Planning for a loved one with special needs can raise difficult questions about benefits, inheritance, caregiving, and what happens when family members are no longer able to provide support.

In this episode, Kate Duffy speaks with Sheila Gibson, Senior Wealth Advisor at Bryn Mawr Trust, about special needs trusts and guardianships. They explain how a properly structured trust can preserve assets while supporting access to means-tested government benefits. Sheila also covers trustee responsibilities, letters of intent, inheritance planning, family involvement, documentation, and the importance of building a team that understands a beneficiary’s individual needs.

Sheila discusses:

• How special needs trusts can preserve assets while supporting access to means-tested government benefits
• Why leaving an inheritance directly to a beneficiary may unintentionally affect eligibility for public benefits
• How trustees can use trust assets for therapies, equipment, recreation, transportation, and other personal needs
• How families, wealth advisors, trustees, and trust and estate attorneys can coordinate long-term planning

Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust:

• 833-973-7633
• LinkedIn: Bryn Mawr Trust
• Website: Bryn Mawr Trust

Connect with Kate Duffy:

• LinkedIn: Kate Duffy

Connect with Jamie Hopkins:

• LinkedIn: Jamie Hopkins

Connect with Sheila Gibson:

• LinkedIn: Sheila Gibson
• SGibson@bmt.com

About our Guest:

Sheila Gibson is a Senior Wealth Advisor with Bryn Mawr Trust who specializes in special needs trusts and guardianships. She works with individuals and families to help them think through the financial and personal considerations involved in caring for a loved one with special needs, including trust planning, government benefits, trustee responsibilities, inheritance decisions, and long-term care needs. Sheila brings more than three decades of experience to these conversations and emphasizes the importance of coordination among families, caregivers, wealth advisors, and trust and estate attorneys.

Building a successful business is one thing. Building one that endures for decades is another. In this episode of the Planning Perspectives Podcast, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy sit down with Chris Bailey, Founder and CEO of Bailey Brand Consulting, to discuss the principles that have helped his firm thrive since 1985. From leadership and mentorship to brand strategy, client trust, and navigating technological change, Chris shares lessons learned from nearly four decades of helping organizations create lasting value.

Key Takeaways:

• Why successful leaders balance short-term results with a long-term vision
• How mentorship, trusted advisors, and strong relationships can guide critical business decisions
• Why understanding your organization’s “why” is essential for sustained growth and culture
• How trust, authenticity, and customer experience contribute to brand value and loyalty
• What business leaders should consider as AI and technology reshape marketing and consumer expectations
• Why bigger isn’t always better—and how deep client relationships can create a competitive advantage
• How convenience and experience are influencing consumer behavior and business strategy today
• And more.

Whether you’re a business owner, investor, or leader looking to build something that lasts, this conversation offers practical insights on growth, brand value, and creating an organization that stands the test of time.

Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust:

• 833-973-7633
• LinkedIn: Bryn Mawr Trust
• Website: Bryn Mawr Trust

Connect with Kate Duffy:

• LinkedIn: Kate Duffy

Connect with Jamie Hopkins:

• LinkedIn: Jamie Hopkins

Connect with Chris Bailey:

• LinkedIn: Chris Bailey

Your past experiences, emotions, beliefs, and mindset can have a powerful influence on how you spend, save, invest, and make financial decisions, even when the numbers seem straightforward.

In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy explore the growing field of financial psychology, examining how emotions, behavioral patterns, and money beliefs shape financial decision-making. They discuss the lasting impact of childhood experiences, scarcity mindset, spending habits, and unconscious money scripts on financial behavior. The conversation also explores why financial education alone often isn’t enough to change behavior, how intentional spending can align money with personal values and goals, and why self-awareness is critical for making better financial choices before emotions take over.

Key points:

• How financial psychology connects thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and past experiences with everyday money decisions
• Why knowing the financially appropriate choice doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll feel ready to follow through with it
• How childhood money experiences can continue shaping spending, saving, debt, and feelings of scarcity later in life

Resources:

• The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
• The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel
• The Soul of Wealth by Doctor Daniel Crosby

Connect with Bryn Mawr Trust:

• 833-973-7633
• LinkedIn: Bryn Mawr Trust
• Website: Bryn Mawr Trust

Connect with Kate Duffy:

• LinkedIn: Kate Duffy

Connect with Jamie Hopkins:

• LinkedIn: Jamie Hopkins