Special Needs Chapter Meeting | Creating your Letter of Intent

This session is designed for professionals who support families raising loved ones with special needs. Dennis Farrar will share insights from both his personal and professional journey, highlighting the importance of helping families create and maintain a meaningful Letter of Intent—a foundational document that outlines the care, preferences, and daily routines of their loved one.

He will also touch on the significance of calculating a Lifetime Cost of Care and how professionals can guide families through that process with greater clarity and compassion.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand how to explain the value and role of a Letter of Intent in long-term planning
• Learn what details are most essential for families to include in the document
• Discover how to help families keep the Letter of Intent updated over time
• Gain a basic understanding of how to approach Lifetime Cost of Care calculations
• Walk away with practical tools and talking points to better support the families you serve

Speaker Bio:

Dennis Farrar is a dedicated financial professional with over three decades of firsthand experience navigating the complexities of raising a child with special needs. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Dennis earned his engineering degree from the former Basic Institute of Technology in 1985. He spent 25 years working as a Sales Engineer for various software and hardware companies, a role that afforded him the flexibility to be fully present for his son Tim—now 31—who is on the autism spectrum.

From attending every IEP meeting and doctor’s appointment to navigating government benefits and long-term planning, Dennis immersed himself in becoming the best special needs dad he could be. When he transitioned into the financial services industry, he brought with him a deep personal commitment to helping families like his own.

Now, Dennis uses his lived experience, combined with professional expertise, to guide and support families raising loved ones with special needs—offering empathy, practical tools, and a deep understanding of the planning that truly matters.