Planning for our children’s future is part of parenting, but when your child has a disability, there are often a few more tasks (and worries) on that already full to-do list. When your days are packed with managing care, appointments, and never ending paperwork, it’s completely understandable to push aside those big questions like: How do I build habits and financial goals that actually work for my family? What happens when we’re no longer around? How will someone else know what my child needs, or how to support them best? And how can I start saving for their future without putting their access to vital services at risk? These decisions aren’t easy. That’s why this week we’re breaking down everything you need to know to plan for your child’s financial future.
In this newsletter:
💰 Budgeting habits for all your family’s needs
📜 Estate planning without the overwhelm
🏦 Special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, & plans of care
⚠️ Undivided Updates: HR. 1. has passed
🎧 New podcast episode: The In’s and Out’s of Estate Planning
👨👩👧👦 July 23 office hours: public benefits
🎤 Undivided Conversations: funding, CalABLE, & estate planning
Budgeting tips and tricks
Finances can easily spiral when you’re juggling IEP meetings and everything else life throws your way. We’ve been there — overwhelmed by unopened mail, confusing bills, and public benefits. Our article on budgeting basics will help you get organized and create a system that works, no matter how much life changes — including our “nitty gritty exercise” to get a handle on monthly income and expenses and help you meet short-term goals. Read the article here.
Estate planning basics
“The importance of developing an estate plan when you have dependent children, and particularly when you have a child with disabilities, cannot be overstated. Your plan should be one that you feel confident in understanding as well as adapting over time with your growing or changing family.”
— Brianna Davidson Jarrett, Maryland Assistant Attorney General and mother of a child with disabilities
If you’re unsure where to begin or what to think about with estate planning, we’re here to provide the essential info you need to ask the right questions, prepare for your estate planner meeting, and build a plan that keeps your family running smoothly — even when you’re not around. Read the article here, or listen via our bite-sized, AI-powered podcast!
ABLE accounts vs. special needs trusts
“Public benefits are HARD to get and EASY to lose. If there is any possibility my child will be qualifying financially for benefits while I’m alive or after I’m dead, I would move heaven and earth before they lose those benefits.” — Brianna Davidson Jarrett, Maryland Assistant Attorney General and mother of a child with disabilities
Public benefits like SSI and Medicaid have strict rules that can make saving for your child’s future tricky. Enter ABLE accounts and special needs trusts: tools that help protect your child’s benefits while setting aside money for their care. We’ll walk you through the why and how of setting up a trust, how to write a plan of care/letter of intent for your child, answer 7 key questions about CalABLE accounts, and more!
⚠️ This week in Undivided Updates ⚠️
HR. 1.→ In Congress, they have passed HR1, which contains substantial cuts to Medicaid. The President signed the final bill on July 4, 2025. While many advocates spoke out and explained how cutting Medicaid would negatively impact the lives of families and individuals with disabilities, the legislation ultimately passed. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and scared by all the headlines and changes, you’re not alone. With so much uncertainty, it’s hard to know what all this actually means for families. That’s why Undivided will continue keeping a close eye on the changes to disability services (including Medicaid and SDP) and supports that so many families rely on — and breaking it all down in plain language.
- California→ Read our California updates article.
- Federal→ Read our federal updates article.
“One of our parent members told us, “I was introduced to Undivided at a time in our life when I didn’t know what or how I would manage my granddaughter’s future. It’s given me a sense of peace knowing that I have a team that can help my family in any situation in regards to my granddaughter’s needs and future.”
Join us for expert office hours
Do you have questions about Regional Center, Medi-Cal, IHSS, or other public benefits programs in California? Join us for expert office hours on Wednesday, July 23, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. PT, where Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck will be available to answer questions directly from Undivided members. If you’re not an Undivided member yet, get started here to join us for office hours every week.
Catch an Undivided Conversation on our Facebook page
- Friday, July 11 at 10:00 a.m. PT→ How Do We Pay for it All? Join us in this re-stream convo with Undivided’s Director of Health Plan Advocacy, Leslie Lobel, and Undivided’s Public Benefits Specialist, Lisa Concoff Kronbeck, as they explain the funding resources available to parents and how to navigate them.
- Saturday, July 12 at 10:00 a.m. PT→ CalABLE: Essentials and Why It Matters. Looking to save for your child’s future without affecting their eligibility for government programs? Catch the re-stream of our convo with CalABLE Outreach Specialist Madeline Handy!
- Sunday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m. PT→ Estate Planning: We Dread It, but We Gotta Do It. Join us in this re-stream convo with Assistant Attorney General Brianna Davidson Jarrett who shares the most effective strategies for tackling estate planning as a parent to children with disabilities.
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Need a quick overview of the benefits of setting up an ABLE account for your child? Check out this video on our YouTube channel→
What 3 things should your estate plan definitely include? See this post on our Instagram→
From summer teen internship opportunities to parent gatherings to questions about public benefits programs, our parents-only Facebook group is a wealth of information! Join the conversation→
Stay informed and connected with the powerful advocates for disability rights in our network. Connect with Undivided on LinkedIn→
