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Planning for a Lifetime: Building a More Secure Future for Autistic People and Their Families
When my son AJ was diagnosed with autism at age three, my wife and I focused on what was immediately in front of us: signing him up for the right therapies, navigating IEP meetings, finding activities he enjoyed, and helping him build skills. Like many parents, we were thinking about his future,...
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Don’t Give Up: Lessons From My Decade on Social Security Disability
My name is Katherine and I am 37 years old. I have been receiving Social Security Disability and Medicare for the past ten years. I have a learning disorder, autism, mental health issues, and a host of physical conditions making it impossible to work outside the home. It was not an easy...
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Opportunities for Disability Employment
One of the biggest misconceptions we address as financial advisors to neurodivergent clients is that people with disabling conditions cannot work and receive government benefits and supports. Not only that but that government is trying to make sure that you don’t work if you have a disability....
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Marriage Proposal Carries Consequences
Jayson Valles recalls the first time he saw Cecilia Primera. That was 12 years ago during AHRC New York City’s Sunday Trip program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He knew immediately that Cecilia was different than other women. He introduced himself to her and...
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Accessing Government Benefits and the “Golden Ticket”
If you are a parent of a special needs child, government benefits and legal options are often confusing - even to those who have worked with them before. You know that there are programs out there for your child, but you are not sure where to start. You may wonder what the government provides, what...
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Helpful Financial Resources for Parents of Children with Autism
According to Autism Speaks, “The costs of providing care for each person with autism affected by intellectual disability through his or her lifespan are $2.3 million in the U.S.” According to Families USA, 60% of bankruptcies are due to medical debt. The Catalyst Center report “Breaking the...
