Blog Posts

By Jessica Searcy Kmetty

My 15-year-old son, Tyler started his first ever job at McDonald’s a couple of weeks ago. It’s been entertaining to hear his anecdotes about how each shift has gone when he comes home. Some of his stories have me thinking about all of the skills he’s been taught that have now become the cornerstone of job readiness for him.

Most of us take pre-employment skills for granted, but for students with disabilities, these skills are often not learned through osmosis, but rather, they have to be explicitly taught.

By Jessica Searcy Kmetty

Estate Planning looks different for parents who have a child with special needs.

The Life Plan

For many, Estate Planning involves directing assets to be disbursed in a way that benefits those we leave behind. You might have a simple Will or you might create a Trust to have more flexibility. If you have a child with special needs, your estate plan may be designed to provide for their needs without disqualifying them from government benefits.

Taking care of the formalities are essential, but as a parent, how can you be assured that your child will lead as full and complete a life as possible after you die?

By Jessica Searcy Kmetty

Finding a great job is not always easy, and it can be even harder for a parent who is juggling responsibilities of caring for a child with special needs.

In the 2019/2020 school year, there were 7.28 million disabled 3 to 21 year olds in the United States who were covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). According to the US Census Bureau Report, 2 in 7 households report having at least one member with a disability and one in every 26 American families reported raising a child with a disability.

With regulations in place prohibiting employers from asking certain interview or health-related questions, you may wonder how much information you should openly share with an employer or a perspective employer.

By Jessica Searcy Kmetty

Medical coverage is a big deal in the special needs community. Many of my friends and neighbors spend excessive amounts of money on special needs private schools, therapies, and professional evaluations. However, I’ve come across a number of families who are unaware of, or know little about, medical tax deductions.

If you have a child with special needs, a trust may be a financial priority. There are many crucial goods and services that Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income might not pay for, and a special needs trust may be used to address those financial challenges. Most importantly, a special needs trust may help provide for your disabled child in case you are no longer able to care for them.