When Siblings Become Successors: Preparing Future Caregivers and Trustees

For families with loved ones who have special needs, tomorrow often arrives sooner than expected. Many families instinctively plan for today: therapies, education, medical care, and navigating government benefits. However, long-term planning, especially when siblings become future caregivers and trustees, requires a more comprehensive, proactive strategy. A thoughtful succession plan honors your loved one’s dignity and security while relieving undue pressure on the next generation. At Sequoia Financial Group, our Special Needs Financial Planning team walks alongside you, listening closely, coordinating thoughtfully, and tailoring strategies to your family’s unique needs, goals, and care considerations.

The Importance of Intentional Succession Planning

Planning for a loved one with special needs includes preparing for a future where parents may no longer be able to lead caregiving or financial decision-making. Many siblings will have some caregiving role, whether informal (providing emotional support or coordination) or formal (guardian, trustee, or power of attorney), and that role can evolve over time. Research shows that families who begin these conversations early create smoother transitions and better outcomes for all involved families.^1,2

Open communication within the family can dispel assumptions. Just because siblings love one another does not mean everyone has the same capacity or desire to step into a long-term caregiving role. Discussing expectations early ensures that roles are assigned intentionally, not by default, and aligns responsibilities with each sibling’s abilities and life circumstances.³

Educate on Legal and Financial Tools

The legal and financial frameworks that protect the future of a special needs family member are complex but essential. Among the most powerful is the Special Needs Trust (SNT), a vehicle that holds assets on behalf of your loved one without jeopardizing eligibility for vital public benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. ^4,5

When siblings are designated as future trustees, it’s vital they understand both the purpose and limitations of these tools:

• A third-party SNT can fund lifetime comfort and enrichment without triggering benefit disqualification. ⁶
• An effective trustee will safeguard the beneficiary’s eligibility while thoughtfully allocating resources to enhance quality of life.⁷

Involving siblings early in educational sessions with your estate planning attorney, wealth advisor, and tax professional helps to ensure they’re fluent in navigating these systems, from benefit rules to investment decisions, distribution policies, and documentation.⁸

Strengthen Emotional and Practical Preparedness

Succession planning is more than legal paperwork; it’s about emotional readiness, role clarity, and family unity. The transition from sibling to caregiver/trustee often coincides with personal life events, including raising children, career demands, and caring for aging parents of their own, creating what professionals call the “sandwich” generation of responsibilities.⁹

Families can help future caregivers prepare by:

• Documenting day-to-day needs through Letters of Intent. These detailed guides cover routines, preferences, healthcare contacts, and quality-of-life details that standard legal documents often overlook.¹⁰
• Clarifying expectations across roles: who manages finances, who advocates with service providers, who oversees housing and day-to-day care.¹¹
• Building a supportive circle of care that includes professionals (case managers, fiduciaries, advocates) and emotional support networks, so siblings never feel they must carry responsibilities alone.¹²

A Partner at Every Step

At Sequoia Special Needs Financial Planning, we guide families through the complexities of financial planning and can help prepare siblings to assume future caregiving and trustee responsibilities. Our approach is individualized and strategic; we work alongside you to structure plans that help to protect your loved one’s benefits, clarify roles, and support long-term continuity. We work with you to:

• Integrate financial strategies with legal documents;
• Coordinate with your attorneys and care professionals; and
• Anticipate future challenges so you can move forward with confidence.

We don’t just build plans — we build relationships grounded in clarity, compassion, and deep respect for your loved one’s future.

 

 

Sources

1. National Care Advisors on succession planning best practices: https://www.nationalcareadvisors.com/blog/test-driving-the-special-needs-succession-plan-best-practices-for-professionals?hsLang=en
2. Future-planning for siblings of people with disabilities (Sibling Leadership Network): https://siblingleadership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Future-planning-for-siblings-of-people-with-disabilities.pdf
3. Sequoia Financial Group “Succession Planning for Special Needs Family Members”: https://www.sequoia-financial.com/insights/succession-planning-for-special-needs-family-member/
4. Ohio special needs trust considerations: https://www.hml-law.net/2025/11/special-needs-trust-ohio/
5. Autism Speaks overview of special needs trusts: https://www.autismspeaks.org/tool-kit-excerpt/special-needs-trusts
6. Heban, Murphree, Lewandowski: https://www.hml-law.net/2025/11/special-needs-trust-ohio
7. Autism Speaks overview of special needs trusts: https://www.autismspeaks.org/tool-kit-excerpt/special-needs-trusts
8. Importance of including siblings in estate planning: https://nowlinglaw.com/blog/including-siblings-in-the-estate-planning-process-for-a-child-with-special-needs/
9. Future-planning for siblings of people with disabilities (Sibling Leadership Network): https://siblingleadership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Future-planning-for-siblings-of-people-with-disabilities.pdf
10. Special Needs Alliance tips for planning: https://www.specialneedsalliance.org/the-voice/top-ten-tips-when-planning-for-special-needs-2/
11. Sequoia Financial Group: https://www.sequoia-financial.com/insights/succession-planning-for-special-needs-family-member