Medicare Open Enrollment for People With Disabilities
Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. Here is what people with disabilities and their families should check, from drug lists to therapy networks, before choosing a plan.
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Field Guide
Financial Planning Field Guide
Practical, plain-English articles on tax planning, retirement income, and special needs planning from a fee-only, flat-fee fiduciary in Greensboro, NC.
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When a Parent Retires, an Adult Child’s Benefits Can Change
A parent’s retirement can start benefits for an adult child with a disability and end SSI. Here is the rule that can keep Medicaid going in North Carolina, and the steps to take first.
Read article →Roth Conversions in 2026: “Permanent” Does Not Mean Forever
The 2026 tax increase never came, but permanent tax rates can still change. Here is what to weigh before converting in 2026, including two hidden costs.
Read article →Tax-Loss Harvesting Before Year-End: What It Actually Saves You
Selling investments at a loss can lower your tax bill, but the wash sale rule has real limits. Here is how tax-loss harvesting actually works in 2026.
Read article →When NC Medicaid Sends a Termination Notice
A Medicaid termination notice starts more than one clock. Here is what North Carolina families need to know about deadlines, appeals, and next steps.
Read article →What Is Changing for NC Medicaid in 2026 and 2027
NC Medicaid is changing in 2026 and 2027, including a new work requirement. Here is who it affects, who is exempt, and the deadline that matters most.
Read article →The Deadline That Does Not Move: Medicare and IRMAA in 2026
Miss your seven-month Medicare enrollment window and the Part B and Part D penalties can last for life. Here is the enrollment timeline, the IRMAA income cliffs, and the 2026 numbers behind both.
Read article →Charting Your Path: How to Maximize Your Social Security Benefits in 2026
Delaying is not the whole story. Claiming age, spousal and survivor coordination, and the taxes on your benefit all decide what Social Security is actually worth to you in 2026.
Read article →The Medicaid Waiver Waitlist: What Families Can Actually Control
Medicaid waiver waitlists can run for years, and no family or adviser can control the timeline. Here is what determines the wait, and what you can actually plan for while you wait for a slot.
Read article →Aging Out of Special Education: What Happens When Services End
Special education services have a legal end date, but your state sets it, not one federal rule. Adult services do not start automatically. Here is what changes and how to plan for the gap before graduation.
Read article →Your Insurance Audit: What You Actually Have, What You Are Missing, and What You Are Probably Overpaying For
Insurance mistakes rarely show up gradually. They show up all at once, at the worst possible moment. Here is a framework for auditing life, disability, umbrella, home, auto, and health coverage each year, and closing the gaps before something goes wrong.
Read article →The Back-to-School Financial Checklist for Families Sending a Kid to College
The tuition bill gets all the attention. Meanwhile, a dozen smaller August decisions quietly set the tone for the next four years. Here is what to work through before move-in day, from HIPAA authorizations to 529 withdrawal timing to renter’s insurance.
Read article →Federal Agencies Are Changing How Disability and Civil Rights in Schools Are Enforced. Here Is What Families Need to Know.
A June 2026 reshuffle moves special education daily work to HHS and shares civil rights enforcement with the DOJ. The underlying laws have not changed, but the process families use to raise complaints is being reworked.
Read article →A Federal Memo Is Challenging a Key Disability Right. Here Is What That Means.
A June 2026 DOJ memo argues the integration mandate is not a firm requirement. Here is what the memo says, why advocates are alarmed, and what it means for families who rely on community-based support.
Read article →The Retirement Income Problem Nobody Talks About
Saving for retirement is the first half of the problem. Turning those savings into income you cannot outlive is the second half. Here is why sequence of returns risk, withdrawal ordering, and guaranteed income matter more than most people realize.
Read article →What to Do With a Windfall
Inheritance, home sale, business sale, bonus, settlement: a sudden influx of money is emotional, taxable, and easy to mishandle. Here is how to think about it before you act.
Read article →What Is Financial Planning? (And What It Is Not)
Financial planning gets used to mean a lot of different things. Here is what it actually is, what it is not, and what a real plan looks like across the areas of your financial life.
Read article →How to Choose a Trustee for a Special Needs Trust
The trustee of a Special Needs Trust makes the judgment calls the document cannot anticipate. Here is how to choose wisely, what to look for, and how to revisit the decision over time.
Read article →Supported Decision-Making: An Alternative to Guardianship for Adults With Disabilities
When a child with a disability turns 18, guardianship is not the only option. Here is how supported decision-making works in North Carolina and when it makes sense.
Read article →A Letter of Intent: What It Is and Why Your Family Needs One
A Letter of Intent is not a legal document, but it may be the most important thing you write for your loved one. Here is what to include, where to keep it, and how to maintain it.
Read article →Financial Decisions in the First Year After Losing a Spouse
The year after losing a spouse brings tax shifts, Social Security choices, and account decisions with very different deadlines. Here is what cannot wait, and what should.
Read article →Gifting Appreciated Assets: Why the Stock You Give Now May Cost Your Kids Later
Gifting appreciated stock feels generous, but the recipient inherits your cost basis. Here is when gifting still wins, when it does not, and why the step-up at death often beats giving now.
Read article →What to Do When Your Child’s ABA Provider Stops Taking Medicaid
If your child’s ABA provider stops accepting Medicaid, you still have options. Here is what to do, what rights you have, and how to keep therapy from falling through.
Read article →Who Does What: The Professionals Who Help When a Loved One Has a Disability
From special needs attorneys to care managers, here is a plain-English guide to the professionals who help families after a disability diagnosis and what each one does.
Read article →Making the Most of Charitable Giving with a QCD
IRA owners 70½ or older can give to charity tax-free with a QCD, reducing taxable income and avoiding Medicare premium surcharges.
Read article →The Gift Tax: What It Actually Is, Who Actually Pays It, and the Form You May Need to File
Most people think the gift tax works one way. It works another. Here is who actually pays it, when Form 709 is required, and why you may need to file it.
Read article →Why Experienced Investors Still Make Difficult Decisions
Experienced investors still make emotionally driven decisions. Here’s what the research says about behavior gaps and how structure can help you stay on course.
Read article →When Your Child With a Disability Turns 18: Your Legal Options
When a child with special needs turns 18, parents lose legal authority to make decisions on their behalf. Here are your options for maintaining the right support.
Read article →Retirement Accounts and Special Needs Planning: What Families Need to Know
Naming a child with special needs as a direct beneficiary of a retirement account can jeopardize their government benefits. Here’s how to think through your options.
Read article →Section 504 Is in Court. Here’s What Your Family Should Know.
Nine states are challenging how Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is enforced. The outcome could affect access to education, health care, and community services for people with disabilities.
Read article →Is Your Portfolio Drifting Off-Trail?
Market volatility can push your investments off course. Learn how portfolio drift happens and why rebalancing is the key to staying on your trail.
Read article →Beyond the Average: Why the Order of Market Returns Matters
Average returns don’t tell the whole story. Learn how sequence of returns risk impacts your retirement and how the Bucket Strategy can help protect your income.
Read article →Rideshare Services for People With Disabilities: Benefits, Challenges, and Your Rights
Rideshare services have opened new mobility for people with disabilities, but denied rides, spotty WAV coverage, and uneven app accessibility remain. Here is what to know and what your rights are.
Read article →Helpful Tax Filing Tips for People With Disabilities
Filing taxes can be confusing, but there are credits and resources that can help individuals with disabilities save money and maximize financial security.
Read article →How to Prepare to Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits
Many first disability applications are turned down. Social Security’s Adult Disability Starter Kit can help you organize medical, work, and personal details before you apply.
Read article →Funding the Future: The SNT Connection
A Special Needs Trust can pay for many things without hurting Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid. See which costs are generally allowed and why cash and housing need care.
Read article →Beyond the Group Home: Special Needs Housing Options
Group homes are one option for adults with disabilities. Weigh the tradeoffs of living with family, housing vouchers, farmstead communities, assisted living, and nursing homes.
Read article →The Financial Time Machine: Why You Still Have Time to Save for 2025
Each year from January to the April tax deadline, you can often add to an individual retirement account (IRA) for the prior year. Labeling the deposit is the key step.
Read article →The February Tax Trap: Why This Month is Peak Season for Identity Thieves
Early in tax season, thieves race to file a return in your name. An Identity Protection PIN (personal identification number) is designed to stop them. Here is how to get one.
Read article →The Americans with Disabilities Act, Explained
The Americans with Disabilities Act is the cornerstone civil rights law protecting people with disabilities in employment, government services, public spaces, and telecommunications. Here is how each of its four Titles works and why it matters.
Read article →The Hidden Risk: Beneficiary Designations
An outdated beneficiary form can send retirement savings straight to a child with a disability and put their benefits at risk. Naming a Special Needs Trust instead can help.
Read article →2026 Financial Kickstart
The start of a year is a natural time for a money checkup. This five-part checklist walks through goals, cash flow, investments, your safety net, and taxes.
Read article →Don’t Just Take It, Manage It: Your 2026 RMDs
Required minimum distributions are yearly withdrawals many retirees must take. Timing, tax withholding, and sending part straight to a charity can shape your taxes and savings.
Read article →Why Cash Flow is the Heart of Your Financial Plan
Account balances show the result, but day-to-day cash flow is what drives them. Budgeting, paying down debt, and saving with a purpose can give you more options.
Read article →10 Ways to Maximize Your Social Security Retirement Benefits
How long you work, when you claim, and how you plan with a spouse all shape your Social Security check. Learn ten ways to plan, including taxes and Medicare costs.
Read article →SCOTUS to Determine Definition of Intellectual Disability
In a death penalty case, the Supreme Court was asked whether intelligence test scores alone can decide intellectual disability. Learn why daily life skills matter too.
Read article →The State of Family Caregiving in the United States
Many family caregivers give intense, often unpaid care that strains their money and health. See what a 2025 national report found and four ways to plan for support.
Read article →Blueprint for 2026: Turning Resolutions into Results
Turn vague resolutions into clear goals you can measure. Learn how to nudge your savings up, rebalance your investments, and review beneficiaries and estate documents.
Read article →Dust Off the Documents: Why Your Estate Plan Needs a Check-Up
An outdated estate plan can sometimes be as hard on loved ones as no plan at all. Learn why beneficiary forms can override your will and which life changes should prompt a review.
Read article →The Year-End Financial Physical: Closing the Year Strong
Treat the end of the year like a checkup for your money. Here is how to size up your emergency fund, review five kinds of insurance, and pick a plan to pay down debt.
Read article →2.8 Percent Increase in 2026 for SSI and SSDI Recipients
The 2026 cost-of-living raise lifted Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and disability checks. Learn why any raise is a cue to recheck asset limits and trust plans.
Read article →ABLE Accounts Will Be Available for More People in 2026
Since January 1, 2026, people whose disability began before age 46, up from 26, may qualify for an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account. See how to get started.
Read article →Special Needs Trusts as a Safeguard for Medicaid Eligibility
Money that goes directly to a loved one with a disability can put Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at risk. Learn how Special Needs Trusts are designed to help.
Read article →Practical Tips for Smart Holiday Spending
Holiday costs add up fast. A budget, a gift list, and an early start can help you enjoy the season without carrying the bill into January.
Read article →Shopping Securely This Season
Before you shop online for the holidays, find out how to spot look-alike websites and scam emails, use stronger passwords, and pay in ways with more fraud protection.
Read article →Unlock Your Benefits Potential: A Guide to Maximizing Open Enrollment
Auto-renewing your workplace benefits can mean missing better options. Learn what to check each year, from doctor networks and total plan costs to tax-saving health accounts.
Read article →What Is a Life Care Planner and Does Your Family Need One?
Life care planners create detailed, individualized plans for people who require ongoing care. Here’s what they do, who benefits, and how to find the right one.
Read article →Caring for Yourself and Your Child With Special Needs
Caring for a child with a disability can drain a parent’s health, friendships, and sense of self. Explore ways to recharge, from respite care breaks to support from other parents.
Read article →How Can Purple Alerts Help People With Disabilities?
Where states offer them, Purple Alerts help communities search for a missing adult with a cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disability. Here is how families can prepare.
Read article →Is It Time to Rebalance Your Portfolio?
A strong run in stocks can push your mix of stocks and bonds off target and raise your risk. Rebalancing brings it back, on a schedule or when the mix drifts too far.
Read article →Navigating Your Finances When Interest Rates Are Low
Low interest rates make borrowing cheaper but shrink what savings earn. See when refinancing may help, why your emergency fund still matters, and how to stay on your plan.
Read article →Year-End Tax Planning: Smart Moves Before the New Year
Moves made before December 31 can shape this year’s tax bill and the ones that follow. Retirement savings and selling investments at a loss each play a part.
Read article →13 Conditions Added to SSA’s CAL
Social Security’s Compassionate Allowances (CAL) list is designed to speed disability claims for severe conditions. See which 13 were added and why to note one on the application.
Read article →Medical Decision-Making for Individuals With Chronic Disease
A chronic illness raises a hard question: who speaks for you if you can’t? See how three documents state your wishes, name someone to act on them, and let family get updates.
Read article →The Crucial Conversation About Healthcare Power of Attorney
Once your child turns 18, doctors might not share medical details with you, even in an emergency. Learn why a health care power of attorney matters and when to start the talk.
Read article →The Parent’s Playbook: Helping Your College Student Build Credit
A strong credit score sets your student up for lower loan rates, easier apartment approvals, and greater financial independence. Here’s how to help them get started.
Read article →Path to College Just Got Easier: NC College Connect
Many North Carolina public high school seniors can get direct admission to select colleges with no essays. Find out who is eligible, how to accept, and what aid pairs with it.
Read article →Your College Savings Toolkit
See how 529 plans and Coverdell accounts let savings grow tax-free for school costs, how savings can affect financial aid, and where a disability savings account fits in.
Read article →30 Questions to Ask When Looking for a Group Home
Choosing a group home for a loved one with a disability takes more than a tour. Ask about staffing, costs, Medicaid funding, safety records, and residents’ daily choices.
Read article →ABLE Accounts: Big Changes Coming in 2025-2027
Two laws reshaped Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts. Learn who now qualifies, which rules became permanent, and how a tax credit for savers can apply.
Read article →Feds Keep Subminimum Wages for Workers With Disabilities
Feds Keep Subminimum Wages for Workers With Disabilities. An educational article from Legs Financial, a fee-only, flat-fee fiduciary financial planning firm in Greensboro, NC.
Read article →SSI and SSDI Recipients: Are Payments by Check Ending?
Social Security has urged paper check users to go electronic. Learn the two options, who may still get a check, and how a bank balance can affect Supplemental Security Income.
Read article →The OBBBA and Other Key Tax Changes
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) made current tax rates permanent and added temporary deductions. See what changed for families, retirees, and people with disabilities.
Read article →August Is Make-A-Will Month: Why Your Family Can’t Afford to Wait
Most people put off writing a will, but it’s one of the most important things you can do for your family. Here’s what’s at stake and how to get started.
Read article →How to Get an Expedited Reinstatement of Your SSDI Benefits
If your disability returns after you went back to work, you may be able to restart SSDI without starting over. Here’s how expedited reinstatement works.
Read article →Grant Funding for Children With Special Needs
When a child has a disability, grants can help pay for therapies, equipment, camps, and home changes that insurance may not cover. Find out where to look and how to apply.
Read article →Is Autism Considered a Disability?
Autism is recognized as a disability under several federal laws, but each law has its own test. Learn what that means for school supports, legal protections, and benefits.
Read article →The Effects of Private Equity Firms on Disability Services
Investor groups known as private equity firms have bought many disability service providers in recent years. Find out how that can affect care and what families can check.
Read article →Employment Up for People With Disabilities But Gaps Remain
Employment for people with disabilities rose in recent years, but gaps in pay and job benefits remain. See why people on disability benefits should learn the work rules first.
Read article →Beware the Silent Thief: Understanding and Combating Lifestyle Creep
When a raise vanishes into a bigger apartment and a nicer car, that is lifestyle creep. Learn four habits designed to help more of each raise reach your savings.
Read article →Navigating Your Portfolio: How Asset Allocation Impacts Risk and Return
How you divide your investments among stocks, bonds, and cash shapes your risk and return. Explore the three factors that guide the mix and why it often shifts near retirement.
Read article →Unlocking Philanthropy: A Look at Donor-Advised Funds
A donor-advised fund lets you give now and recommend grants to charities later. See how bunching several years of gifts or giving stock that has gained value may lower your taxes.
Read article →Long-Term Care for a Child With a Disability: What to Ask
Long-Term Care for a Child With a Disability: What to Ask. An educational article from Legs Financial, a fee-only, flat-fee fiduciary financial planning firm in Greensboro, NC.
Read article →New Film Shows How Service Dogs Empower Children With Autism
Service dogs are trained to help children with autism stay safe and calm. Discover the tasks they do, how they differ from pets, and ways families may pay for one.
Read article →Shared Living Arrangements for Individuals With Disabilities
Shared living lets a loved one with a disability live in a home with paid support. Compare the models, how state Medicaid programs often pay, and why waitlists mean planning early.
Read article →The Benefits of Establishing a Special Needs Trust Early
A Special Needs Trust is designed to hold money for a loved one with a disability without ending their public benefits. Find out why setting one up early, before a crisis, matters.
Read article →The Wild Ride: Cryptocurrency as an Investment Vehicle
Cryptocurrency can swing hard in both directions. Learn what it is, the case for and against owning it, and why a small slice may make more sense than a big bet.
Read article →When Can I Retire?
No single age fits everyone. Explore the four factors behind your retirement date, the limits of the 4% withdrawal rule, and what changes for parents of a child with a disability.
Read article →Young Investors: Roth or HSA?
A Roth individual retirement account (IRA) and a Health Savings Account (HSA) both grow tax-free. See how they differ and which to fund first after any employer match.
Read article →Disability Advocates Sue Social Security Administration
In 2025, lawsuits challenged Social Security Administration staff cuts, data sharing, and overpayment collection. Find out how to respond to an overpayment or termination notice.
Read article →Fighting Health Insurance Claim Denials
A denied claim is not always the final word. Walk through why insurers say no, how to file an appeal, and when you can ask for an independent outside review.
Read article →How Education Cuts May Affect Students With Disabilities
Federal education staffing cuts in 2025 worried many parents. Understand where a child’s special education rights come from and what families can do to protect them.
Read article →I’m on SSDI. Can I Work and Keep My Disability Benefits?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does not rule out a paycheck. Discover how the trial work period and other rules let you try a job without losing benefits right away.
Read article →Competitive Integrated Employment: What It Is and How to Access It
People with disabilities have the right to work alongside non-disabled peers at competitive wages. Here’s how competitive integrated employment programs can help.
Read article →AbilityOne: Federal Employment for People With Disabilities
AbilityOne is one of the largest sources of employment for Americans who are blind or have significant disabilities. Here’s how the program works and how to apply.
Read article →How an ADU Can Help Your Loved One Live Independently — Close to Home
An accessory dwelling unit on your property can give a loved one with special needs their own space, close to family, at a fraction of the cost of assisted living.
Read article →How ABLE Accounts Fit Into a Special Needs Financial Plan
ABLE accounts help people with disabilities save for qualified expenses while preserving access to SSI and Medicaid. Here’s what you need to know.
Read article →SNT vs. ABLE Account: Which Is Right for Your Family?
A special needs trust and an ABLE account each protect benefits eligibility while building savings. Here’s how to know which one -- or both -- fits your situation.
Read article →The Underused Program That Helps Students With Disabilities Prepare for Work
Pre-employment transition services are federally funded, yet in 2023 fewer than 10% of eligible students with disabilities received them. Here’s how to access them.
Read article →How Long Does It Take Before SSDI Benefits Begin?
SSDI approval takes an average of six to eight months, and payments don’t start immediately after approval. Here’s how the timeline works and what affects it.
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