Turning 18 With a Disability: A Parent's Checklist

Turning 18 with a disability changes your legal relationship with your child overnight. The doctor's office stops talking to you. The bank won't let you manage their account. The school shifts educational decision-making rights to your child. All of it happens on the birthday, whether or not your child can safely make those decisions alone. In this video, Ellen walks parents through what actually changes at 18, the full spectrum of decision-making options, and the steps to take before the birthday instead of scrambling after it. She covers several options to consider: Supported decision making Powers of attorney and advanced healthcare directive Limited conservatorship How benefits such as SSI and Medi-Cal work when your child turns 18 Child disability benefits If you’re navigating this now (or soon will be), give us a call. Our office doesn’t handle preparing benefits applications or limited conservatorships - we can refer you to trusted professionals for that - but we handle all of the planning that surrounds protecting your child’s access to the benefits they’ll depend on. → Talk with our intake team: cookmanlaw.com/talk-with-intake-team/ → California special needs guidance in your inbox: cookmanlaw.com/newsletter/ Subscribe for more California special needs planning. Timestamps: 00:00 What changes on the 18th birthday 01:02 The decision-making spectrum 01:47 Supported Decision-Making 02:47 Powers of attorney and health care directives 03:26 Limited conservatorship (and why to start early) 04:36 The silver lining: benefits at 18 05:21 Childhood Disability Benefits 06:32 Your before-the-birthday checklist 07:33 How Cookman Law can help ✅ Subscribe to our Newsletter to stay up to date! https://cookmanlaw.com/newsletter/ ✅ FREE Initial Call 👇👇 https://cookmanlaw.com/talk-to-intake... ✅ Download the Special Needs Planning Webinar 👇👇 https://l3jzs7tx.pages.infusionsoft.n... ✅ Please Subscribe to my channel I put out a new video every week →    / @ellencookman-estateplanningsnt   ✅ FREE Guides to Special Needs Trusts 👇👇 https://cookmanlaw.com/special-needs-... ✅ Download the Webinar on Estate Planning 👇👇 https://194u7bvs.pages.infusionsoft.n... 💥 Follow me on Social Media 💥 Instagram:   / cookman_law   Facebook:   / cookmanlaw   LinkedIn:   / ellen-cookman-jd-ll-m-88728b12   Website: https://cookmanlaw.com/ Looking forward to connecting! Please call or text with any Estate Planning questions: (650) 690-2571 The content of this YouTube channel is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice. You should not rely upon any information contained on this YouTube channel for legal advice. Viewing this YouTube channel is not intended to and shall not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Ellen Cookman or Cookman Law, PC. Messages or other forms of communication that you transmit to this YouTube channel will not create an attorney-client relationship and thus information contained in such communications may not be protected as privileged. Neither Ellen Cookman nor Cookman Law, PC makes any representation, warranty, or guarantee about the accuracy of the information contained in this YouTube channel or in links to other YouTube channels or websites. This YouTube channel is provided "as is," does not represent that any outcome or result from viewing of this channel. Your use viewing of this YouTube channel is at your own risk. You enjoy this YouTube channel and its contents only for personal, non-commercial purposes. Neither Ellen Cookman, Cookman Law, PC, nor anyone acting on their behalf, will be liable under any circumstances for damages of any kind. #estateplanning #specialneedstrust