When you have a child with disabilities, financial planning isn’t just important — it’s essential. You’re not just planning for your own retirement or future needs. You may also need to fund your child’s care, quality of life, and financial security long after you’re gone.

I understand these challenges firsthand, both personally and professionally. That’s why I focus on creating clear, actionable plans for families like ours.

Through holistic special needs financial planning, I can help you:

Protect your child's access to vital benefits

Government programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) have strict asset and income limits. Without the right legal and financial structures, a well-meaning gift or inheritance could accidentally disqualify your child from receiving essential services. I help you navigate how to protect those benefits while securing additional resources for your child’s future.

Create and fund a Special Needs Trust

A Special Needs Trust (SNT) can be a powerful tool to ensure your child has financial support without jeopardizing public benefits. I can guide you through how to establish, fund, and manage a trust using strategies like life insurance, investments, or retirement assets — while coordinating with attorneys and other professionals as needed.

Plan for your own retirement and financial security

Your future matters too. I help families strike the right balance between saving for their own retirement, providing for other children, and preparing for a child’s lifelong needs. Financial security for parents is often the first, critical step toward securing a child’s future.

Address guardianship, trusteeship, and successor planning

Choosing a future guardian, trustee, or advocate for your child can feel overwhelming. Together, we’ll discuss practical considerations and build a plan that reflects your family’s values and priorities.

Educate extended family

Sometimes, grandparents or other relatives want to help but aren’t sure how — or might unintentionally cause harm by giving gifts directly to your child. I can help you have these important conversations and set up structures like gifting to a trust to keep your child’s future secure.

Build a legacy of generosity and resilience

Thrivent’s unique programs — like Action Teams, Choice Dollars, and our Charitable Division — allow you to continue giving back to the organizations and communities that support your family, while maintaining tax efficiency and honoring your values.

You don’t have to juggle the financial ball alone.

I am here to be your partner, coach, and advocate, helping you move forward with clarity and peace of mind.

Firm Description

Over the last 20 years, families across the state have trusted me to help navigate the obstacles we face raising children with disabilities. 

As a former educator, I see my role as coach and accountability partner. I focus on understanding your goals and priorities. Together, we create a holistic plan incorporating financial advice, investments, insurance, banking and giving. Over the years, we implement and update the plan, guiding you toward financial choices that help you live a life full of meaning and gratitude. Thrivent’s 100-year-old foundation of principles and values gives us a framework to use money as a tool to achieve your personal goals, provide a sense of reassurance to those you love, and give back to your community.

Because Thrivent is a member-owned not-for-profit organization, we can pour profits into the community through giving programs directed by members to causes close to their heart.

Heart is at the core of my work at Thrivent. A heart of service, gratitude, and generosity.

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