Home > Action Plans > Financial Well-Being

Financial Well-Being

Watch Video or View PDF

Teaching individuals skills that further their economic self-sufficiency and ability to control personal finances is vital to their success as adults. Learning with practice needs to start as early as possible. Families play an important role in financial planning for the future.

Find Financial Well-Being Resources

Acronym Key: PASS = Plan for Achieving Self Support | ABLE = Achieving a Better Life Experience

Add Financial Well-Being Items to My Action Plan

Build your Action Plan by selecting relevant items below to add goals for yourself or someone you support. Click “Add to Action Plan” to save items. Your selections from all categories will appear in “My Action Plan.” To remove an item, click “Remove from Action Plan.”

Build your Action Plan by selecting relevant items below to add goals for yourself or someone you support. Click “Add to Action Plan” to save items. To remove an item, click “Remove from Action Plan.” To see your Action Plan, click on the “View My Action Plan” button to the right or near the bottom of the page.

View your plan to download or print it.

View My Action Plan

Browse all recommended action items, or you have the option to use these filters to narrow down items based on age and category. 

What type of help are you looking for?

What is the age range of the person needing help?

6
1810
Learn about money: why is it important, how does it work?, What do typical items cost?, How do you get money?, How do you pay for items?
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian, School/IEP Team
Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing
Resources:
:


Financial Wellness Tools Financial Wellness Tools :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/downloads/#financial-toolkit
Money Management for Young People on the Spectrum Money Management for Young People on the Spectrum :
https://worktogethernc.com/resource/money-management-for-young-people-on-the-spectrum/
:


6
1815
Consider strategies for practicing earning and using money, for example: an allowance for doing chores or a simple neighborhood "job" such as walking a neighbor's dog or helping to clean in a neighbor's yard.
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian
Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing
Resources:
:


:


:


Teaching Money Management Teaching Money Management :
https://autismawarenesscentre.com/how-to-teach-money-management-for-independant-living-with-autism/
6
1820
Learn about budgeting and "needs versus wants" as this fits for different ages. Learn how goals work with budgeting.
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian, School/IEP Team
Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing
Resources:
:


Money management lessons Money management lessons :
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/new-money-management-lessons-for-adults-with-disabilities
Financial toolkit Financial toolkit :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/downloads/#financial-toolkit
:


6
1825
Explore options with your bank (e.g., joint bank account) to learn about money and management.
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian
Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing
Resources:
Your Money, Your Goals Your Money, Your Goals :
https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_ymyg_focus-on-people-with-disabilities.pdf
Lessons Materials on Money Management Lessons Materials on Money Management :
https://worktogethernc.com/resource/11736/
:


:


6
1830
Learn about money safety, how to spot scams and how to say "no" to requests for money.
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian
Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing
Resources:
:


:


Avoiding Identity Theft Avoiding Identity Theft :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/financial-resilience-center/identity-theft/
Beware of Scams Beware of Scams :
https://www.canr.msu.edu/mimoneyhealth/beware_of
6
1835
Consider estate planning, living trust and special needs trust. Seek out a lawyer that specializes in special needs trusts.
Who can help: Family/Guardian, Lawyer
Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing
Resources:
Living Trust Living Trust :
https://rethinkingguardianshipnc.org/hub/living-trust/
Fideicomiso en vida Fideicomiso en vida:
https://rethinkingguardianshipnc.org/hub/living-trust/
Special Needs Trust Special Needs Trust :
https://rethinkingguardianshipnc.org/hub/special-needs-trust/
Fideicomiso para necesidades especiales Fideicomiso para necesidades especiales :
https://rethinkingguardianshipnc.org/hub/special-needs-trust/
6
1840
Consider opening an ABLE account, which allows people with disabilities to save money for certain categories of expenses without affecting their benefits.
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian, NC ABLE staff
Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing
Resources:
:


ABLE - Connecting People with Disabilities ABLE - Connecting People with Disabilities :
https://www.ablenrc.org/
ABLE Accounts ABLE Accounts :
https://rethinkingguardianshipnc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1731/2021/07/ABLE-Account-Updated-Jan-2022-1.pdf
Spanish: Cuentas ABLE Spanish: Cuentas ABLE :
https://rethinkingguardianshipnc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1731/2022/06/ABLE-Account-SPANISH.pdf
6
1845
Write a letter of intent for your special needs trust.
Who can help: Family/Guardian, Lawyer
Approximate age: As early as possible
Resources:
Special needs Letter of Intent Special needs Letter of Intent :
https://www.specialneedsalliance.org/the-voice/letter-of-intent-4/
:


:


Letter of Intent Planning Guide Letter of Intent Planning Guide :
https://worktogethernc.com/resource/letter-of-intent-planning-guide/
6
1850
Revisit your will.
Who can help: Family/Guardian, Lawyer
Approximate age: Every 8 years
Resources:
:


:


:


:


6
1855
Learn about Financial Wellness. What does this mean?, What does it look like for individuals with disabilities?
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian, School/IEP Team
Approximate age: Middle School & ongoing
Resources:
:


Financial wellness video series Financial wellness video series :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/blog/meet-the-faces-of-financial-wellness/
Videos en Español Videos en Español :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/blog/meet-the-faces-of-financial-wellness/#espanol
:


6
1860
Consider obtaining a debit card and/or credit card, with safeguarding strategies and monitoring as needed (i.e., prepaid cards, spending limits).
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian
Approximate age: Middle to High school
Resources:
Comparison Chart of Types of Cards to Use for Purchases Comparison Chart of Types of Cards to Use for Purchases :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ndi-comparison-guide-debit-credit-prepaid-2022.pdf
:


:


Green Light Debit Card Green Light Debit Card :
https://greenlight.com/
6
1875
Explore online money management tools.
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian
Approximate age: High school
Resources:
Online Money Management Tools Online Money Management Tools :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/top-picks-for-online-money-management-tools.pdf
10 Questions to Ask When Selecting an Online Money Management Tool 10 Questions to Ask When Selecting an Online Money Management Tool :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ten-questions-to-ask-when-selecting-an-online-money-management-tool.pdf
:


:


6
1910
Seek out benefits counseling services.
Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian, Benefits Counseling Services
Approximate age: As early as possible
Resources:
ServiceSource Benefits Counseling ServiceSource Benefits Counseling :
https://www.servicesource.org/north-carolina-benefits-counseling-services/#:~:text=English%20and%20Spanish.-,VR%20Benefits%20Counseling%20Services%20for%20SSI%2FSSDI%20beneficiaries,western%20part%20of%20the%20State.
Disability benefits counseling services Disability benefits counseling services :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/disability-benefits-counseling-ndi-tool.pdf
:


NC DHHS Work Incentives and Benefits Counseling NC DHHS Work Incentives and Benefits Counseling :
https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/vocational-rehabilitation-services/work-incentives-and-benefits-counseling
6
1920
Learn about financial rights for individuals with disabilities.
Who can help: Benefits counseling services, Attorneys, Local Banks
Approximate age: Middle school
Resources:
Financial Inclusion 101 Financial Inclusion 101 :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/illinois/financial-inclusion-101/
Financial wellness training webinar Financial wellness training webinar :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/webinars/icdd/september-12-financial-inclusion-101/
:


:


6
1930
Figure out the areas in which support is needed by taking a financial well-being assessment.
Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian
Approximate age: 16
Resources:
Financial Well-Being Assessment Financial Well-Being Assessment :
https://worktogethernc.com/resource/financial-well-being-assessment/
:


:


:


6
1940
Determine the need for government-based financial support (Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare). See Adult Services action plan for more details.
Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian
Approximate age: 16
Resources:
:


:


Adult Services Action Plan Adult Services Action Plan :
https://worktogethernc.com/action-plans/how-can-i-make-sure-the-transition-to-adulthood-goes-smoothly/how-can-i-make-sure-the-transition-to-adulthood-goes-smoothly-adult-services-action-plan/
:


6
1950
Consider establishing a Representative Payee for Social Security Benefits/Medicaid/Medicare, if appropriate.
Who can help: Individual
Approximate age: 18
Resources:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Representative Payees Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Representative Payees :
https://www.ssa.gov/payee/faqrep.htm
Social security benefits rep payee program Social security benefits rep payee program :
https://disabilityrightsnc.org/our-work/social-security
:


:


6
1960
Consider other sources of Income and Savings: Savings Accounts, PASS Accounts, Individual Development Accounts.
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian, Social Security Administration (SSA) Representative, Benefits Counselor
Approximate age: High school
Resources:
Examples of types of accounts to keep your money safe Examples of types of accounts to keep your money safe :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ndi-decision-tree-checking-accounts-2022.pdf
Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) :
https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/pass.htm
:


Comparison Chart of Checking, Savings and ABLE Accounts Comparison Chart of Checking, Savings and ABLE Accounts :
https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ndi-comparison-guide-checking-savings-able-2022.pdf
6
1965
Learn about paying taxes.
Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian
Approximate age: High school
Resources:
:


Taxes and tax preparation assistance Taxes and tax preparation assistance :
https://worktogethernc.com/resource/national-disability-institute-taxes-and-tax-preparation/
:


:


6
1970
Contact NC financial assistance programs such as First in Families, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Community colleges, Religious organizations.
Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian
Approximate age: When needed
Resources:
First In Families of North Carolina First In Families of North Carolina :
https://fifnc.org/
:


:


Assistance programs in North Carolina Assistance programs in North Carolina :
https://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/north_carolina_assistance_prog.html

Continue adding action plan items

View your plan to download or print it.

View My Action Plan

Work Together NC