Nearly 1 in 5 families in the U.S. has a child with a special health care need, representing over 11 million children
$1.4 million to $2.5 million estimated cost to raise a child with special needs, depending on the severity of the disability
Only 22.8% of people with a disability were employed in 2025
607,000 people on Medicaid Waiver waiting lists nationally
The book answers the questions special needs families ask most, including…
Two Different Financial Curves
About the Authors
Tom Mathews
Tom Mathews is a Certified Financial Educator® and the founder and CEO of WealthWave, with more than four decades of experience in the financial services industry. He wrote HowMoneyWorks: Stop Being a Sucker, the book that started TheMoneyBooks series, and has taught how money works to audiences across the country and in national media. This book is personal for Tom and his family: his brother-in-law Rick lived with severe developmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and his niece Abby has Down syndrome. Tom and his wife, Cindy, live in Alpharetta, Georgia, near their daughters and grandchildren.
Kim Scouller
Kim Scouller has been an attorney for more than 30 years. She served as in-house counsel for one of the largest financial services companies in the world, and during her tenure at Transamerica held several executive roles, including four years as president of the Transamerica broker-dealer with the largest number of registered representatives. Wanting more control over her time, Kim left her corporate career to start her own financial business and law firm in the Atlanta area. A Certified Financial Educator®, Kim co-authored the book How Money Works for Women: Take Control or Lose It with Sharon Lechter, who co-authored Rich Dad Poor Dad. Inspired by the incredible strength of families raising children with special needs, she hopes this new book will serve as a lifeline for parents who face more challenges with usually less money to provide financially for their lifetime and the lifetime of their disabled child.
Early Readers Weigh In
My brother has special needs, so I read this book the way a family member reads it — not as a financial executive, but as a sibling who watched my parents carry this weight for decades. This is the conversation special needs families desperately need but almost never get — without jargon, without judgment, and without pretending the path is easy. If you love someone with special needs, you need this book. Breathe. They got it right.
Financial Industry President
Every family deserves the knowledge and confidence to plan for their future, and for families with special needs, that planning can feel especially complex and overwhelming. In How Money Works for Special Needs Families, Tom and Kim break down that complexity into understandable concepts and practical steps—empowering families to replace fear with knowledge, uncertainty with an actionable plan, and worry about tomorrow with greater confidence today. Most importantly, they understand and remind us that the right financial plan is not simply about protecting assets—it is about protecting people, preserving choices, and creating a more secure future for those we love.
Co-author, Rich Dad Poor Dad and 14 other Rich Dad books, Three Feet From Gold, Outwitting the Devil, Exit Rich, How Money Works for Women and True Wealth. Author, Think and Grow Rich for Women
Growing up with a younger brother with special needs taught me that one extraordinary life can shape an entire family. We grew up fast, we made sure his needs were met, and we learned early to speak up for him. Years later, my niece’s parents faced those same questions, and it became personal for us all over again. Loving someone with special needs makes you their advocate, but real advocacy means preparing for a lifetime, not just for today. This book gives families the financial education they deserve, and the confidence that comes from knowing they have planned well.
Sister and Aunt to loved ones with special needs
From Families Who Walk This Road
Parents, siblings and educators who read the book before launch.
Being the father of a child with special needs, one of my biggest fears is wondering what happens to her, not if, but when my wife and I aren’t here. We can’t control the future, but we can prepare for it. This book has helped us move from ignorance to action by understanding what’s needed to put a plan in place, build the right team, and make sure she has the resources and support she’ll need for the future. For us, being smart with money isn’t just about wealth. It’s about protecting our daughter’s future.
Growing up with a brother with special needs, I saw firsthand that love alone isn’t a plan. Families like ours need to understand how money works, from government benefits to special needs trusts to long-term care, so our loved ones are protected for life, not just for today. This book gives families the clarity and confidence they deserve.
We don’t get to choose this journey. We do get to choose whether we walk it blind or walk it with a plan. When Dusty was younger, we didn’t have a plan and relied on help from the State and others. There was never enough money. The State told us how much we could make each year in order to qualify for help. We created a plan based on the principles described in this book and it changed everything for our family!
I’m the father of a child with special needs. And, I’m privileged to host a social media group of several thousand families who walk this same road every single day. Without financial guidance from traditional sources, we created our own community to share our challenges, our fears, our joys, and our solutions. This book is becoming a touchstone to help us put a real financial roadmap in place for our families.
For years I thought love meant doing everything myself. Then I learned the bravest thing a parent can do is build a plan that works even when I can’t be in the room.
For special needs families, developmental milestones are measured in inches, not miles. This book gives parents the financial tools they need to move from daily survival to long-term confidence.
I teach families like mine because I remember the silence — when we had questions and no one to ask. No special needs family should ever feel that alone again.
A guide that meets families where they are.
Val, a single mom whose son is on the spectrum, is the subject-matter expert in TheMoneyBooks cast.
A clear formula that turns knowledge into action, one Money Milestone at a time.
A monthly budget worksheet built for real life, with lines for therapies, medical equipment, and care.
A Letter of Intent checklist, plus plain-language guidance on Special Needs Trusts.
The book guides families from overwhelm to understanding to confidence, with one plan for two lifetimes.
Realities
The Realities section lays out the hidden economic impact of raising a child with special needs and the government programs, waivers, and nonprofits that can help.
Concepts
Learn how Compound Interest, the Time Value of Money, and the Rule of 72 work, and why small, steady steps today matter for your child’s future.
Milestones
See how the 7 Money Milestones apply to special needs planning, from Proper Protection and ABLE accounts to Special Needs Trusts and Letters of Intent.
Next Steps
Build your network and team, know your resources, create and implement your plan, and review it every year. You’ve got this.
Meet the Cast of Characters
Val is the book’s subject-matter expert. The rest of TheMoneyBooks cast asks the questions many families who love someone with special needs want to ask.
Learn how to weave the
7 Money Milestones into a plan for two lifetimes.
You don’t need a perfect plan to begin. You need the right next step. The Milestones provide a guide that helps you reach your financial goals, for your lifetime and your child’s lifetime.
Read the Book Now
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For educational purposes only. Not legal, tax, or investment advice. Work with qualified professionals for legal and special needs planning.