FINANCIAL PLANNING ACROSS THE SPECTRUM
BY MARTA CHMIELOWICZ
"When I'm gone, what will happen to my child?"
For families with autistic loved ones, this thought is never far from their mind. Many people with autism require ongoing support throughout their lives, bringing up worries about what will happen when their parents or caregivers are no longer able to provide for them. Developing a long-term financial plan is critical to making sure autistic individuals receive the care they need, no matter the circumstances.
People with autism often have a variety of expenses required to meet their unique needs, including additional healthcare costs, insurance costs, special services and loss of income. According to Autism Speaks' Autism by the Numbers dashboard,1 the average median cost of common therapies for privately insured people ranges from $75 to $253 per session, while emergency care typically costs nearly $1,400 per visit (see Table 1).
Table 1. Autism by the Numbers: Cost of Healthcare
| Service category | Average median cost | Highest charge |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Behavior | $82.25 | $780.60 |
| Developmental Screening | $165.95 | $933.81 |
| Emergency Department | $1,397.22 | $9,588.91 |
| Physical Therapy | $74.99 | $512.36 |
| Psychiatry | $253.40 | $2,544.90 |
| Speech/Language | $174.80 | $1,692.68 |
| Therapeutic Behavioral | $175.44 | $1,006.76 |
Curious about the cost of services in your state? Go to autismspeaks.org/ABN
While some autistic individuals are able to attend college and/or go on to full time employment allowing them to be financially independent, many require other forms of financial support throughout their lives, both from government benefits and from private sources like family income.
Fortunately for families worried about their child's financial future, there are a variety of agencies and programs designed to support autistic people and others, who are facing hard times and need financial support.2 Some of these are available to all who meet financial criteria, while others are specifically designed to support individuals with disabilities.
“When it comes to benefits, you should look at what is available to you,” says Andrew Komarow, autistic certified financial planner. “Take advantage of every opportunity, every benefit, anything that you are eligible for. I find a lot of people are either afraid of doing so, or feel that somebody else might better need it, but these resources are there for everyone to use.”
Below, you will find an overview of benefits and programs that could provide financial relief for your family. We encourage you to explore all of these different funding sources to determine what your family may qualify for. For more detailed information, download the Autism Speaks Financial Planning Tool Kit at autismspeaks.org/financial-planning-tool-kit.
For personalized assistance, contact the Autism Speaks Autism Response Team in English (888-288-4762 or help@autismspeaks.org) and Spanish (888-772-9050 or ayuda@autismspeaks.org).