reach us through the contact page.
Fast decisions. Applying takes about 5 minutes.
A short application. A soft credit pull to start.
We review revenue, time in business and bank activity, not just a credit score.
You see the amount, the schedule and the full repayment amount before you sign.
Funding in as little as 24 hours for qualified businesses.
It can, depending on how income, assets and debt are counted under your benefits. Talk with a work incentives counselor through Ticket to Work before you sign for new funding.
Some state VR agencies support self-employment, including plans, training and in some states start-up costs. Ask your local office what its policy covers.
A Social Security plan that lets SSI recipients set aside income or resources for a work goal, such as starting a business, without it counting against SSI eligibility. It must be approved by Social Security.
No. We review these businesses the same way we review every established business: deposits, existing obligations, credit, and how the business operates.
About three months of business bank statements. No tax returns are required to apply.
One secure application. A soft credit pull to start. No obligation to accept an offer.
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