Seasoned, planning for children with special needs financial advisors in Vermont
The right financial advisor for you depends on how you weigh location, expertise, experience, the clients they typically serve, and how they work with you.
When you have a child with special needs, planning for their lifelong care and financial security becomes a priority that can’t be rushed. Without careful attention, it’s easy to overlook how government benefits and special needs trusts interact, which can jeopardize eligibility or funding.
- Benefit coordination. Confirm how the advisor navigates Social Security, Medicaid, and other programs to protect your child’s access to support.
- Trust expertise. Ask about their experience setting up and managing special needs trusts that preserve benefits while providing for your child.
- Long-term planning. Look for advisors who consider your child’s future housing, employment, and healthcare needs, not just immediate finances.
- Family involvement. See how they include siblings or other family members in planning to ensure a cohesive support system.
Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.
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Michael D
Series 66
Pittsburgh, PA
Merrill
Michael Duckworth offers expertise in planning for children with special needs, supported by 25 years of experience and a Series 66 designation. Based in Pittsburgh, he leads a large-firm team at Merrill that provides comprehensive wealth management, trust and estate planning, and liquidity event strategies. His background includes serving executives and entrepreneurs, with a focus on complex family wealth dynamics, which distinguishes him from advisors with narrower specialties or smaller firm resources.
Experience: 26 years
Avg account: $860,085
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Stephen F
Series 63
Stowe, VT
Wells Fargo Advisors
Stephen Frank's four decades of experience and specialty in planning for children with special needs equip him to address complex financial and trust issues in Vermont. Operating within Wells Fargo Advisors, a large firm serving high-net-worth clients, he combines expertise in benefit coordination and trust management with a background as a founder and co-trustee, offering a comprehensive approach that balances family involvement and long-term care planning.
Experience: 41 years
Avg account: $514,335
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Michael M
Series 63, Series 65
Apollo Beach, FL
G. A. Repple & Company
Michael Mandarino's 24 years of experience and expertise in planning for children with special needs equip him to address complex financial and benefit coordination challenges. Operating from G. A. Repple & Company, he offers flexible fee structures including flat fees and asset-based options, and provides diverse investment approaches such as ETF-focused and Biblically-Responsible Investing, distinguishing him from other advisors by combining seasoned insight with tailored portfolio strategies.
Experience: 24 years
Avg account: $217,968
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