What is a letter of intent?

A letter of intent is often used to accompany a special needs trust to convey to the trustee and guardian how the assets in the trust should be used to care for the beneficiary of the trust. A letter of intent is not a legal document, and it doesn’t need to follow any specific format — it’s a personalized document where parents can explain all the ins and outs of their child’s care that they’ve learned how to navigate over the years.

In addition to rounding out your estate plan, this letter or plan of care can be a good document to have for anyone who’s taking over your child’s care temporarily. It can help give you confidence that all your child’s needs and preferences are written down and clear to understand.

For suggestions on what to include and several letter of intent templates, see our full article How to Write a Plan of Care/Letter of Intent for Your Child.