The True Cost of ALS: Financial Planning Guide

What is the true cost of ALS, and how can you plan for it? Two financial experts explain what to do right after an ALS diagnosis and what to keep doing as the disease progresses. In this ALS.Community webinar, moderator Charles Edens (a former IBM executive living with ALS and a member of the ALS.Community board) talks with Carolyn McClanahan, M.D., a physician and Certified Financial Planner who specializes in serious illness, and Ron Lieber, a New York Times personal finance columnist who lost his father to ALS. Together they cover the financial, practical, and deeply personal costs of ALS, and how families can prepare. In this webinar, you'll learn: - What to do first after an ALS diagnosis: review income, expenses, and insurance, and simplify your accounts - Why veterans may qualify for significant benefits - How health insurance, COBRA, and work decisions affect your options - Why to plan early for equipment, home modifications, and voice banking - How to track medical deductions and plan for taxes - How Social Security's fast-track disability process works for ALS - Ways to access cash flow, including early IRA withdrawals without the usual penalty for a terminal diagnosis, and life insurance accelerated death benefits - Why advance directives matter, and how your wishes may change as the disease progresses - The difference between palliative care and hospice, and why early palliative care can help - How to find a fee-only fiduciary financial planner - Why you can't over-communicate with family during this time - Audience questions on SSDI and savings, pain, and planning when progression is uncertain The conversation applies to many serious diagnoses, not only ALS. Whether you're newly diagnosed, a caregiver, or a family member, you'll leave with a clearer checklist and more confidence about the road ahead. Coming up: Join us November 18 for a webinar with Bridging Voice, a nonprofit that offers free voice cloning for people with ALS. Find it on the ALS.Community events calendar. Please note: this webinar is for general information only. It is not legal, tax, financial, or medical advice. Please talk with a qualified professional about your situation. ALS.Community is a free, one-stop platform for everyone impacted by ALS. We bring together patients, caregivers, family, clinicians, and researchers to share, learn, and connect. Join our community today: www.als.community Follow Us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/als.community/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/als.community #ALS #ALSFinancialPlanning #TrueCostOfALS