SpecialCare^SM Planning

MassMutual Northern California is proud to have a select team in place to serve the special care planning needs of their clients.

In 2018 Michael Garmon, who is a father of a son with Autism, started MassMutual Northern California SpecialCare Planning Team.  We are looking to partner with many non-profit organizations around Northern California and support their efforts within our communities to help educate and provide better resources to their constituents who have family members with special needs.

Mike Garmon is Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC®), making him uniquely qualified to have the technical competence and skills necessary to help families with special needs. Coupled with support staff, the team can devote time and energy to the interests and organizations closest to our customers and communities.

Our holistic approach begins with a foundation of the key areas of traditional financial planning including financial position, protection, investments, tax management, retirement planning and estate planning. Then, it continues to address the additional planning dynamics that families with special needs face, including:

• Life Care Planning
• Government Program Integration
• Family Dynamics
• Legal and Tax Issues*
• Financial Resource Management

Our process encourages communication among the family’s network of advisers, provides information, education, resources and specialists, and offers customized options that create financial and legal strategies unique to an individual’s situation.

Our team along with our extended team of legal and tax professionals help families to:

• Address Current & Future Primary Issues
• Uncover Potential Planning Pitfalls
• Create a Special Care Vision
• Identify Guardianship Needs
• Prepare Wills & Other Legal Documents*
• Identify Financial Resources
• Coordinate Assistance Programs
• Determine Current & Future Plan/Care Costs
• Prepare a Letter of Intent
• Determine Appropriateness of a Special Needs Trust
• Identify Trustees, Guardians and Future Caregivers
• Hold Family Meetings
• Review Plan as Needed

If you believe our approach is right for you or would like to more information to make that determination, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a confidential, no obligation consultation.

^{*Provided through our attorney and CPA network}

^{The Special Care Planner receives advanced training and information in estate and tax planning concepts, special needs trusts, government programs, and the emotional dynamics of working with people with disabilities and other special needs and their families. The certificate program is offered by The American College in Bryn Mawr, PA, exclusively for MassMutual Financial Services Representatives.}

^{Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC®) — a professional designation awarded to those individuals who've completed 120 hours of academic classes in addition to holding either Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) or Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations and previously completing the Special Care Planner certification program. The ChSNC designation was developed by The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The certification program and the professional designation evolved from MassMutual's SpecialCareSM Program.}