Do you think you have time to make a plan for your Special Needs child in the event you are gone?
Years ago, when attending an autism conference, I attended a talk on special needs planning. During the 60 minute presentation, the attorney urged parents of children with autism to make a plan now. She warned of delaying action. You must start planning now even if you think you have time.
The audience, myself included, was deeply invested in the topic. Questions kept popping up:
What does conservatorship cost? How do you pick a guardian? What is a special needs trust? Do you only serve clients in Orange County?
Special Needs Planning is not just about conservatorships
One of her answers to a young dad startled me: I only do conservatorships now, and I'm booked out until spring. It was October. The dad nodded and sat down.
You must start planning now even if you think you have time. I am pretty sure I was not alone in my internal reaction to that statement. This was years ago; my son barely a teen-ager. There's plenty of time, I told myself...this legal stuff doesn't need to happen until my son is 18...I will start planning everything eventually. I'll keep my notes so I can look at them later.
Fast forward seven years. Those years whiz by. Eighteen comes along like a Jacob deGrom fastball. Do you really have time?
Tragedy strikes unexpectedly; will your special needs plans be ready?
I've heard about way too many parents of children with autism facing tragedy. Mothers who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Fathers who are killed in vehicle accidents. It's horrible to think about and even more devastating to experience. Did they have plans laid out for their child with special needs? Was there time for that?
The speaker from the conference was telling the audience the truth: You must start planning now even if you think you have time. Whether your child is 6 or 11 or 25 or 44...all parents of children with autism and other special needs must get their act together and make a plan for what will happen to their child if they can no longer be there. When they can no longer be there.
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Tough to think about, for sure. Difficult, perhaps, to gather everything and get started. But - what kind of difficulty would be faced by those left behind with no idea about how to continue care for your child with special needs?
The unique knowledge you have about your child witrh special needs must be preserved
How would your child with autism or other special needs handle life if someone else stepped in to care for him or her without the detailed knowledge you have about their life?
You may have to wait months to see a special needs attorney to make plans for trusts and conservatorships. But you don't have to wait at all to get started with VestLife.
With a Vest for your child with special needs, you can start planning now because you have the time to do so.
VestLife makes it simple for any parent to begin planning today. Start with whatever feels right and important to you. Begin planning quickly and easily with pre-organized sections and pockets specifically designed for parents like you.
Don't let a fastball knock you out. Don't wait for tragedy to strike. Make a plan now. The reality is, we have no idea how much time we have. We don't like to think about that.
However, when you have a Vest for your child with special needs, you'll be less worried about the inevitable. You may have more time to enjoy virtual conferences and fanless baseball games. Just click below to learn more.
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