For families raising or supporting an individual with a disability, financial planning is not simply about saving money or managing a budget. It is about understanding how every financial decision — an inheritance, a savings account, a job offer, a housing arrangement — interacts with a complex web of federal and state benefit programs that can be disrupted by choices made without full information.
The stakes are high. A gift given with the best intentions can eliminate SSI eligibility. An improperly funded trust can trigger a Medicaid repayment claim. A retirement account left to an individual with a disability without proper planning can disqualify them from the very services they depend on.
At Leahy Life Plan, Michele A. Leahy, MS, CPWIC, provides financial and community planning guidance that helps families understand the landscape — and make informed decisions in coordination with the attorneys, financial advisors, and community supports best positioned to implement them.
Leahy Life Plan does not provide legal or financial investment advice. What it provides is disability-benefits expertise that makes legal and financial planning actually work for individuals with disabilities.
Special Needs Financial Planning
- Long-Term Disability Planning Strategies
- Special Needs Trusts Explained
- ABLE Accounts & Guaranteed Funding Streams
- Best Ways to Fund a Special Needs Trust
- Federal, State & County Benefits Coordination
- Power of Attorney vs. Guardianship
- Professional Referrals & Community Support
- Preparation for Person-Centered Planning & Microboarding
- FAQs: Special Needs Financial & Community Planning