Creating independence for adults with disabilities
November 5th, 2007
Martha Blue-Banning of the Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas presents two very helpful articles this month. She offers both a personal vision for parents who are seeking to assist their adult children in becoming independent, and a toolkit for developing assets and avoiding a life of poverty.
Writing in the Down Syndrome News, Dr. Blue-Banning describes her family’s journey helping son Ryan become a small business owner. Ryan, a young adult with Down syndrome, runs a successful vending machine business that was set up with the help of his family, a network of community supporters, and a small business grant from the Kansas Developmental Disabilities Council. It was not always easy — one day, thirty cases of soda exploded in an overheated van — but, writes Dr. Blue-Banning, “It’s working — and so is Ryan.”
Writing in Exceptional Parent magazine, Dr. Blue-Banning and lead author Megan O’Neil outline the tools that families can use to protect the assets of people with disabilities. The title says it all: “Avoid the poverty trap.”
Fear of losing federal benefits can be a major deterrent to working or saving. This built-in work and savings disincentive results in many individuals with disabilities living in poverty. So, are poverty and disability inevitable? With current asset development strategies, the answer is a resounding “NO.”
Among the tools they explain are
- Individual Development Account (IDA);
- Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS); and
- Special needs trust.
They describe the process of financial planning as “not easy, but worth it,” and urge families to consult experienced attorneys or benefits planners. Links to resources are provided.
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