Being a parent of a child with special needs brings great joy and challenges to your life.
How do I know this?
As you can see from the picture, this is my niece, Laura, and my brother, Pierce. Laura was born in 2000 with Down Syndrome and this was our family’s first introduction to the special needs world.
It wasn’t until years later did I realise the financial implication my brother and sister-in-law would face when planning for the future. It really shocked me how hard it was for Pierce and other parents to get professional advice. That is when I decided I wanted to make a difference.
Some people are natural carers, some people are good listeners, but my skill is financial literacy. I founded Financial Wellbeing, a company dedicated to Special Needs Financial Planning, and it gives me great joy to help ease the financial worries of parents who are raising a child with special needs. This is my way of helping parents who are constantly faced with difficult choices and challenges.
My aim in writing these articles is to give you a greater understanding of the financial issues facing you as a parent who has a child with special needs. I hope these articles give you a better grasp of the benefits, entitlements, tax credits and general financial planning issues.
Wishing you and your family well,
Allan M. Cuthbert, QFA
Founder of Financial Wellbeing