Life Planning Workshop

Berkley School District Presents:

-An Educational Workshop-

LIFE PLANNING & CREATING A LETTER OF INTENT 
FOR A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

...and Introducing the ABLE ACT

Planning for an adult family member with special needs requires in-depth knowledge of ever changing local resources, laws, legal and financial tools available as you assist your family member in creating a current and future working plan to meet their lifelong dreams and needs.  As parents, you have always taken good care of your child.  How well are your successors equipped to help your child with Special Needs? Speakers, Minoti Rajput, CFP® and Mehul Mistry, CFP® of Secure Planning Strategies will explain the importance of special needs planning strategies and will address questions for both planning and key components of what is entailed in creating a Letter of Intent.

¨     What will happen to my loved one when I am no longer here?

¨     What is a Special Needs Trust and what type should I create?

¨     How does the ABLE Act work?

¨     Why Wills and Trusts alone may not work.

¨     What are the government benefits and can and will they be enough?

¨     What are my child’s future housing options?

¨     How well do your child’s future caregivers know your Estate Plans?

¨     Have you provided instructions for your child’s future advocate?

¨     Is your child’s vital medical information, key resource providers, likes & dislikes, routines and interests and other critical information compiled in one location for future caregivers?

Changes in the Medicaid laws and fluctuation in the investment market will continue on. Planning for a child with special needs should begin as early as possible. Adult siblings and grandparents will benefit from information provided at this workshop

When: Monday, March 30, 2015, 6:30– 8:30 pm

Where: Berkley High School Collaborative Center, 2325 Catalpa, Berkley, MI 48072

WE URGE ALL INVOLVED FAMILY MEMBERS OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH SPECIAL NEEDS TO ATTEND THIS IMPORTANT MEETING

Camp & Resource Fair 1/22/15

Thursday, January 22, 2015

6:30-9:00 p.m.

Groves High School Commons

20500 West Thirteen Mile Rd., Beverly Hills, MI 48025

(Enter school from west parking lot)

The 13^th annual Camp and Resource Fair is an information event servicing families seeking camps, therapies, educational, recreational, and healthcare services and products that support children with special needs in both self-contained and inclusive environments as well as summer and year round programs.Meet with representatives and take home information from organizations throughout the tri-county area:

Camps

Tutors

Therapists

Service Providers

After School Programs

Respite Support

Recreational and Arts Programs

Special Needs Trust Advisors

Alternative Education and Classrooms

Shop for products designed to help people with special needs! Shop and support Local Micro/Small Businesses founded in the special needs community and supported by our entire community who have created jewelry, cards, ceramics, calendars, gifts and much more. (Cash only:)

If you have questions or need additional information please contact Aryn Zwierzchowski at 248-318-5148 or Jo Ellen Schwartz at 248-646-5172; email info@friendsofdifferentlearners.org or visit our web site www.friendsofdifferentlearners.org

Our goal is to connect families within the special needs community to the many resources available that can help make their lives more manageable and productive!

Friends of Different Learners (Friends) is an independent organization of parents, staff, and community members dedicated to maximizing the potential of Birmingham Public School students with different abilities.

Friends of Different Learners P.O. Box 233 Birmingham, MI 48012-0233 

Friends is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization

www.friendsofdifferentlearners.org

Senate Passes ABLE Act!

Last night, the U.S. Senate passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) -- a victory for grassroots advocacy for parents and people with disabilities. The Autism Society has worked with many partners in the disability community and with you, our members, to get this bill passed. 

The ABLE Act allows for savings accounts for individuals with disabilities for certain expenses, like education, housing, and transportation, without jeopardizing certain important federal benefits such as SSI and Medicaid. The funds saved in these accounts, if managed correctly, can be another tool in planning for the lifetime support needs of an individual with disabilities. Up to $14,000 a year can be put in an ABLE account, with a cap of $100,000.

The bill must now be signed by the President to become law. Once the law is implemented in each state, the ABLE Act will allow the following:

1. Enable people with disabilities or family members to put up to $14,000 per year in the account, up to $100,000 total amount.
2. ABLE accounts could generally be rolled over only into another ABLE account for the same individual or into an ABLE account for a sibling who is also an eligible individual.
3. The funds must be spent on qualified expenses related to the individual's disability, such as health, education, housing, transportation, training, assistive technology, personal support, and related services and expenses. 

Sadly, the man who conceived and worked tirelessly to pass the legislation, Steve Beck of Burke, Virginia, died suddenly last week. Steve was 44 years old and the parent of two daughters, including Natalie who had a disability. Steve, along with a group of parents around his kitchen table, conceived the idea of a savings account for his daughter, similar to the 529 account used for college savings. The passage of this Act is a wonderful tribute to the memory of Steve Beck.

As the process to open accounts for our family members with autism develops, we will keep our members informed as to next steps.

Thanks again for all your help on getting this legislation passed!

Sincerely,
Autism Society