The Lifelong Roadmap: Special Needs Trusts and Caregiver Planning | Julie Hoffman-Hogan

When Julie Hoffman-Hogan became a mother at 22 to a son with Down syndrome, her entire life plan shifted. Now a financial advisor, she uses her decades of lived experience to help other families build secure, long-term care strategies. Today on the Digital Legacy Podcast, we explore the reality of special needs planning, the hidden financial costs of care, and the heavy responsibilities placed on siblings and secondary guardians. In this episode, we discuss: Why parents lose access to their child's medical records at age 18 and how to prepare ahead of time. The critical differences between a Special Needs Trust and an irrevocable trust. Navigating the estimated $18,000 annual gap in care costs. How to continuously audit and update your plan as your child's medical needs evolve over decades.

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Description:

When Julie Hoffman-Hogan became a mother at 22 to a son with Down syndrome, her entire life plan shifted. Now a financial advisor, she uses her decades of lived experience to help other families build secure, long-term care strategies. Today on the Digital Legacy Podcast, we explore the reality of special needs planning, the hidden financial costs of care, and the heavy responsibilities placed on siblings and secondary guardians.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Why parents lose access to their child's medical records at age 18 and how to prepare ahead of time.

  • The critical differences between a Special Needs Trust and an irrevocable trust.

  • Navigating the estimated $18,000 annual gap in care costs.

  • How to continuously audit and update your plan as your child's medical needs evolve over decades.


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