66 DIVERSEability Magazine www.diverseabilitymagazine.com

COMMUNITY

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ddpsejoh! up! uif! Dfoufst! gps! Ejtfbtf! Dpouspm!boe!Qsfwfoujpo!)DED*-!efwfmpq- nfoubm! ejtbcjmjujft! bggfdu! bqqspyjnbufmz! 28&! pg!dijmesfo!bhfe!4!up!28!jo!uif!Vojufe!Tubuft/! Bt! nfejdbm! bewbodft! ibwf! dpoujovfe-! jut! become more likely that children with special offet! nbz! pvumjwf! uifjs! qbsfout/! Bddpsejoh! up!uif!Obujpobm!Epxo!Tzoespnf!Tpdjfuz-!uif! bwfsbhf!mjgf!fyqfdubodz!pg!b!qfstpo!xjui!Epxo! Tzoespnf!jt!71!upebz/!Jo!2:94-!ju!xbt!pomz!36/! KBNB!Qfejbusjdt!tvhhftut!uif!mjgfujnf!dptut! for caring for a person with autism to be $2.4 million. Bt! qbsfout! boe! dbsfhjwfst! up! dijmesfo! with special needs, we're faced with chal- lenges most can't imagine. The University of Wisconsin did a study that demonstrated moth- ers of a child with autism had stress hormone levels similar to soldiers in combat! This stress emanates from ongoing worry for the health and safety of your child, guilt that you did something wrong, feeling like you need to be an expert on your child's physical or cognitive impairment, tirelessly advocating for medical treatments, school programs and accommodations - and paying for it all. Ifsf! bsf! wf! jnqpsubou! dpotjefsbujpot-! along with resources, for parents of special needs children:

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Emotional Well-Being for the Entire Family

Parents of children with developmental disabilities have higher rates of physical and mental health issues than parents of children without these conditions. Bsf! zpv! ubljoh! ujnf! up! mppl! pvu! gps! zpvs! emotional and physical well-being? Having a child with special needs places enormous stress on a marriage and other relationships. Too often, parents ignore their own mental health issues because they are understandably overwhelmed with caring for their child. Zpv!dbo!oe!b!ifmqgvm!mjtu!pg!tvqqpsu!hspvqt! for parents of children with special needs here.

Planning for a Lifetime:

5 Key Considerations (and Resources!) for Parents of Special Needs Children

By Jeff Vistica, CFP, ChSNC , AIF

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Financial Planning

Planning and getting started early is crit- ical for parents of special needs children. Understand the ongoing estimated costs to help support your child. Set up a third-party tqfdjbm!offet!usvtu!cfgpsf!zpvs!dijme!uvsot!29/! Inform and invite family members to partic- jqbuf! jo! cvjmejoh! obodjbm! tfdvsjuz! gps! zpvs! mpwfe!pof/!Bozpof!dbo!dpousjcvuf!up!uif!uijse. party trust and every little bit will help. If your child is receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), paying for food and shelter from a special needs trust will cause a sfevdujpo!jo!TTJ!cfofut/!Uibu!nbz!cf!b!xpsui- while tradeoff if it's the only way to meet pre- ferred housing needs. You can pay for things like personal care, vacations or therapies not covered by Medicaid using the trust.

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Estate Planning

When you set up your estate planning documents, take the time to understand how to choose a trustee and trust protectors. The job of the trustee is to act in the best interest of the cfofdjbsjft!pg!uif!usvtu!cz!tbgfhvbsejoh!uif! assets of the trust and ensuring those assets are vtfe!bt!sfrvjsfe!cz!uif!ufsnt!pg!uif!usvtu/ B! usvtu! qspufdupst! kpc! jt! up! tvqfswjtf! uif! usvtuff!boe!qspufdu!uif!cfofdjbsjft!gspn!boz! misconduct by the trustee. The trust protector can also perform other duties including replac- ing the trustee, assuming those powers are granted in the trust document. The appointment of a trustee and a trust pro- tector are among the most important decisions you'll make to start building a support system gps!zpvs!mpwfe!pof/!B!tljmmfe!buupsofz!boe!bewj- tpsz!ufbn!dbo!ifmq!nblf!uijt!ejgdvmu!qspdftt! less overwhelming and will be indispensable to you and your family.

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Living Arrangements

Bt!zpvs!dijme!bhft-!epou!xbju!up!tubsu! looking for housing arrangements. You'll want your loved one to be comfortable with the new