Financial Planning Checklist for Kids with Special Needs

“Disability is not an obstacle to success” – Stephen Hawking

Dreams and goals shape our lives.

Often, we dedicate a significant part of our lives to achieving them.

And when it comes to our children, they naturally become a top priority.

Be it fulfilling your children’s basic needs, higher education, marriage, or securing their long-term financial stability, as a parent, you want to give them the best life possible.

You might even tend to prioritize your child’s goals even more so when raising a child with special needs.

Financial Planning, in this case, needs to cover additional aspects such as:

• Special schooling
• Healthcare
• Caretaker’s expense
• Long-term financial security beyond your lifetime

Starting Early Financial Planning is essential as soon as you confirm your child has a disability.

Table of Contents:

1.) Degree of disability

2.) Categorize your goals for disabled kids

3.) Health insurance for disabled kids

4.) Emergency corpus for disabled kids

5.) Life insurance for disabled kids

6.) Building a corpus for disabled kids

7.) Make a Will & Trust for your child with special needs

8.) Taxation benefits for disabled kids

9.) Review the plan

10.) Conclusion

Degree of Disability

Financial planning for your child will depend on how much their disability impacts their day-to-day life.

The degree of disability can be classified:

• Mild
• Moderate
• severe
• Multiple Disabilities

Disability can include visual, speech, hearing impairment, psychotic disorder, autism, cerebral palsy, and more. 

Consulting a qualified medical practitioner will access the extent of your child’s disability.

Some disabilities may improve with therapy but these therapies can end up costing a huge chunk of your savings and require continuous treatment.

If your child can become financially independent through vocational training and skills development, you may not need to plan for their entire lifetime.

However, if financial independence is not possible, then long-term financial planning is a must.

Categorize your Goals for Disabled Kids

Each degree of disability will need a different type of care and planning.

Identifying the severity of the disability helps in setting financial priorities.

Before planning, you need to be clear with your goals and categorize them under

• Everyday needs
• Short-term goals
• Medium-term goals
• Long-term goals (including posthumous plans)

Your wide range of goals can simply look like this:

Everyday Needs	Short term goals	Medium-term goals	Long term goals
Caretaker expense, Medicines, Therapies.	Regular medical check-ups, Special schooling	Modern-day high-tech equipment / Infrastructure, Vocational training	Hefty corpus to support your kid during your post-retirement

The above list is just an illustrative example.

Why Goal Categorization is Important?

✅ Helps prioritize essential expenses

✅ Provides a clear roadmap for savings and investments

✅ Ensures financial stability for your child’s entire life 

While planning, consider inflation rates to allocate adequate funds required for each goal at the right time. 

Also earmark your available financial assets & future savings beforehand to ease some of your financial burdens while planning.

You must plan your other personal financial goals in a way that would not interfere with your child’s financial needs.

Health Insurance for Disabled Kids

Health insurance plays a vital role in reducing medical expenses that might come with raising a child with a disabilities. 

However the insurance industry is still evolving in providing ways of insuring people with disabilities

Challenges in Getting Health Insurance for a Disabled Child

• Many insurers are reluctant to cover disabilities
• Despite IRDAI’s mandate, mental health coverage is still limited
• Premiums for critical illness policies can be expensive

What Can You Do?

✔ Check if your employer’s health insurance plan covers your child – Some corporate policies allow coverage for disabled dependents.

✔ Opt for a top-up health plan – This ensures extra coverage beyond the base policy.

✔ Get adequate health & critical illness cover for yourself – Your health coverage is equally important to prevent medical emergencies from derailing your financial plans. 

Emergency Corpus for Disabled Kids

Raising a child with a special needs comes with its own set of struggles. 

One of them includes the huge financial expenses which come with taking care of their health. 

It is not easy to cover medical expenses every time. So, it is a better idea to have a medical buffer that is different from the regular emergency fund which you use for the family.

Why a Medical Emergency Fund?

• Disabled children are more prone to frequent hospitalizations
• Medical insurance might not cover all expenses
• Ensures financial stability without disrupting regular savings

How to Calculate the Right Corpus?

1. Track how often your child requires hospitalization.

2. Calculate the average cost per visit.

3. Multiply this by expected future medical expenses.

This simple exercise will help you set aside an adequate amount for medical emergencies without affecting your long-term financial goals.

Life Insurance for Disabled Kids

Life has its share of bliss and struggles.

We must be prepared to face any hardship life may throw our way. 

Since a child with a disability will most probably be wholly dependent on their parents financially, the sudden demise of their parents may spell disaster for the child.

This is why financial planning for a special needs child is crucial, ensuring they are financially secure even beyond your lifetime.

You need to set up a plan where your child gets the financial backing to cover their basic needs. 

• The death benefit from a life insurance policy can be assigned to a trust by making a will.
• A personal accidental cover is also necessary to ensure the child’s safety and financial security in case of unforeseen circumstances.
• The absence of these insurance plans can endanger your child’s financial future. So it is wise to include this aspect in your financial planning.
• Annuity for a disabled child can also be considered to provide a steady income for the child’s lifetime.

Thus, including life insurance and estate planning in your financial plan is critical for families with special needs children.

Building a Corpus for a Special Needs Child

Wealth creation is the key to handling expenses while maintaining a comfortable financial lifestyle.

Building a huge corpus will help meet your financial needs as well as those of your child’s financial needs in the long run.

How to Build a Financial Corpus?

1. Budgeting and Expense Management:

• Track all your expenses and eliminate unnecessary discretionary spending.
• Be frugal to ensure maximum savings.

2. Invest Wisely for Your Child’s Future:

• Investment plans vary from one family to another.
• Asset allocation is key to achieving your desired financial corpus.
• Consider financial planning for children in India with options like mutual funds, fixed deposits, PPF, and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (if applicable to a girl child).

3. Building a Special Needs-Friendly Home:

• Apart from investments, it is beneficial to own a house as it is a financial asset and can be customized for your child’s needs.
• Making a home special-needs friendly can ease daily challenges.

Ways to Make Your Home Disability-Friendly

• Ramps for easy access if the child uses a wheelchair.
• CCTV installation to monitor the child’s movements.
• Accessible toilets to help the child manage independently.

These modifications require significant investment, so early financial planning for a disabled child’s future is crucial.

The power of compounding makes an early start even more beneficial. 

Make a Will & Trust for your Child with Special Needs:

While some children with special needs can make financial decisions when they turn 18, many require lifelong financial care.

Parent must plan beyond their lifetime to ensure their child’s well being.

One way you can do that is by making a will and bequeathing all your assets to the trust.

You should be mindful while listing the assets in your will.

It should not just include real estate, instead, it should be a comprehensive list including your financial assets and insurance. 

The trust you set up will protect these assets and manage the finances.

You would need to appoint a guardian who is a credible family member or friend for the trust’s smooth operation.

Things to keep in mind while appointing a guardian:

You would need to make sure,

1. The appointed guardian will not exploit the child financially.
2. They are a healthy individual themselves in order to determine whether they would outlive the child.

Creating trust also has its difficulties like,

1. Registering it.
2. Framing trust deed.
3. Defining the roles of the trustee & functions of the trust. 

Seeking professional legal advice is essential for setting up a well-structured trust. 

Taxation benefits for Special Needs Children in India

As of January 2025, the tax benefits for individuals with disabilities and those supporting dependents with disabilities in India are primarily governed by Sections 80DD and 80U of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

These provisions offer deductions to alleviate the financial burden associated with disability-related expenses.

Section 80DD: Deduction for Maintenance and Medical Treatment of a Dependent with Disability

i.) Eligibility: This deduction is available to resident individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) who incur expenses for the medical treatment (including nursing), training, and rehabilitation of a dependent with a disability. Dependents can include the taxpayer’s spouse, children, parents, and siblings.

ii.) Deduction Limits:

• For dependents with 40% to 79% disability: ₹75,000.
• For dependents with 80% or more disability (severe disability): ₹1,25,000.

iii.) Key Points:

• The deduction amount is fixed and does not depend on the actual expenses incurred.
• Even if the expenses are less than the specified deduction amount, the full deduction can be claimed.
• To claim this deduction, a valid medical certificate certifying the disability from a prescribed medical authority is mandatory.

Section 80U: Deduction for Individuals with Disability

i.) Eligibility: This deduction is available to resident individuals who have a disability themselves.

ii.) Deduction Limits:

• For individuals with 40% to 79% disability: ₹75,000.
• For individuals with 80% or more disability (severe disability): ₹1,25,000.

iii.) Key Points:

• Similar to Section 80DD, the deduction amount is fixed irrespective of the actual expenses incurred.
• A valid medical certificate certifying the disability from a prescribed medical authority is required to claim this deduction.

Important Considerations:

• Mutual Exclusivity: An individual cannot claim deductions under both Sections 80DD and 80U for the same person. If a taxpayer with a disability claims a deduction under Section 80U, no other person can claim a deduction under Section 80DD for that taxpayer.
• Tax Regime Applicability: These deductions are available only under the old tax regime. Taxpayers opting for the new tax regime under Section 115BAC are not eligible to claim these deductions.
• Insurance Policies: Under Section 80DD, deductions can also be claimed for premiums paid towards insurance policies that provide financial support to a dependent with a disability. The deduction is applicable even if the dependent receives annuity or lump-sum payments from the insurance policy while the taxpayer is alive.

Action Steps:

1. Obtain a Disability Certificate: Ensure that a valid medical certificate is obtained from a recognized medical authority, specifying the nature and extent of the disability.

2. Maintain Records: Keep detailed records of all expenses incurred for the treatment, training, and rehabilitation of the dependent with a disability.

3. Review Financial Plans: Regularly assess your financial plan to accommodate the needs of the dependent with a disability. This includes adjusting savings, investments, and asset allocations to ensure long-term financial security.

By understanding and utilizing these provisions, taxpayers can effectively manage the financial responsibilities associated with supporting individuals with disabilities. 

Review the Plan

To ensure everything is on track, regularly, review your financial plan. This will help.

• Adjust savings and investment strategies.
• Optimize asset allocation for long-term financial security.
• Modify the plan if the child’s needs change. 

A proper financial plan eliminates financial stress, ensuring your special needs child has a financially secure future.

Conclusion

Every child is special & children with special needs are even more special.

Families with special needs children are on a lifetime journey that is both emotionally and financially challenging. 

Steps for Financial Stability:

• Assess all possible risks and plan accordingly.
• Create a will and a trust to safeguard the child’s financial security.
• Seek expert advice from a certified financial planner for a holistic financial approach.
• Utilize tax benefits under Sec 80DD & 80U to reduce financial burden.

Disability is not an obstacle for success, but financial unpreparedness can be.

By planning ahead, parents can eliminate financial stress and ensure their child leads a fulfilling life.

Raising a special needs child requires both personal and professional guidance. While family members and support groups provide emotional backing, financial experts ensure your child’s future remains secure and independent.

Certified financial planners  will help create a comprehensive financial plan considering the overall well-being of the family.

Thus, financial planning for special needs families is not just an option, but a necessity.