A home of her own: A hand opens a door with a key the leads into a light-filled room where moving boxes sit.

Sisters Sticking Together

How one family bought a home for their daughter with a special needs trust

“It just made sense.”

Sisters living together
Mary and Katrina Schwanke are sisters who live independently in the same home.

That’s how Mary Schwanke, sister to Katrina, described the decision to purchase a home and live together. Katrina, 32, has Down syndrome and has lived at home with her parents, Don and Kathy, all her life. Mary is single and ready to move into a permanent home after years of apartment living.

“We knew Katrina needed a home for the long term, and we’re not getting any younger,” said Kathy when asked about the decision to pursue home ownership. “Mary and Katrina have always been close, and Katrina wanted more independence.”

Starting the process

The Schwankes sought professional advice to learn what it would take to set up an LLC. This allowed them to purchase a home for Katrina and Mary without jeopardizing Katrina’s special needs trust, Medicaid, or Social Security benefits.

They hired financial adviser James Traylor in Rochester, NY. Traylor introduced the family to the process, which gave the Schwankes options to provide independent housing for Katrina. The process took about six months and required a financial investment from Katrina’s parents and Katrina via her special needs trust.

The steps included:

    • Find a home
    • Set up an LLC to protect Katrina’s special needs trust, and for liability protection to the Schwankes should an accident occur on the property
    • Apply for Family Support Services funding, which assisted with moving and home set-up expenses
    • Apply for a mortgage with a bank that was open to working with the Schwankes for a special needs home-buying scenario

Think about options

While not a solution for all, Don expressed that families of individuals with a disability should think broadly and look into options that might not make sense at first. “We were skeptical of hiring a financial adviser at first, thinking it would be too expensive,” said Don.

“However, we learned that hiring a knowledgeable adviser gave us information and options that more than paid for itself, with benefits that offset the fees.”

Mary Schwanke is the Manager of Respite and Family Support Services at ARISE CNY and serves on the LIFEPlan Member and Family Council.