Unique question... special needs child and expenses

[hopeforus]

Has anyone dealt with needing to put extra expenses on the worksheet due to special needs? I have an autistic child who needs outside therapy from what the school systems provide. Insurance doesn't cover Autism therapy so we are going to have to pay for it ourselves. We haven't been able to afford it because of our debt from being jobless. But once we get to Ohio I am wanting to start. He is 8 and nonverbal and I really need help for him. We will need to purchase a speaking machine for him and that's a couple thousand dollars. His therapy could end up being 1k a month. At least. Would they flinch at this extra expense? It isn't something I've been doing all this time but it's a need for him If we don't have this debt then I can actually fully provide for my child.

There is a space on the sheet that says
"Education for employment or for a physically or mentally challenged child.
Enter the total monthly amount that you actually expend for education that is a condition of employment and for education that is required for a physically or mentally challenged dependent child for whom no public education providing similar services is available."

I'm confused about the bolded. our expense won't be a condition of employment because he is only 8.

He also has to take many supplements that are not covered under insurance.

I plan to start these things for him as soon as we get there... like December. But we had planned to file in January. Would this raise eyebrows if he had only been receiving services we have to pay for for a month? Sigh.

I wonder if I got a Drs note saying this is necessary? Should we wait longer to file?

Will they accept 1k a month towards our expenses for that do you think?

Anyone go through something like this???

Thank you.

[keepmine]

Your child qualifies on the 2nd part of the bolded statement-the educational benefit for a special needs child. Your lawyer can tell you the documenation necessary in your district.

[hopeforus]

ok, I was reading the *and* as if I had to meet the first part , the employment part, as well. Seemed to contradict the whole first sentence of the paragraph.

Man I hope I can make this work. I want to get care for him so badly and I won't be able to do it if we are forced into a Chapter 13. This is all dependent upon my husband getting all the overtime he is supposed to always be getting.

[hopeforus]

Do you think it will look weird if we have only one or two months worth of expenses to show that we are paying for this for him?

[justbroke]

Do you think it will look weird if we have only one or two months worth of expenses to show that we are paying for this for him?

Depends on the District. If you don't have receipts, maybe you can ask service providers to get back "statements" or something.

[hopeforus]

well i would have receipts but only one month worth. I don't know if this is something they will frown upon us just starting. But we didn't have the money before and this is important. We will be getting a lawyer soon. Prob in a few weeks after we move.

I won't even be able to do this at all if my husband wasn't going to be getting so much overtime. We are finding out today if his overtime is time and a half. If so then we will finally be able to pay for care for him including respite care which I so desperately need. We will be over on the means test by a lot then, but not with therapy costs.

[caitybird]

This doesn't have to do with the bk but have you contacted the National Autism Association (www.NationalAutismAssociation.org) for possible help with expenses? I know it won't help now, but maybe you could apply for one of their grants to help with future expenses, such as the machine? (And I would ask your atty about if you did get a grant during or within 6 months of the bk - how to exempt it or if it would be automatic)