MetDESK Celebrates 10^th Anniversary

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MetDESK®, MetLife’s Division of Estate Planning for Special Kids, founded in 1998, is celebrating its 10^th anniversary and recently held its 10^th annual Symposium at the Hyatt Regency in Anaheim, California.

The MetDESK program is one of the first of its kind in the financial industry and focuses on the concerns of families with children or dependents with special needs. MetDESK Specialists travel around the country to conferences and small support groups, educating families without charging a fee. Interested families can sign up for individual consultations with a Specialist.

“MetDESK has stringent training requirements for its specialists. It’s important for our team to stay up-to-date on federal and state laws and to understand the legal and financial complexities in estate planning,” says Brian Finn, Assistant Vice-President of MetDESK “As part of this dedication to continuing education, we just held our 10^th annual MetDESK symposium in California, with three days of sessions, presented by experts in the field, focused on the knowledge and skills needed to assist this community.”

The majority of MetDESK’s representatives are either parents of children with special needs or have close relatives with special needs. Using this first-hand knowledge, Specialists can help families protect their child’s future government benefit eligibility for Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid by working with a qualified attorney to set up a special needs trust. In addition, Specialists can assist families in protecting their child’s quality of life by creating a Letter of Intent, which outlines the small details of the child’s day-to-day routine.

MetDESK Specialists look at their clients’ lives holistically, identifying and coordinating a team of advisors and advocates to assist families, including qualified attorneys, non-profit groups, and service providers. Specialists also work with families to address the issues of guardianship and conservatorship when the child turns 18.

“At MetLife, we are committed to supporting and serving individuals with disabilities. Our Specialists’ unparalleled training, community involvement and dedication to advocacy have made us a thought leader in this field,” notes Finn.

About MetDESK®

MetDESK, MetLife’s Division of Estate Planning for Special Kids launched in 1998, is one of the first programs of its kind in the financial industry, and is a program that focuses on the concerns of families with children or dependents with special needs. For more information about MetDESK, visit the MetDESK Web site at www.metlife.com/desk.

MetDESK Specialists can help families address critical issues, including how to protect future government eligibility and ways in which a special needs trust can provide lifetime care. Any insurance or other financial products which may be needed to support the family's plans can be obtained through the MetDESK Specialist.

Celebrating 140 years, MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), a leading provider of insurance and financial services with operations throughout the United States and the Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Through its domestic and international subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. reaches more than 70 million customers around the world and MetLife is the largest life insurer in the United States (based on life insurance in-force). The MetLife companies offer life insurance, annuities, auto and home insurance, retail banking and other financial services to individuals, as well as group insurance and retirement & savings products and services to corporations and other institutions. For more information, please visit www.metlife.com/mlr.