DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION
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Planning for the Neurodivergent Population
By Mike Walther, CPA/PFS, CFP®, CFA®
Providing services for the neurodivergent community can be incredibly rewarding but it is also filled with challenges. Unlike many specific medical diagnoses, the spectrum of people diagnosed with autism, ADHD, ADD, and other mental processing differences is incredibly wide. This article is intended to increase the awareness in the advisor community of the challenges that are often faced in the neurodivergent population.
Challenges with Language
To begin with, even the language used to describe the condition may fail to provide indications of what may be necessary. For example, we are all neurodiverse. This term simply means that we all think and process information a little bit differently. As such, if someone mentions their child is neurodiverse, it tells you nothing about the person. Neurodivergent is a more accurate term to describe someone whose mental processing is significantly different than what is typically found in the general population. Even the term autism tells us very little about the person. With the incidence of autism diagnoses rising to one in 36 children1 by the age of eight, there are millions of people who are autistic. Within this group, there are some who are high functioning and may have savant-level IQs. There are others who may have no expressive language and whose health and safety will require full-time oversight. Therefore, learning a client has a loved one who is neurodivergent requires an advisor to ask numerous additional questions to discern the level of needs the individual may have.
Providing Support
For families who have a loved one with more significant challenges related to their neurodivergent diagnosis, one of the most valuable things an advisor can do is to provide some assurances that they care and are available to serve the family. These families often feel isolated, and they live in fear that they lack the answers and resources to properly provide for all the needs of their loved ones. Demonstrating you have the experience and knowledge to identify their needs and the network to deliver the strategies and specific recommendations they need will help you to quickly establish trust. In some cases, this may involve coordinating your service with that of others who are experts in the specific areas of need for the family.
Age-Based Needs – Preschool
Depending on the age of the individual with the challenges, the focus of the assistance provided will vary. For a preschool-age child, getting confirmation from multiple medical professionals to ensure the initial diagnosis is accurate and acquiring written documentation of the diagnosis is essential. With these details, early intervention services can be sought to assist with helping the individual pursue early childhood developmental milestones.
School-Age Children
Once the child reaches school-age, they will be eligible for a myriad of support through the public school system. From their first year in school through potentially the end of the school year in which they turn 22, they can have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that outlines goals, strengths, challenges, and the specific support in various areas that will be provided by the school.
The IEP process can be intimidating for families because the meetings usually have the parent(s) or guardian on one side of the table and as many as a dozen school officials on the other side discussing the child. The sheer imbalance in numbers is scary for some and the difference in knowledge about the process can be significant. As a result, many parents sign whatever papers get presented to them. A good advisor will advocate for the family and encourage the family to ask for anything and everything they believe will provide their child with the greatest opportunity to learn and advance their skills. This often requires more work for the parents, who are tasked with doing so many things for their child outside of school to assist with their development.
School districts have limited resources but they are never allowed to use financial reasons as an excuse for not providing reasonable support and services for the individual. A best practice for parents is to establish a regular communication pattern with all their child’s teachers so misunderstandings arise less often and both parties know what the other is doing to advance the skills of the individual.
Transition to Adulthood Planning
The next important timeframe for planning occurs between the ages of 18 and 21 or 22. In this window, the government views the individual as an adult and the family is still eligible to seek services through the school district. Adults who are likely unable to provide for themselves should be eligible for several means-tested benefits. They can obtain income, healthcare, and nutrition benefits from the government by applying for these things as an individual rather than as part of their family, even if they continue to live in the same house as their parent(s) or guardian.
Another best practice is to apply at the Social Security office for the income benefit, known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and medical insurance in the form of Medicaid as soon as they become eligible at age 18. It is essential that the family consult with a special needs planner or benefits expert before applying. Roughly two-thirds of all applicants for these services are denied benefits. With proper planning, the success rate can be significantly increased. Through age 21 or 22, the person can continue to receive transition planning support from the school system while they plan for what they will be doing the rest of their lives.
The adult planning challenges including housing, employment, transportation, and basic care will vary greatly among the neurodivergent population. Most families underestimate how challenging it is to achieve all their desired outcomes in these areas. From a planning perspective, it is essential to set expectations early and continue to provide resources and options for the family to evaluate.
Special Needs Planning Tools and Resources
The use of Special Needs Trusts, ABLE accounts, and the various forms of assistance with decision-making must be tailored to the needs of the individual. For those who are higher functioning and likely to need less assistance as adults, making parents aware of service providers and resources may be all that is required. For others who will need significant assistance every day of their lives, implementation of numerous special needs planning strategies will be required. For the millions of individuals who fall somewhere between the two extremes, it is essential the advisor asks enough questions to discern the level of need and then have the knowledge and experience to present the resources and experts the family needs to achieve their goals.
1. Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2020. Published in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Surveillance Summaries / March 24, 2023 / 72(2); 1-14.
Mike Walther, CPA/PFS, CFP®, CFA® is the founder and president of Oak Wealth Advisors, a firm focused on serving the special needs community. Mike’s brother on the autism spectrum motivates him to assist other families with loved ones with special needs.
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