MetDESK^® Specialist: Special Needs Planning

To schedule your confidential intake meeting with Steve Schwartz, call (425)945-1419.  As an advocate for families who have children with disabilities, Steve does not charge any fees for intake meetings to assist families with planning for a lifetime of quality care for their children.

MetDESK^® is the four-time winner of the National Business & Disability Council’s Valued Customer Gold Award of Honor.  Achieving this award four consecutive times, signifies MetDESK^®, MetLife’s Division of Estate Planning for Special Kids, consistent leadership in responding to the special needs of families with children and other dependents with special needs.

Planning for the future of a child or other dependent with special needs requires very detailed and specific planning. Planning must be individualized and geared towards meeting the goals and objectives of each and every family. Planning cannot take place in a vacuum, but must also incorporate input from professionals, advocates, social service delivery systems, community- based supports, and extended family members. In order to plan effectively, detailed information must be gathered and assimilated from many sources, and integrated into a comprehensive plan that meets the long-term needs of the individual and their family.

The basic starting point in developing a plan and determining how much money is needed begins with the parents’ vision for their child. This will require very extensive planning on the part of parents, caretakers, and extended family members. The Letter of Intent, as outlined in the March 2001 edition of Exceptional Parent magazine will serve as a very useful guide in beginning to think about these issues.

To begin planning in earnest, parents will need to make determinations in the following areas and develop appropriate strategies:

1.   Child’s capabilities and ability to function independently
2.   Desired lifestyle for the child
3.   Summary of current out of pocket monthly expenses
4.   Projected future monthly housing, educational, vocational, recreational, and medical costs
5.   An estimate of additional supplemental supports and finances needed
6.   Development of community based support network consisting of guardian, trustee, financial advisors, caregivers, advocates, and professionals
7.   Taking steps to preserve government benefit eligibility
8.   Securing the services of an attorney knowledgeable in special needs planning to work with the team and draft appropriate legal documents
9.   Providing the necessary funds to provide for lifetime quality care 

MetDESK^® is the four-time winner of the National Business & Disability Council’s Valued Customer Gold Award of Honor.  Achieving this award four consecutive times, signifies MetDESK^®, MetLife’s Division of Estate Planning for Special Kids, consistent leadership in responding to the special needs of families with children and other dependents with special needs.

 MetDESK^® Specialists have access to state of the art software that will allow them to develop comprehensive plans for families of children and other dependents with special needs. These planning tools are made available only to MetDESK^®  Specialists.

This Special Needs Planning process can help families to:

1.    Gain a greater understanding of government benefits. 
2.    Learn techniques to preserve government benefits eligibility for SSI and Medicaid.
3.    Understand legal and financial issues in special needs planning, including special needs trusts.
4.    Create the Letter of Intent – a document which communicates parents’ wishes for their child to backup caregivers.
5.    Review legal options when a child with special needs turns age 18 to include guardianship, and conservatorship.
6.    Client self-determination issues.
7.    Determine how much money is needed to provide lifetime quality care.

It is truly gratifying to help my clients meet their needs to provide not just lifetime care but quality of life for their dependents with special needs. When I present my recommendations and outline the action steps that my clients need to take, it seems as if I am lifting a great weight from their shoulders. My clients often remark:  “For the first time, I have a clear path to help the needs of my child.”   

Helpful Reminder on How To Make Special Needs Planning Work For You:

1.     Work with professionals that have an expertise in special needs planning. Constantly changing state and federal laws require dedicated and knowledgeable professionals with a strong level of expertise.
2.     Clearly identify your child’s short and long-term needs and set up a plan to provide funding to meet those needs. The Letter of Intent is a very useful tool to help families identify important issues.
3.     Understand the effect of each financial decision.  Remember all of your financial decisions are interrelated. One unchanged beneficiary can cause the loss of government benefit eligibility.
4.     Review your financial situation periodically.  State and federal laws related to special needs planning change frequently. Special needs planning is not a "once and done" event. Frequent review will be necessary to make certain that your plans for your child are still viable.

5.     Realize that you are the expert.  No one knows your child like you do.

Begin Planning Today.