Special Needs Planning
Your unique situation requires the attention of a team that understands you. Moreover, you need a team with the background and experience to help you effectively navigate the challenges ahead.
As the caregiver of a child with special needs, you are just like any other parent. You want the best for your child and want him/her to have a full and happy life. Your child is just like any other child. Your child likes to play, laugh, learn and wants to do the things any other child wants to do. But unlike other parents and children, the journey both of you take will be unique. To help you effectively navigate the complex landscape ahead, you need a team equipped to help in your unique situation. Ideally, this team will also be rooted in beliefs and values similar to your own. We believe our practice is well positioned to assist in the journey that lays ahead.
Our team is led by Jamie Danford. He is a seasoned veteran of the financial planning and investment advisory industry. He has been advising clients on their financial affairs since 2001 and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. The 2001 attack on the Twin Towers, the War on Terror, the Great Recession of 2008, the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, a myriad of regulatory reforms, and the resulting changes to business practices have caused some advisors to leave the industry altogether. Not only has Jamie continued to advise clients through these events, he has done so while maintaining his independence as a financial advisor. This has allowed him to give objective advice to his clients based on their interests, not advice driven by sales quotas.
We believe what further differentiates our team from other practices serving the special needs community is Jamie's wife, Leah Danford. She holds a PhD in School Psychology from the University of South Carolina. From 2006-2019, she worked in the public school system as a School Psychologist. She also has experience working in a clinical setting. In 2019, she began working at Ben Lippen as its Accommodations Coordinator. In 2021, she became the Director of Ben Lippen's Individual Learning Center. Her background and experience in the public and private school systems have have given her countless opportunities to be directly involved in the creation, implementation, and ongoing monitoring of services for students with special needs.
We believe the combination of their separate skill sets create a compelling value proposition that any caregiver of a person with special needs should consider. The depth of their combined knowledge and breadth of their distinct experiences gives their clients access to a combination of resources that are difficult to find elsewhere. Learn more about Jamie and Leah by clicking on their photos above.
Learn more about critical life events for a person with special needs by clicking on the information below.