Special Needs Planning with Consolidated Planning Group

With Ryan Roberts, CEO of Level-Up Life and a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor

In this session, we will review SSI & Medicaid, SSDI & Medicare, and Childhood Disability Benefits. We will review when and how to apply, how to be prepared for your appointment, and how to maintain eligibility going forward. You will learn how to maximize benefits for your family. Many of our children with disabilities do not qualify for SSI & Medicaid as minors. The landscape changes when they turn 18. Whether you are already getting benefits and aren't sure if your benefits are maximized or you need guidance on how to get started, this session is for you. Join us as we explain how to successfully plan for your future.

Divorce and child support are legally complex and emotionally challenging issues on their own. When these issues involve children with special needs, parents must be even more mindful to ensure that their children are protected. If these special considerations are not appropriately addressed, it could be disastrous for the children with special needs. Join this webinar as Board Certified Family Law Attorney Mike Day addresses how parents can best protect their children with special needs in the midst of litigating a divorce or child support dispute. In addition, Mary Ann Hughes, Certified Special Needs Divorce Coach and founder of Special Family Transitions, will share tips on being proactive and organized in divorce, to better deal with the overwhelming issues of special needs divorce and more effectively advocate for yourself and your child with a disability.

Is your child struggling with academics? Hating school? Unfocused? Unmotivated? Battling homework? Are you concerned about how your highschooler will develop adulting skills and be successful after high school? All students want to learn and be successful! But many times parents are using the wrong strategies to motivate the struggling and resistant student in their home. If you're not getting the results you want, you are using the wrong strategies. Join this webinar to learn from Learning and Behavior Therapist Elizabeth Sharpe, M.Ed., as she shares strategies that will motivate your student and increase hope for you and your child!

Join this webinar to hear from Special Education Advocate Tenika Combs, Founder of Got Advocacy. She will help you understand the importance of your rights as a parent, the ARD process, and help you get equipped for this school year. Whatever stage your child is in, whether transitioning into special education for the first time or transitioning out of special education, this talk is for you!

In this session, we will review SSI & Medicaid, SSDI & Medicare, and Childhood Disability Benefits. We will review when and how to apply, how to be prepared for your appointment, and how to maintain eligibility going forward. You will learn how to maximize benefits for your family. Many of our children with disabilities do not qualify for SSI & Medicaid as minors. The landscape changes when they turn 18. Whether you are already getting benefits and aren't sure if your benefits are maximized or you need guidance on how to get started, this session is for you. Join us as we explain how to successfully plan for your future.

This presentation provides the tools for the parents to lay the groundwork for developing a High School Transition Plan for College, Employment and Independent Living in Adulthood. With a special focus on the struggles of individuals with ADD or ADHD, Louis Geigerman will answer your questions and provide a vision for the future.

There are many decisions to be made as you prepare for the future of your special needs family member. Living with a disability is often associated with significant costs. That’s why individuals and families should consider contributing to an ABLE account. ABLE accounts offer tax-advantaged savings that can fund disability expenses. Join this webinar to learn why you may want to open your ABLE account before the new year!

An important part of special needs planning is protecting your loved one from financial abuse. A True Link card is a prepaid, reloadable Visa debit card designed to help people who may be at risk of exploitation or financial abuse – including adults with disabilities – manage their money. The True Link Visa Card, that helps families protect the finances and independence of the people they support. Join this webinar to hear from Peter Wall, Director of Fiduciary Services, at True Link financial, as he explains the benefits of this unique debit card including: Help Give Financial Independence and Keep Track of Spending Set Custom Spending Rules Help Prevent Risky Purchases and Cash Withdrawals Help Protect Public Benefits Eligibility Funding from a Special Needs Trust

Join this webinar to hear from Dwayne Graham, Branch Manager at New American Funding, as he tells us about a little-known mortgage product, the Family Opportunity Mortgage. This mortgage is a unique product for families considering purchasing a home for a loved one with a disability. You will learn why this is a better option for your family and how it compares with other lending options.

What is the boundary between them and what do they both do for my family? As a parent of a child with special needs, you know there are many decisions to be made as it relates to the future of your special needs family member. Considerations such as transitioning, future care options, and preservation of benefit eligibility are a few items that require intentional evaluation. Some decisions require legal preparation and some require Planning arrangements. These are especially important if you have a child who may need care for the rest of their life. During this webinar we will be joined by a Attorney Melissa Donovan to fully explain why you do need a Special Needs Attorney AND a Special Needs Planner. Join us as we explain how to successfully plan for your future.

Are you considering a non-traditional school designed for students who have learning concerns and need additional support to meet their needs? Join our panel webinar and hear from several Houston, Texas middle and high schools designed especially for a child with who learns differently.

Consideration of the non-autistic sibling is important as we consider the well-being of a family with a child diagnosed with autism. Sometimes, hidden struggles result in anxiety, anger, and stress. Let's examine the loss of independence, possible embarrassment, and perceived unfairness while also recognizing the abundance of caring, compassionate, and independent character traits of non-autistic children! As a young neurodivergent adult, our speaker, Armando Bernal will present his unique view and offer possible ways to improve your family dynamics.

Do you have a son or daughter with a disability who is transitioning from school to their community? Person Centered Planning may help you! This problem-solving process is especially helpful for someone with a disability who wants to plan for the life they want! Join this webinar to learn from Jeff Garrison-Tate, CEO and Founder of Better Lives as he explains Person Centered Practices and how it can help your family.

Are you frustrated and tired of not seeing the behavior change you want in your child? Do you feel you have tried everything with little or no results? Join us as Elizabeth Sharpe, Learning and Behavior Therapist, sheds light on why traditional methods of disciplining and many traditional therapies do not work on some neurodivergent children.

As a parent of a child with special needs, you know there are many decisions to be made as it relates to the future of your family member with special needs. Considerations such as transitioning, future care options, and preservation of benefit eligibility are a few items that require intentional evaluation. These are especially important if you have a child who may need care for the rest of their life. Join us as we explain how to successfully plan for your future.

As children with special needs transition to the teen and young adult years, their needs change significantly. You can prepare your child and yourselves for a successful transition to independence. Join us to learn the key steps you can take to make the transition as smooth as possible!

Does your child or teen shy away from social situations, avoid talking to others, or worry too much about what their peers think of them? Shyness is common in children, and teens can be self-conscious, but if we allow social anxiety to linger and grow it can have a serious impact on daily life and happiness. Dr. Lindsay Asawa, licensed clinical psychologist and owner of Beautiful Brain Psychological Services, will share information about how social anxiety develops, treatments and strategies that work, and ways that parents can be supportive.

Join this webinar to hear from Special Needs Attorney Coulter as she answers questions from our participants on the uses and limitations of Special Needs Trusts in the context of DAC benefits, including how such trusts can be used differently than for beneficiaries receiving SSI benefits. She will provide overarching principals and distinguish between the various limitations based on programs being received. A partner at Townsend Allala, Coulter & Kludt, Attorney Coulter's own personal journey following an illness which caused blindness gives her a unique perspective as an attorney in the special needs community. You won't want to miss this webinar!

As a parent of a child with special needs, you know there are many decisions to be made as it relates to the future of your special needs family member. What do you do when your loved one cannot care for themselves? Is Guardianship the right answer? We all want our loved ones to live meaningful lives but sometimes they lack the capacity to do so independently. Join Special Needs Attorney Melissa Donovan as she offers guidance on this important topic.