Autism and Telepathy: Are “Nonspeaking” Children Actually Communicating? What if nonspeaking autistic children aren’t silent at all — but are communicating telepathically or in other ways we don’t yet understand because science doesn’t yet have the tools to measure? That’s the provocative question explored in the new podcast The Telepathy Tapes, which follows scientists, parents, […]
18 Things to Do When Your Child with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability is About to Turn 18
Turning 18 is a milestone that comes with legal implications, including new rights and responsibilities. If you are the parent or guardian of an intellectually or developmentally disabled young adult, how do you guide your loved one through the transition into becoming an adult? How do you help them explore the independence of adulthood while […]
How Do You Plan for the Financial Future of a Loved One with a Disability
Dear Hayek, I am a caregiver for my adult son, who lives with a disability. What are some ways that I can help plan for his financial future? Thanks for your help! Fi Nanshul — Dear Fi, About 61 million adults in the U.S., or 1 in 4, live with a disability, according to the Centers […]
Supported Decision-Making for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
What Is Supported Decision-Making? Almost all adults ask friends, family members, or coworkers for ideas and advice on a regular basis. Any time you need to make a decision, and you want help to better understand your choices, you can turn to people you trust to help you consider your choices and make the best […]
How AI Is Being Used to Diagnose and Treat Autism
Researchers are currently exploring the idea that artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to diagnose and treat autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An ASD diagnosis can be tricky, and for some it can take years. Now a new app developed at Duke University may be able to spot the disorder in 10 minutes while children play […]
529s and ABLE Accounts Get a Major Boost
Age of disability for ABLE accounts will increase from 26 to 46. Unused 529 accounts can be rolled into a Roth IRA. Q. I have two children. One is an adult child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and another is a lot younger and is neurotypical. We are considering setting them both up with […]
Is the Term “Special Needs” Going Out of Style? Rethinking the Terminology in Light of the Law
Q. I have three children — two on the autism spectrum and one with Down syndrome, who we adopted. One of my children with ASD is a young adult, and the other is a teenager. My friend, Cathy, also has an adult child on the autism spectrum. I read your article last week and found […]
Planning for Individuals with Disabilities So They Have a Say
Q. Our son, Charlie, is 40 and has autism and is intellectually disabled. We were a bit older when we had him, and he is our fifth and youngest adult child. He resides with us in our home, but as we are getting older and having health issues ourselves, we are very concerned about what […]
Does My Infant Grandson Have an Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Q. My daughter and son-in-law both work full-time, and I watch my 9-month old grandson, Caden, every day during the week. My daughter takes me with her to his doctor’s appointments, where they provide us with CDC guidelines for where he should be at his age. He seems to not be reaching his developmental milestones. […]
How Can ABLE Accounts and Special Needs Trusts Work Together?
Q. Our son, Joey, has Down’s Syndrome. We decided it was a good idea to plan in advance for him for when we can no longer care for him ourselves. We have been researching our options and found information on Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts. Do I need both a Special Needs Trust and […]
How Having a Special Needs Loved One Affects Estate Planning and Retirement Planning
Q. Our daughter, Sophie, has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She is verbal, but needs lots of help academically and with her social skills. She may not be able to live independently when she becomes an adult. When it comes to retirement planning, it is a balancing act to try to know how much to […]
Why Special Needs Planning Is Even More Important During a Pandemic (Part 4 of a 4-part Series)
In what was originally a three-part series, I have decided to add one more essential part about special needs planning and why it’s especially important during a pandemic. In part one of this series, I discussed why estate planning is of vital importance during this global pandemic. In part two, I explored elder law and […]
Congress Reverses Recent Changes to the Kiddie Tax
The article below can be found at specialneedsanswers.com here. By Andy Jones A major bipartisan bill, signed into law by President Trump in December, includes significant tax changes for people with assets in a special needs trust for a minor. The changes center on the so-called “kiddie tax,” which just underwent a major overhaul in […]
Is it Possible to Outgrow Autism?
Q. My son is fourteen years old and we’ve had a challenging time with him throughout his childhood, but his transformation since has been remarkable. At three, his preschool teacher suggested that we get him checked for autism. He wasn’t looking her in the eyes when he spoke, was impulsive, and couldn’t sit still, and […]
Taxation of Special Needs Trusts
This article was written by Special Needs Alliance member Tara Pleat. Tara is a founding partner of the law firm of Wilcenski & Pleat PLLC in Clifton Park, New York. She practices in the areas of Special Needs Planning, Elder Law, and Trust and Estate Planning and Administration. Tara writes and lectures frequently on issues affecting individuals with […]
Disabled Adult Child (DAC) Benefits
People receiving SSI benefits (and anyone else, for that matter) can qualify for Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits if: they became disabled prior to age 22; one of their parents paid into the Social Security system for the required number of quarters; and that parent dies, retires or becomes disabled. When the parent retires or […]
How is the Virginia ABLE Act Affected by the Tax Overhaul?
Q. My sister Sophie is intellectually disabled, but has a knack for baking. She recently enrolled in cooking school to work towards her dream of becoming a pastry chef. My family has been assisting Sophie with her educational expenses by contributing to an ABLE account for her, because it doesn’t affect any other government benefits […]
Supreme Court Rules that the Bare Minimum Isn’t Enough/Planning for an Uncertain Future
Q. My daughter, Hailey, has high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is severely learning disabled, and has a difficult time paying attention in school. We have attended Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings, and are aware that she is just not grasping remedial mathematics, reading, science, or social studies, and has failed most of her Standard of […]
ABLEnow is Open for Enrollment in Virginia
Millions of individuals with disabilities and their families depend on a wide variety of public benefits for income, health care, food, and housing assistance. Many of these benefits require meeting a means or resource test that limits the eligibility of individuals who report more than $2,000 in cash savings, retirement funds, and other items of […]
Special Needs Trust Fairness Act Becomes Law
Carolyn is physically disabled, but has full mental capacity. Her parents and grandparents are no longer around. She would like to set up a Special Needs Trust for herself, to ensure that she is protected against the risk of impoverishment. In the past she couldn’t do so, and had to rely on a family member […]
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