Results
News > Lifestyle
Teaching Life Skills for Independence: A Parent's Roadmap
...independently. Household management: Cleaning, laundry, basic...organizing personal space. Money management: Counting coins,...organizing personal space. Money management: Counting coins, making purchases,...understanding value. Time management: Reading clocks, following...long tasks take. Health management: Recognizing illness, taking...
Special Needs > Down Syndrome
Preparing Your Teen with Down Syndrome for Adult Life: A Transition Planning Guide
...measurable. "Will manage a personal budget using a visual checklist and weekly money management app" is. Transition services: instruction, related services,..."Will manage a personal budget using a visual checklist and weekly money management app" is. Transition services: instruction, related services, community...
Parenting > General
ABLE Accounts vs. Special Needs Trusts: Which One Does Your Family Need?
...contribute up to $18,000 per year (as of 2024). Money grows tax-free. Withdrawals for qualified disability...It's designed for autonomy, not institutional management. What a Special Needs Trust Does Differently. A...Does Differently. A special needs trust holds money for a person with disabilities without affecting...
Lifestyle > Independence
Building Independence: A Life Skills Roadmap for Children with Special Needs
...eating without assistance. These are the skills that determine whether someone needs round-the-clock support or can be alone for hours. Household management determines whether someone can live alone or needs a housemate. Laundry, meal preparation, cleaning, basic home maintenance, and managing a living...
Career > Skills Training
Financial Literacy and Money Management Skills for Employment
Understanding paychecks, taxes, budgeting, and how work income affects SSI and SSDI benefits for adults with disabilities.
Education > Special Education
The Government Isn't Spending the $93 Million Congress Mandated for Special Education Research. Here's What Families Should Do Now.
...special education research in 2026. The Office of Management and Budget has approved none of it. The money funds...Management and Budget has approved none of it. The money funds studies that tell us what interventions work...has approved $0 of it as of April 27, 2026. The money funds research grants that study what works. Reading...
Legal > Housing
Moving from a Nursing Home to Community Housing Under Olmstead
...appropriate to individual needs, yet families often don't know these rights exist or how to exercise them. The Olmstead decision and programs like Money Follows the Person provide pathways out of institutional care, but navigating the transition process requires understanding what the law requires, how...
Legal > Government Benefits
Understanding SSI Resource Limits and What Assets Count
...day of the month. If your resources exceed $2,000 on that date, your SSI payment is suspended for that month. Bank accounts: Checking, savings, and money market accounts count. The full balance, not just what you deposited this month. Cash: Any cash you have on hand counts. Stocks, bonds, and investments:...
Financial > Financial Planning
Special Needs Planning for Sudden Wealth: Settlements, Inheritances, and Windfalls
...relative dies and leaves money. A lawsuit resolves....reapplication, proof that the money is gone, and months...key is keeping the money out of countable assets...entirely. Why Sudden Money Triggers Benefit Loss....recipient keeps the money, but loses access to...support. Spending the money down to $2,000 restores...months to move the money into...
Financial > Financial Planning
Annual Review of Your Special Needs Plan: Checklist for Families
...child's current situation. First-party vs. third-party distinction: If your child received a settlement or inheritance since the trust was created, that money can't go into a third-party trust. You'll need a first-party trust with Medicaid payback language. If you haven't set one up yet, this is the flag that...
Legal > Government Benefits
Understanding Representative Payees: Who Manages Your Child's Disability Benefits
...representative payee receives benefit payments on behalf of a beneficiary who SSA has determined needs assistance managing those funds. You're not just holding money temporarily. You're legally responsible for using it correctly, keeping records of how it's spent, and reporting annually to SSA. Your responsibilities...
Financial > Financial Planning
Medicaid Estate Recovery and Special Needs Trusts
...The Medicaid Payback Requirement. A first-party special needs trust holds money that belonged to the beneficiary: a personal injury settlement, an inheritance...their name, back pay from Social Security, or wages they earned. Because the money was theirs, federal law requires the trust to repay the state for Medicaid...