I once bought a book called "Smart Girls Finish Rich" by Suze Orman. I don't remember at all what it said. And I'm not rich yet, so I'm not sure the book worked. Once we had Evie, we knew off the bat that we would need to plan ahead financially for her, and more than the typical situation. We hope she will be able to live on her own as an adult, and hopefully have a job (as a rock star or a model--let a mom dream). But we need to make sure our little girl will be provided for.
I asked on our awesome Facebook group for local families with kids with Down Syndrome, and got some great recommendations about places to call.
I asked on our awesome Facebook group for local families with kids with Down Syndrome, and got some great recommendations about places to call.
We picked an advisor that was two towns over, but mostly because this financial group is specifically equipped to help families with special needs. One co-founder has a son with Down Syndrome, and the other has a brother with special needs. Back when they needed help, there wasn't much out there to advise them on how to prepare for their loved one. So now they have written a book. I got mine autographed. :)
We met with Alexandria, who has a brother with Down Syndrome (and whose father wrote the book). She gets emotional and so happy when she talks about her brother, who is now in his 20's. She is also very active in the Down Syndrome community and believes in what she is doing. After we met with her, she presented us with an individualized financial plan for our family from now until Evie is an adult. This timeline goes along Evie's educational career and helps us take the right financial steps along the way.
We were very impressed with the service provided to us. As a result of our visit, we were able to discuss issues such as life insurance, setting up a will, and the pros and cons of an ABLE account. She gave us a list of attorneys who were more experienced in helping to set up special needs trusts, and we were able to set up our will as well.
I highly recommend meeting with a special needs financial planner if this applies to you--it helps to give you an overview of what to expect and how you can plan ahead. I had no idea what to do at all, and Alexandria set us at ease and walked us through what we needed to know. For those of you north of Boston, Shepherd Financial is worth considering!
And now to find someone to childproof my home... just kidding.
We met with Alexandria, who has a brother with Down Syndrome (and whose father wrote the book). She gets emotional and so happy when she talks about her brother, who is now in his 20's. She is also very active in the Down Syndrome community and believes in what she is doing. After we met with her, she presented us with an individualized financial plan for our family from now until Evie is an adult. This timeline goes along Evie's educational career and helps us take the right financial steps along the way.
We were very impressed with the service provided to us. As a result of our visit, we were able to discuss issues such as life insurance, setting up a will, and the pros and cons of an ABLE account. She gave us a list of attorneys who were more experienced in helping to set up special needs trusts, and we were able to set up our will as well.
I highly recommend meeting with a special needs financial planner if this applies to you--it helps to give you an overview of what to expect and how you can plan ahead. I had no idea what to do at all, and Alexandria set us at ease and walked us through what we needed to know. For those of you north of Boston, Shepherd Financial is worth considering!
And now to find someone to childproof my home... just kidding.
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