Planning for the Future

I feel like a huge weight is beginning to be lifted off my shoulders.  Usually I don't like to think too far into the future, the unknown can always seem a little scary.  So I try to focus all of my energy on today, which is usually all the energy I have, for ONE day at a time.  But planning for our future, and more importantly Jayden and Sophia's future, is something we have be thinking a lot about for a while now.  A few months ago we attended a seminar that was held at ISU about "Planning for your Dependent with Special Needs. "  It obviously sparked even more interest, and lots more questions, about what could happen if we didn't have a plan in place for our girls, especially Sophia, should the unexpected happen.  So because we attented the seminar, we were given a free 90 minute consultation with the financial planner and Saturday was our appointment up in Indianapolis.  He is very knowledgable in what he does, and having a son with special needs himself, he is very compassionate and understanding of families like us.  So we've started the process of planning for our families future, and that is a great feeling.  Of course I hate to think that I may not be here forever for my girls, but unfortunately I don't know what the future holds and I need to know in my heart that they will both be taken care of.

I don't know what is in store for either of my girls, but I feel pretty confident in saying that Jayden will be able to hold down a full time job, live on her own, and provide a future for herself.  But right now, especially at only the age of 2, I have no idea what Sophia's future will be like.  I've learned gradually over the past two years that when you have a child with special needs, it can be very harmful to their future should you leave anything to that child in his or her name specifically.  So along with some other financial planning, we are setting up a special needs trust fund for Sophia, which will ensure should something happen now, or more importantly after Sophia turns 18, any money left to her will in no way affect her eligibilty for goverment assistance in the future.  It's crazy, but if Sophia has more than $1500.00 in her name, all goverment benefits could be taken away from her!  $1500.00 wouldn't even put a dent in annual doctor bills!  Anyway, we have set up a financial plan for our children and with all of the love and support that we have from our family, I know that our girls would be loved and well taken care, both emotionally and now financially.  I just pray that none of this will have come into play, at least not for a VERY, VERY, VERY long time!