The Document That Speaks for You When You Can't
A special needs trust protects your child's financial future. A letter of intent protects everything else — who they are, how they live, and what they need from the people who will care for them. This page is about the letter of intent: what it is, what it covers, and how we help families in Georgia put one together as part of a complete special needs plan.
The Most Meaningful Document Most Families Never Knew They Needed
Many parents tell us the LOI is the hardest part of the planning process — not because it's complicated, but because writing it means sitting with a question most of us would rather not face: what happens to my child when I'm no longer here?
That question deserves a real answer. Not just a trust with proper language, but a document that says: here is my child. Here is who they are. Here is how to love them well. The financial documents protect the money. The LOI protects the person.
Part of a Complete Special Needs Plan
A letter of intent works best as one piece of a coordinated plan. At Campen Estate Planning, we help families build that full picture — from the trust documents that structure financial support, to the ABLE accounts that expand spending flexibility, to the LOI that captures your child's life in their own terms.
We serve families across Fayette County and Coweta County, with our office in Tyrone and virtual consultations available throughout Georgia. Whether you're starting from scratch or updating a plan that no longer reflects your family's reality, we're here to help you think it through.
Who Needs a Letter of Intent
A letter of intent is valuable for any family with a special needs trust, but it is especially important when:
- Your child has significant communication differences and cannot easily advocate for their own needs
- You are the primary person who understands your child's routines and behavioral patterns
- Your child's trustee or future guardian is not currently involved in their daily care
- Your child is young, and future caregivers will not have known them as they are today
- You want to ensure continuity of care across providers, facilities, and life transitions
If you have a special needs trust — or are in the process of creating one — a letter of intent should be part of that plan. The trust without the LOI leaves future caregivers with resources but not enough guidance on how to use them well.
What Is a Letter of Intent in Special Needs Planning?
A letter of intent (LOI) is a non-legal companion document to your special needs trust. It doesn't hold assets or direct distributions. What it does is far more personal: it captures your knowledge of your child — their daily routine, communication style, sensory sensitivities, behavioral supports, favorite people, and the small details that shape their quality of life — and preserves that knowledge for the trustees, caregivers, and guardians who will one day step in.
Future caregivers may be capable, compassionate, and committed. But they won't have grown up alongside your child. They won't know that a certain texture of fabric causes distress, or that a particular song is calming, or that your child communicates frustration in a way that looks like resistance but isn't. The LOI is how you tell them. It is, in effect, your voice continuing after you're gone.
What a Letter of Intent Covers
A well-prepared LOI is a comprehensive picture of your child's life. It typically includes:
- Daily routines and schedule preferences
- Communication methods and how your child expresses needs, emotions, and discomfort
- Medical history, current providers, and medication details
- Behavioral supports and what works — and what doesn't
- Sensory sensitivities and environmental needs
- Favorite activities, foods, places, and people
- Social relationships and community connections
- Educational history and learning style
- Long-term goals and your hopes for your child's life
- Guidance for the trustee on how to honor your child's dignity and preferences
How the LOI Works Alongside the Trust
The special needs trust governs the money. The LOI guides the people. Together, they form a complete plan — one that addresses both the financial and the human dimensions of your child's future care.
The LOI is not legally binding, which means it can be updated as your child grows and changes. We recommend revisiting it regularly, just as you would any other part of your estate plan. Because your child's life will evolve, and the document that speaks for them should evolve too.
We Help You Find the Words
Most families come to us knowing what they want to say but unsure how to say it. That's expected — this isn't a form you fill out. It's a conversation about your child's life, and it can bring up emotions that are difficult to sit with.
We guide families through the LOI process the same way we approach all of our planning work: at your pace, with space to think, and without pressure to have everything figured out before you walk in the door. You share what you know about your child. We help you organize it into something meaningful, lasting, and ready to hand to the people who will need it most.
This is also where our Family Legacy Interview comes in — a broader approach to capturing personal history and family identity as part of an estate plan. For special needs families, this practice takes on particular weight. The stories you tell about your child, the things you want future caregivers to understand, the hopes you carry for their life — all of it can be preserved in a way that goes beyond the legal documents.
Questions Families Ask About the Letter of Intent
What is a letter of intent for special needs planning?
A letter of intent is a non-legal document that accompanies a special needs trust. It captures everything about your child that legal documents can't — their routines, communication style, sensory needs, medical history, relationships, and the daily details that shape their quality of life. It's written for the trustees, caregivers, and guardians who will care for your child in the future.Is a letter of intent legally binding in Georgia?
No, and that's intentional. Because it isn't a legal document, it can be updated freely as your child grows and their needs change. Its purpose isn't to create legal obligations — it's to give future caregivers the knowledge and context they need to provide care that reflects who your child actually is.Do I need a letter of intent if I already have a special needs trust?
Yes. The trust governs how money is managed and distributed. The LOI guides how that support is used in practice — what your child needs day to day, what they respond to, and what matters most to them. Without the LOI, future caregivers have resources but not enough direction on how to apply them in a way that honors your child's life.What does the letter of intent process look like at Campen Estate Planning?
We approach the LOI as a guided conversation, not a form to complete on your own. We ask questions, you share what you know, and we help you organize that knowledge into a document that future caregivers can actually use. Many families find the process both difficult and deeply meaningful — and we make space for both.How often should I update my letter of intent?
We recommend revisiting your LOI whenever your child's needs, routines, or circumstances change significantly — and at minimum during your regular plan reviews. We conduct proactive client reviews on a three-year cycle, which gives families a natural opportunity to update the LOI alongside the rest of their estate plan.
Your Knowledge of Your Child Is Irreplaceable — Let's Preserve It
No one knows your child the way you do. The letter of intent is how that knowledge survives you — not as a legal formality, but as a living record of who your child is and what they need. We'll help you write it.
