Estate Planning Webinar Aug. 15th for Families with Special Needs

By: Kay Ledbetter

“Estate Planning for Families with Special Needs” is the topic of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Texas Military Program webinar on Aug. 15.

The one-hour webinar will begin at 10 a.m. and is free and open to anyone interested, but registration is required, said Andrew Crocker, AgriLife Extension program specialist in gerontology and health, Amarillo.

The presenter will be Dr. Martie Gillen, assistant professor and Extension specialist for the department of family, youth and community sciences in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida.

Planning for the future is something everyone should devote substantial time and thought to, but especially families with special needs, said Rachel Brauner, program coordinator with the agency’s Texas Military Program in College Station.

“This session will explore the importance of this type of planning and decision-making,” Brauner said. “We will explore estate planning considerations across the life cycle for families with special needs. We will also discuss documents such as powers of attorney and trusts; including a revocable living trust and a special needs trust.

“Lastly, we will look at considerations for needs-based public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid,” she said.

This and other webinars are offered through AgriLife Extension’s Military Program to provide professional development and interactive resources for those unable to leave home for training, Crocker said.

The Military Families Learning Network Military Caregiving concentration will apply for continuing education credit from the University Of Texas School Of Social Work for credentialed and licensed professionals. Certificates of completion will also be available for participants interested in receiving training hours.

In addition, this webinar is approved for 1.5 general continuing education units for FinCert Certified Personal Finance Counselors. Accredited Financial Counselor-credentialed participants can earn 1.5 CEUs.

To join the session or for more information go to:  https://learn.extension.org/events/3012.