Insights, Special Needs Financial Planning

Sequoia Advisors Share Special-Needs Planning Insights in The Wall Street Journal

by Sequoia Financial Group

March 17, 2026

Families caring for a loved one with special needs often carry an important question in the back of their minds: What will happen when I’m no longer here to provide care and support? Thoughtful financial planning can help answer that question with clarity and confidence.

Recently, Alex Nadworny, CFP®, CTFA, Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Sequoia Financial Group, and Cindy Haddad, CFP® ChSNC®, Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Sequoia Financial Group, were interviewed by The Wall Street Journal in an article by Kimberly Lankford exploring how families can use life insurance as part of a comprehensive special-needs planning strategy.

The article highlights an important reality for many families: planning for a child with disabilities requires a different approach than traditional financial planning. While life insurance is often used to replace lost income, families raising a child with special needs may need to think more broadly about long-term caregiving, housing, therapies, transportation, and quality-of-life support that may continue for decades.

Nadworny and Haddad shared insights on how life insurance can help build a financial foundation for lifelong care. For many families, the goal is not simply to accumulate assets but to ensure that support systems remain in place even after parents are gone.

One key consideration discussed in the article is how life insurance policies should be structured. Rather than naming the child directly as a beneficiary, families often establish a Special Needs Trust and name the trust as the beneficiary of the policy. This approach allows the funds to be used for the individual’s benefit while helping preserve eligibility for important government programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid.

The article also notes that determining the appropriate amount of life insurance requires careful analysis. Families may need to consider the costs of services and support not covered by government programs and project those expenses across the individual’s lifetime. Inflation, evolving care needs, and family dynamics can all shape the right strategy.

For both Nadworny and Haddad, the work is deeply personal as well as professional. Each brings firsthand experience to their practice through family members with disabilities, giving them a unique perspective on the emotional and practical realities families face.

At Sequoia Financial Group, special needs planning is never a one-size-fits-all process. Our advisors work closely with families to understand their loved ones’ abilities, needs, and long-term goals, while coordinating strategies across financial, estate, and insurance planning. With a firm belief that thoughtful planning today can help provide stability for years to come, the objective is to help create a framework that supports independence, protects government benefits, and ensures continuity of care.

If you would like guidance in creating a financial strategy for a loved one with special needs, Sequoia Financial Group’s Special Needs Financial Planning team is here to help. Our advisors partner with families to design personalized plans that help protect your loved one, preserve essential benefits, and support your family’s goals both today and in the future.

Learn more about how we can help you build a plan that is truly BUILT FOR YOU.

The views expressed represent the opinion of Sequoia Financial Group. The views are subject to change and are not intended as a forecast or guarantee of future results. This material is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice and is not intended as an endorsement of any specific investment. Stated information is derived from proprietary and nonproprietary sources that have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness. While Sequoia believes the information to be accurate and reliable, we do not claim or have responsibility for its completeness, accuracy, or reliability. Statements of future expectations, estimates, projections, and other forward-looking statements are based on available information and Sequoia’s view as of the time of these statements. Accordingly, such statements are inherently speculative as they are based on assumptions that may involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Investing in equity securities involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. While equities may offer the potential for greater long-term growth than most debt securities, they generally have higher volatility. Past performance is not an indication of future results.

Investment advisory services offered through Sequoia Financial Advisors, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Registration as an investment advisor does not imply a certain level of skill or training.Investment advisory services offered by Sequoia Financial Advisors, LLC. Registration as an investment advisor does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

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