Association for Better Living and Education
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO RID THE WORLD OF ITS MOST DEVASTATING SOCIAL ILLS -- DRUGS, CRIME, ILLITERACY AND IMMORALITY.
- Income
- $3.0 million
- Spending
- $3.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 15.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 52%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 85
- Highest pay
- $9,748, president/director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 65% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 252 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $2.4 million spent. ABLE DIRECTS, COORDINATES AND SUPPORTS THE EFFORTS OF NARCONON INTERNATIONAL, APPLIED SCHOLASTICS INTERNATIONAL, CRIMINON INTERNATIONAL AND THE WAY TO HAPPINESS FOUNDATION TO IMPROVE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ABLE PROGRAMS AND STANDARDS, TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL BETTERMENT CENTERS AND GROUPS, AND TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE WITH SOCIAL BETTERMENT PROGRAMS AND SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THEIR LOCAL CHALLENGES.
- $78,816 spent. ABLE CREATES AND PUBLISHES MATERIALS FOR USE IN SOCIAL BETTERMENT PROGRAMS. SUCH PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE DRUG REHABILITATION MATERIALS, ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES, FORMS AND MANUALS TO ASSIST STAFF OF NARCONON CENTERS TO EFFECTIVELY REHABILITATE ADDICTS, AND EDUCATION BOOKS, STUDY GUIDES, BOOKLETS AND LITERACY MATERIALS FOR USE IN SCHOOLS, TUTORING CENTERS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO CREATE COMPETENT LIFELONG LEARNERS. AND IN THE FIELD OF MORAL CHARACTER ABLE'S PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE INMATE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, STUDY BOOKLETS AND MATERIALS FOR CRIMINAL REFORM WHILE ADDITIONALLY ASSISTING THE WAY TO HAPPINESS FOUNDATION TO PUBLISH THE BOOK THE WAY TO HAPPINESS IN MORE THAN 117 LANGUAGES IN OVER 185 NATIONS INTERNATIONALLY.
- $553,679 spent. ABLE CONDUCTS BROAD PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS PROMOTING EDUCATION AND LITERACY, DRUG AWARENESS AND ADDICTION PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION AS WELL AS COMMON SENSE MORAL VALUES BY REACHING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THROUGH WEBSITES, INTERNET ADVERTISEMENTS, EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS FOR EACH OF ITS INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL BETTERMENT ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS MANY OF THEIR LICENSEES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1993.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.