The Letter of Intent: A Living Guide for your Loved One’s Future Team
Planning for a loved one’s future goes far beyond legal documents and financial strategies. Families who support someone with a disability or complex medical or mental health needs often carry an enormous amount of unwritten knowledge—details that make daily life work and help ensure their loved one is not just safe, but known. That’s where a Letter of Intent (LOI) comes in.
Unlike a will or trust, the Letter of Intent is not a legal document. It’s a personal guide—a roadmap for future caregivers, family members, and advocates to understand the whole person. It includes practical information like medication routines and preferred doctors, but it also captures who the person is: their values, communication style, sensory needs, culture, routines, preferences, and dreams.
At Whitmire & Associates, we see the LOI as a foundational part of person-centered planning. In our work with families—especially those supported by special needs trusts or public benefits—we support the creation, revision, and use of Letters of Intent as living documents that grow over time.
Why It Matters
In our recent presentation on long-term planning, we emphasized that while financial and legal tools are essential, they don't capture the day-to-day how and why of care. A thoughtfully written LOI helps ensure:
• Smooth transitions if a primary caregiver is no longer able to provide support
• Clarity for trustees and advocates in making values-aligned decisions
• Continuity of care across medical, behavioral, and community settings
• A sense of dignity and identity for the person at the center
How a Care Manager Can Help
Writing a Letter of Intent can feel overwhelming—especially when you're already managing complex care needs. This is where a care manager becomes a valuable partner. We support by:
1. Asking the Right Questions We know what information future caregivers will need, and we help families move from “everything’s in my head” to a clear, usable format.
2. Centering the Individual We guide families in writing the LOI from the person’s perspective. This means capturing not just instructions, but values, preferences, and goals—ensuring that the person’s voice is embedded throughout.
3. Updating the Document Over Time As needs, services, and goals evolve, we revisit the LOI to keep it current. It’s a living document—not a one-time task.
4. Integrating the LOI with Broader Planning We work with attorneys, trustees, and support teams to make sure the LOI complements other planning tools. It doesn’t replace legal documents, but it strengthens them with practical and emotional context.
Start Small, Start Now If you've never written a Letter of Intent, it’s okay to start with a simple list or a voice memo. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s continuity. It’s giving your future self, or someone else, a strong starting point.
Ready to Get Started? We guide families through a structured process to create a Letter of Intent that reflects your values, your voice, and the practical details that matter most. It’s not just a document—it’s a gift of clarity for the future care team.
Schedule a consultation with us today to begin creating a Letter of Intent that supports your loved one and brings peace of mind to your family.