• Our Promise to You During COVID-19/Coronavirus
    • Skip to primary navigation
    • Skip to main content
    • Skip to primary sidebar
    • Skip to footer
    • Home
    • Our Firm
      • About Our Firm
      • Team Profiles
    • Estate Planning
      • Arizona Long Term Care (ALTCS)
      • Asset Protection
      • Business and Succession Planning
      • Elder Law & Medicaid Planning
      • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
      • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
      • IRA & Retirement Planning
      • Incapacity Planning
      • Legacy Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Pet Planning
      • Probate
      • Powers of Attorney
      • SECURE Act
      • Trust Administration
    • Elder Law
      • Are You A Caregiver
      • Coping With Alzheimer’s
      • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
      • Guardianship & Conservatorship
      • Tucson Medicaid (ALTCS) Planning
      • Tucson Veteran’s Benefits
    • Webinars
    • Resources
      • DocuBank
      • Elder Law Reports
      • Free Estate Planning Seminars
      • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Estate Planning FAQs
        • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
        • LGBTQ Estate Planning Frequently Asked Questions
        • Trust Administration & Probate Frequently Asked Questions
        • Tucson Estate Planning FAQs
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Latest News
      • Newsletters
      • Pre Consultation Form
      • Professional Resources
      • Published Books
      • Reports
        • Advanced Estate Planning
        • Basic Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning for Niches
        • Trust Administration
    • Reviews
      • Our Reviews
      • Review Us
    • Contact Us
    • Blog

    Kinghorn Heritage Law Group, PLC

    Tucson Estate Planning Attorneys

    Connect with us today(520) 529-4000

    Attend a Free Seminar
    Home / General / Autistic Adult Children Require Careful and Customized Planning

    Autistic Adult Children Require Careful and Customized Planning

    May 31, 2016General

    “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”
    -Stephen Shore

    For adults on the spectrum, their ability to manage their daily lives greatly varies. Each has unique needs and abilities. Routines for many on the spectrum are extremely important and a disruption of that routine can cause major setbacks in their life. So what happens when a parent dies? Such an event can be devastating when the parent is the primary caregiver.

    The number of children with autism shocks me. I had no idea that approximately 1 in 68 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that it is 4.5 times more common among boys than among girls. According to the Center for Disease Control’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, one in six children in the United States have a developmental disability of some kind that impact their daily lives or way the children learn.

    I am blessed to be friends with a family that has an adult son with autism. “John” is on the spectrum, and he is 49 years old. He works 3 days a week at a small grocery store, pays his bills and brags about keeping better records than his parents. He is a little too quick to tell me my jokes are not very funny, which is probably true. Despite his many capabilities, John lives with the guidance, routine and stability of his parents. His parents’ biggest worry is how to be sure John is taken care of after they die. John’s family is just him and his parents. Other relatives are older than they are and many do not live in Tucson. They both know John is able to care for himself now, like when they go on trips and leave him at home, and they want to allow him his freedom as an individual as much as they can, but he needs oversight with his decision-making and they have a concern of people taking advantage of John.

    So what did we do to help them? We established a trust for John’s parents by which John will inherit their assets in a trust set up for his benefit, a beneficiary trust. Also, John put a trust in place for himself, with protections built into both his trust and his parent’s trust for a co-trustee to assist John in managing his assets, when it is necessary. Plus, his parents still have the ability to assist John in managing his assets right now. John recognizes he needs assistance in discerning fact from fiction at times and knows his limitations. For example, if he receives a bill, he may just pay it without questioning whether he actually owes it. While it is not always the case that an adult child on the spectrum has the ability to manage his own assets, when it is, it is important to allow that independence to continue.

    By putting a trust in place for John, he will not need a court conservatorship if his ability to manage his assets ever diminishes, because his co-trustee will simply step in for him. In addition to a trust that owns his assets, John signed health care documents to allow his parents access to vital information about his health and to allow them to make decisions on his behalf when he is unable to do so. Also, I encourage families with ASD to connect with local organizations to tap into all the possible resources available. There are amazing support groups for adults with ASD and for their family members. Socializing with others with ASD can help transition after the loss of a parent.


    Allison ManningAllison Manning enjoys helping clients establish peace of mind in their estate plans and building relationships with her clients. If you would like to make an appointment to find out how we can help protect your legacy, call (520) 529-4000, or visit us online at www.KHarizona.com.

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Sandi Kinghorn
    Latest posts by Sandi Kinghorn (see all)
    • Should I hold my property as joint tenants with my children? - August 1, 2016
    • Saying Goodbye To A Legend - July 11, 2016
    • Happy Birthday to Medicare - June 27, 2016

    Other Articles You May Find Useful

    Kinghorn Law, LLC
    What is the Cost of Dying?
    Kinghorn Law, LLC
    Disaster Preparedness: What would you take?
    Kinghorn Law, LLC
    We Thought You Need to Know: IRS No Longer Accepts Checks over $100 Million
    Kinghorn Law, LLC
    Should I hold my property as joint tenants with my children?
    Kinghorn Law, LLC
    Saying Goodbye To A Legend
    Kinghorn Law, LLC
    Happy Birthday to Medicare

    Primary Sidebar

    FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHEET

    There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Follow Us

    • fb
    • tw
    • ld
    • yt

    Subscribe to Our Blog

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Testimonials

    default image

    In this day and age it is very rewarding and comforting to make a major decision for the long-term security of your family. Over 14 years ago we decided upon the Kinghorn Heritage Family to create our family trust. Through the years it became very evident that this decision was a major and necessary step for a secure future in an ever-changing legal climate. The Kinghorn Family has been a close friend that has always been there to serve our family.

    Gary and Velma T. Client Review September 8, 2020

    default image

    We appreciate the programs presented that keep us informed and updated in today’s internet and financial world. It is a comfort to know that you are only a phone call away if questions arise.

    Robert and JoAnn H. Client Review September 8, 2020

    default image

    We enjoyed meeting all the behind-the-scenes people on your team and want to thank you for the peace of mind you’ve given us and our children.

    M.D. Client Reveiw September 8, 2020

    default image

    What an amazing law firm, where the people I refer to them are handled as good friends, family, and confidantes.

    Eileen E. Client Review September 8, 2020

    default image

    Thank you Allison and Kinghorn Law family for everything you have done to make our end-of-life decisions a reality and stress free. When we think of Kinghorn: trust, peace of mind, professional. Outstanding Law Firm!

    Ken and Cheryl V. Client Review September 8, 2020

    default image

    Very satisfied with your company and staff.

    Robert and Britt O. Client Review September 8, 2020

    default image

    Our law firm's philosophy has always been to help families preserve their wealth and achieve their long-term financial goals. The coordination of the estate plan and financial plan is vital.

    We offer FREE estate and financial plan reviews. During these complimentary reviews we will:

    • Discuss your family situation to ensure that the terms of your estate plan still reflect your wishes and family situation
    • Review the beneficiary designations of your IRAs and retirement plans to be sure you are taking advantage of the recent law changes
    • Review your assets to be sure they are properly titled in your living trust
    • Analyze the impact of any new tax law changes to see if your estate planning documents need to be updated

    In addition, we will answer any questions you may have regarding recent law changes and your estate planning goals. This will be an ideal opportunity to coordinate your financial planning goals with your estate plan.

    Chandler V. Client Review September 8, 2020

    default image

    Estate Planning attorneys are sometimes criticized for offering needlessly complex, 'canned' solutions. This never has been the case with Kevin. The documents he created were comprehensive when appropriate and surprisingly simple when suitable. In every case, they were individually crafted to meet our unique needs.

    Rich D. Client Review September 8, 2020

    << Prev
    Next >>

    Where We Are

    Kinghorn Law, LLC
    3573 E. Sunrise Drive, Suite 209
    Tucson, AZ 85718
    Phone: (520) 529-4000

    See Larger Map
    Get Directions

    Footer

    • Speaker Connection
    • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Sitemap
    • Contact Us

    Connect with Us

    • fb
    • tw
    • ld
    • yt
    footer-logo


    © 2021 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

    Attorney Advertisement