NFXF Webinar Series

Creating a Letter of Intent

00 h 58 m

Kelly Piacenti shared insights and resources to help families understand how a letter of intent can be vital in creating a comprehensive care plan.

About the Webinar

With Kelly Piacenti
Learn more about the presenters

Planning for the future of a loved one with Fragile X syndrome is one of the most important and often one of the most emotionally challenging tasks you will face. Whether you are just beginning the planning process or already have a comprehensive financial, legal, and estate plan, a letter of intent can help fill in the day-to-day details that formal documents often leave out.

It can help capture the personal preferences, routines, goals, and care considerations that only you, as a caregiver, may know. Without a plan, important decisions about your loved one’s care could fall to someone unfamiliar with their needs, or even a court. Kelly emphasized that every plan should be as unique as the individual it serves, reflecting their personal needs, lifestyle, level of independence, and long-term goals.

The Purpose of the Letter of Intent

While a letter of intent is not legally binding, it is a roadmap for future caregivers and decision-makers. The template helps you document your loved one’s daily routine, preferences, medical, educational, and social needs. Including this information ensures your loved one’s voice is present in future care decisions, even when you can no longer advocate and care for them.

View or download the MassMutual Letter of Intent. This is an interactive PDF you can use as a guide to create your own letter of intent.

Kelly acknowledged that it is completely normal to feel overwhelmed when thinking about the future. Breaking the process into smaller steps and assembling a planning team, including family members, friends, and professionals who know your loved one well, can make it more manageable.

Most importantly, the letter of intent should be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in your loved one’s needs, abilities, and goals.

Planning for the future is an act of love. It takes time, courage, and often the willingness to ask for help. By taking even small steps toward building a plan, and including a thoughtful letter of intent, you can provide stability, security, and the assurance that your loved one’s needs and dreams will be honored.

Helpful Resources

These are some resources discussed in the webinar to support your planning process.

Additional webinars we recommend:

The information provided is not written or intended as specific tax or legal advice. MassMutual and its representatives are not authorized to give tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel. Individuals involved in the estate planning process should work with an estate planning team, including their own personal legal or tax counsel.

About the Presenter

Kelly Piacenti

MassMutual SpecialCare
Head of SpecialCare

Kelly Piacenti, MA, CHSNC®, is responsible for the MassMutual SpecialCare program, which includes nearly 500 Special Care Planners*. She also oversees partnerships between MassMutual and the largest special needs non-profit organizations across the country, including The Arc, Autism Society, Huntington’s Disease Society of America, National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance, and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP).

Kelly Piacenti has worked with MassMutual since July 2016. Before joining MassMutual, she led the MetLife Center for Special Needs Planning, where she was employed from 1991 through 2016. Kelly holds her master’s degree and resides with her husband and children in Chester, New Jersey. She was the mother of a child with special needs for 19 years and possesses the knowledge, insight, and empathy to act as a mentor and resource for families facing similar challenges.

*The Special Care Planner title is used by financial professionals with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) who have received advanced training and information in estate and tax planning concepts, special needs trusts, government programs, and the emotional dynamics of working with people with disabilities and other special needs.