“When do you start financial planning for your autistic child?”

Yesterday.

Because it is never too early to start.

The earlier you begin, the more time you give yourself to create wealth, invest wisely, and plan not just for your child, but also for yourself.

We began this process for Krishna a couple of years ago, with the help of Jitendra PS Solanki. And a recent #Neurounity session reminded us not to lose momentum, but to continue steadily.

A couple of important points I want to share:

You can claim income tax deduction under Section 80DD for expenses incurred on your child’s medical treatment or therapies. This requires certification (Form 10-IA) from a medical practitioner—preferably your child’s neurologist or developmental psychiatrist.

You can deduct INR 75,000 to 1,25,000 from your taxable income, depending on the level of disability certified.

Quite useful, because every little bit of savings counts.

The other important step is getting a UDID (Unique Disability ID) for your child.

This is a crucial document. It gives the cardholder access to scholarships, loans, government schemes and programs, and even a small pension in some states.

For me, the most important aspect is that the UDID is required to appoint a legal guardian for Krishna.

The process is fairly straightforward:

Fill in the details on the Swavlamban portal:
https://lnkd.in/gjwxhdbk

Wait to be allotted an appointment at the assessment centre, based on your address.

Visit the centre with your child, meet the medical officer, and complete the assessment and certification.

I am yet to visit the allotted centre. The crowds and waiting will be very difficult for Krishna to handle—and for us to manage.

But we will do it.

At least, eventually.

Is there anything else I may have missed—especially related to taxes and government schemes for autistic individuals?

PS: Jitendra PS Solanki shared that the tax benefit under Section 80DD is not available under the new tax regime.