Life Planning for Persons with Disabilities

WHO WE ARE

Life Planning for Persons With Disabilities is an organization established to assist families in preparing Comprehensive Life Plans for those family members who have special needs. A Comprehensive Life Plan assures a quality of life, maintains governmental assistance, provides for supplemental needs and maintains personal pride and dignity for the person with a disability when the primary caregiver is no longer available to provide assistance. This planning coordinates an estate plan for the entire family with special considerations for the individual with special needs.

WHAT WE DO

Life Planning for Persons With Disabilities provides appropriate advice and guidance in preparing Comprehensive Life Plans that enhance the self-worth, independence, and quality of life for persons with disabilities and their families. Prepared with a personal and caring approach, these Comprehensive Life Plans meet the legal needs, financial needs, and enhance the rights of persons with disabilities. Furthermore, it is our purpose to provide public education and awareness about the needs and rights of persons with disabilities by providing no-charge educational seminars for families through non-profit organizations, advocacy groups, and educational units.

COMPREHENSIVE LIFE PLANNING

If you are the parents, spouse or primary care giver of a person with a disability, you have very likely experienced some anxious moments wondering what will happen if you become incapacitated or predecease the family member with a disability. You need to know the answers to such questions as:

How can we make sure their best interests will remain a top priority?

How can we provide excellent care and supervision for their lifetime?

How can we make sure that governmental benefits will be maintained?

How can we provide for those supplemental needs that aren't covered by governmental needs?

How can we guarantee that any funds left will be managed properly?

How can we combine these plans with our overall estate plans?

How can we provide a smooth transition of care to others, thereby avoiding family conflict?

How can we assure dignified final arrangements?

The answer to all of the above questions can only be answered by developing a Comprehensive Life Plan for the person with a disability. This would consist of four (4) major components which are Life Plan, financial, legal, and plan management.

The following is a brief description of the 4 components:

LIFE PLAN:
In all areas of planning the best interest of the person with a disability must remain a top priority. The Life Plan involves a written plan as to your future dreams and hopes for the person with a disability. Includes all areas of life such as medical care, education, housing, employment, social and all other aspects of life for your family member with a disability. This will assist in making a smooth transition of care.

LEGAL:
This component is handled by an attorney that is part of the planning team. Based on the families individual situation, the attorney prepares carefully worded last wills and testament which excludes the person with a disability by name. The attorney also develops a Supplemental Needs Trust which will protect government benefits, appoint successor trustees and assure a quality of life for the family member with a disability.

FINANCIAL:
The third component will assist the family in determine an adequate amount to be placed in the Supplemental Needs trust and also review alternative methods for funding the trust. A complete estate analysis is then prepared to assure that the financial needs of the person with a disability and the other financial needs of the family, such as education, retirement, etc., are coordinated.

PLAN MANAGEMENT:
The fourth component provides a method where all planning documents and the Letter of Intent are placed in a Planning Portfolio and the portfolio is placed in an easy to find location. This information should be updated on an annual basis with your planner. LPD provides this annual review at no additional charge.

Last but not least, after you have completed all of these steps, you can RELAX knowing you have done all that you can to assure a quality of life for your family member(s) with a disability.

Our office provides a "no charge" initial consultation that will include an evaluation of your current status and the opportunity to ask questions regarding your individual situation or feel free to call at any time.

LPD charges a guaranteed flat fee based on the size of your estate without hourly charges.

[ LPS HOME ]

LIFE PLANNING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
1609 W. Wayzata Boulevard
Long Lake, MN 55356

Arnie Gruetzmacher and Daryll Stenberg
Senior Partners

Phone: (952) 249-9193
Toll Free: (800) 487-5310

info@disabilityplanning.com

Copyright 2000. Life Planning for Persons with Disabilities
LIFE PLANNING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES®