Holistic Planning for Special Needs Children: A Mother & Estate Planning Attorney’s Perspective

Holistic planning for special needs children requires not only legal knowledge but also the sensitivity to address families’ unique challenges. In this presentation, Sonia Muñoz Gallagher, a Florida Estate Planning attorney, owner of Family Wealth Law, LLC, and mother of a special needs child, shares both professional expertise and personal perspective on how practitioners can guide families through difficult but essential planning conversations. The program will explore practical and compassionate approaches to issues such as: Should bequests be capped at a certain amount? If a child is not receiving government aid, does it still make sense to create a special needs trust? What unique considerations apply when choosing a guardian or trustee for a special needs beneficiary? How do we balance the needs of siblings who are not special needs? Should a caregiver (even a family member) serve as trustee, or is it better to appoint an independent person to preserve family relationships? Should trustees be authorized to pay directly for the benefit of the child rather than only making distributions? What role can a trust protector play in this context? How should medical records and health decisions be addressed when the child turns 18? What planning steps should aging caregivers consider to ensure protection for the future? Throughout the session, Sonia provides real-world illustrations and actionable strategies that advisors in every discipline can use when working with families. Speakers: Sophia Munez Gallagher, Esq. and Martin Shenkman, Esq.