Rising Care Costs Can Affect Long-Term Support With Special Needs
Lifetime support for an individual with a disability requires people. This statement may sound obvious; however, in planning for an individual’s future, the people who will care for them are rarely discussed in detail. Special Needs Planning often stops after the discussion of a Special Needs Trust, future guardians, and government benefits. It is common […]
Continue readingHow Do ABLE Accounts and Third Party Special Needs Trust Compare?
Could you compare, from a high level, ABLE accounts and a Third Party Special Needs Trust? From a high-level perspective, ABLE accounts and Third Party Special Needs Trust are the same in one main way, any money positioned in these accounts are not counted as a resource when an individual with a disability applies for […]
Continue readingHow Macroeconomic Changes Can Impact People with Special Needs
I am sure you have heard the saying, “the left-hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.” This statement can be quite evident when the decisions by the US government are explored. For many individual states, the minimum wage became a hot-button issue, and quite a number of state governments decided to pass laws […]
Continue readingAdult Life – What Is Available For My Child With Special Needs?
Parents, families, and adults have the same burning question, “What happens when school is over?” In the past, the answer was for the child to continue to live at home with parents or in a group home setting, possibly work part-time at a fast food restaurant, grocery store, pet store or maybe just be able […]
Continue readingChanges to the ABLE Account Rules You Need to Know
Could you describe the changes in the ABLE account rules that were brought about by the new federal tax legislation? As most of you know, the ABLE Act was passed back at the end of 2014 and paved the way for individuals diagnosed with a disability before the age of 26 to save money without […]
Continue readingFuture Independence for Special Needs Linked to Technology and Money
As parents guide their children through the stages of life, there comes a point where adulthood becomes ever so real. That time usually comes somewhere between 14 and 17 years old, when parents realize their child will become an adult and will no longer be attending school. For some of those young adults, they may […]
Continue readingHow to Plan for Your Special Needs Child’s Legal and Financial Future
The holiday season is officially upon us, and our calendars are even busier than normal (which is hard to believe!). I know that the holiday season brings a great deal of joy, happiness, family time, and stress. It can also bring with it a time for reflection, reflection on the year that has passed, and […]
Continue readingSpecial Needs Financial Planning When Life Changes
As families plan for the secure future of a loved one with autism, it is commonplace that the plan is updated due to changes in the family situation or in the life of the individual with the diagnosis. For example: If your loved one begins working, the new income will need to be factored into […]
Continue readingWhat You Need to Know About Special Needs Advocacy and Money
Nothing ever seems to change unless people force the change to occur. An advocate is a person who speaks, writes, or pleads for his/herself or on behalf of another. We have seen fierce advocacy in the special needs community throughout history, and this advocacy began with families fighting for the civil rights of their loved […]
Continue readingHow Do I Choose a Trustee for My Special Needs Child?
I am trying to decide on a trustee for my son’s Special Needs Trust. What should I be thinking about? —Madison I commend you on thinking about who will be your best choice as trustee. I find that so many families just choose the closest relative or closest friend without much thought as to the […]
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