In this guide you will find tools, resources, and information that are all free of charge and can help you and your family plan for the future.
For more resources, you can also call The Arc Help Desk at 1-866-797-1122 or submit an Ask an Advocate.
Life Planning
Focus on the Future is an Arc Minnesota podcast for caregivers and families supporting people who have disabilities. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, the series aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.
Center for Future Planning from the Arc National, aims to support and encourage adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to plan for the future. The Center provides reliable information and assistance on areas such as person-centered planning, decision-making, housing options, and financial planning.
Charting the Life Course framework was developed by families. It helps people at any age or stage of life develop a vision for a good life, think about what they need to know and do, identify how to find or develop supports, and discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live.
Person Centered Planning
It’s My Choice is a workbook that helps individuals think about their life and the kinds of things that are important to them. This information can be used to help build a person-centered plan. On each page there is a question and some words about what it means.
Person Centered Thinking Tools are a set of easy to use templates that are used to give structure to conversations. Using them is a practical way to capture information that feeds into care and support planning, as well as to improve understanding, communication and relationships.
Into Adulthood is a guidebook that was created by Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. It outlines programs, services, and contacts that may be helpful for youth with disabilities ages 14-24.
The GetSet! Online Survey is an interactive planning tool created by The Arc Minnesota to support future planning for young adults.
My Vault is a secure, personal account anyone can use to explore planning paths and activities, store and share files, and find the links they’ve saved to their favorite articles and tools.
Decision Making
Supported Decision Making tools are from Charting the Life Course. The materials are designed to help a person, family, or a professional explore areas where any person might need decision making support, plan for what it looks like and how it can happen, and seek out the needed supports.
Center for Excellence in Supported Decision Making is a statewide resource offering free in-depth telephone consultation, referrals, information and assistance through their Guardianship Information Line.
Arc Guide to Decision Making is a document that explains different decision making supports. It also offers a list of additional resources.
Legal and Financial
We are not attorneys or financial planners. Any resources or information we give should not be considered legal or financial advice. We recommend consulting a professional before making any major decisions.
Choosing a Lawyer to Help Plan for the Future
Arc Guide to Choosing an Attorney
Arc Guide to Choosing a Financial Planner
Minnesota Association for Guardianship and Conservatorship (MAGiC) has a member directory with professionals such as attorneys and financial planners.
Financial Planning Association of Minnesota explains financial planning, how to find a financial planner, offers tools and resources, has pro-bono outreach, and answers frequently asked questions.
ABLE National Resource Center is a great first stop to understand ABLE accounts. It offers a lot of background information and explains ways someone can build financial security.
ABLE Account MN is the place to go to set up an ABLE account in Minnesota.