Member, Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP)

When a loved one has disabilities, financial planning takes on a different shape. You may be planning not only for your own future, but for someone who will need support, advocacy, and financial protection long after you’re gone.

I understand these concerns both personally and professionally. My role is to help families move from uncertainty to structure — one thoughtful decision at a time.

Through focused planning, I help families:

Protect access to essential benefits

Public programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) have strict financial rules. Without proper planning, well-intentioned gifts or inheritances can unintentionally disrupt eligibility. We explore strategies designed to preserve benefits while planning for quality of life.

Plan for Special Needs Trusts and funding strategies

Special Needs Trusts can play a key role in long-term planning. I work alongside your attorney to help coordinate funding approaches — such as life insurance, investments, or beneficiary planning — aligned with your family’s goals.

Balance retirement and caregiving priorities

Your financial security matters. Sustainable planning considers parents’ retirement needs alongside long-term caregiving responsibilities, so the plan supports everyone involved.

Address future decision-makers

We talk through guardianship considerations, trusteeship roles, and successor decision-makers in practical, values-based ways — without pressure to have all the answers at once.

Support family conversations

Extended family members often want to help but aren’t sure how. I help families think through communication and gifting strategies that support — rather than complicate — long-term plans.

Incorporate generosity and community impact

Thrivent offers tools that support charitable giving and community engagement. When appropriate, we explore ways to give thoughtfully while remaining aligned with financial priorities.

You don’t have to solve everything at once.

You just need a clear starting point — and a steady partner.

Your relationships, values, and future deserve to be recognized and respected.

I offer inclusive financial planning for LGBTQ+ individuals and families, including thoughtful consideration of:

• Legal and beneficiary planning coordination
• Family-building and caregiving considerations
• Retirement and legacy goals
• Charitable giving aligned with personal values

Every client deserves to feel seen, heard, and supported — without having to explain or defend who they are.

Financial planning is personal — and trust matters.

If you’re exploring your next steps, refining an existing plan, or simply looking for a thoughtful place to begin, I invite you to schedule a conversation.

We can meet virtually, or in person at my Downers Grove office or in downtown Wheaton. I also enjoy meeting clients in community-based settings — whether that’s a coffee shop, a local organization, or a cause you care about.

My hope is simple:

That clarity replaces stress, and planning becomes a source of confidence — not pressure.