Bobby’s Story: Planning for the Youngest Children with Disabilities

Alice and John, Bobby’s parents, had heard about special needs trusts over the years. They always had assumed that a trust was for families with significant resources. When they learned about PLAN, they found a solution – a pooled trust that fit their financial situation. They also learned about the possibility of setting up a “future-funded trust” — a trust that could be created now, and funded in the future by Alice and / or John’s life insurance policies.

Alice and John were concerned about making one or both of Bobby’s siblings responsible for Bobby’s finances. If PLAN serves as trustee, the siblings could relate to Bobby as siblings and not as financial managers.

As they age, Alice and John find themselves thinking more about how Bobby will be cared for when they are too old or no longer around. They want to know that someone will check in on him regularly.

PLAN’s social worker staff are deeply caring individuals who can match supports and services to Bobby’s needs. They are experienced with the thicket of rules and regulations that govern how special needs trust funds can be spent.

They can seek to protect Bobby’s public benefits, while making thoughtful decisions and disbursing pooled trust funds to provide for a regular caregiver or companion.