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A Special Needs Plan™ is a nationwide planning advisory firm founded to serve families with special needs and who often struggle with the worry that comes with planning for the future care and financial well-being of their loved ones.

The complexity of coordinating legal and financial considerations along with communication plans, tax strategies and governmental benefits can be overwhelming.

We are here to put an end to all the frustrations and fears with an expert team of experienced professional. Please let us know how we can serve your family.

Contact Us
View Our Customer Relationship Summary

A Special Needs Plan™ is a nationwide planning advisory firm founded to serve families with special needs and who often struggle with the worry that comes with planning for the future care and financial well-being of their loved ones.

The complexity of coordinating legal and financial considerations along with communication plans, tax strategies and governmental benefits can be overwhelming.

We are here to put an end to all the frustrations and fears with an expert team of experienced professional. Please let us know how we can serve your family.

Contact Us
View Our Customer Relationship Summary

Special Needs Planning

For our families with special needs, we not only plan for the lifetime of an individual with a disability, we help parents plan for retirement, college financing, weddings, home purchases, and adequate insurance coverage. Our special Transition Planning Service offers guidance with key decisions and specific action steps as your child transitions to adult life.
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Comprehensive Financial Planning
Not all of the families we work with have a loved one with special needs. The knowledge we have gained in the complex world of special needs planning – including estate planning, tax planning, financial planning, government benefit planning, and legal documents – has allowed us to become that much more effective with every family we serve.
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Small Business Planning
Shortly after we began serving families with special needs, we discovered that many of our families also owned small businesses and were looking for guidance. We quickly expanded our team and service model to include experts in helping small business owners and ensuring their business plans aligned appropriately with their personal goals.
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What is a Special Needs Plan?

It's a Road Map

Your journey will be focused, multi-generational and ongoing. We are here to help build the plan that’s right for your family. It’s a plan built on truth and authenticity. It’s the loving guidance necessary for you to secure the future of those you love.
Get in Touch

It's a Decision to Take Action

Planning for the future is not easy. It is the ultimate commitment to those you love, therefore it takes time and energy. It’s a challenge and it’s also a discipline: A challenge to do the hard things others won’t do, and the discipline to stay the course over two lifetimes.
Get in Touch

It's Accepting Guidance and Support

Our families often come to us overwhelmed – tired of the fruitless search for answers and frustrated with trying to go it alone. They are receptive to guidance and eager for support. If this sounds familiar, and you're ready for a new path of success, then let’s have a discussion and talk about what happens next.
Get in Touch

It's a Place Where You Are No Longer Alone

There’s no reason you have to do this alone. Here you’ll find specialized, expert guidance from a team that is caring, attentive and thoughtful. We are here for one reason – to help you protect the future of your family. We will always have your back.
Get in Touch

What is a Special Needs Plan?

It's a Road Map

Your journey will be focused, multi-generational and ongoing. We are here to help build the plan that’s right for your family. It’s a plan built on truth and authenticity. It’s the loving guidance necessary for you to secure the future of those you love.
Get in Touch

It's a Decision to Take Action

Planning for the future is not easy. It is the ultimate commitment to those you love, therefore it takes time and energy. It’s a challenge and it’s also a discipline: A challenge to do the hard things others won’t do, and the discipline to stay the course over two lifetimes.
Get in Touch

It's Accepting Guidance and Support

Our families often come to us overwhelmed – tired of the fruitless search for answers and frustrated with trying to go it alone. They are receptive to guidance and eager for support. If this sounds familiar, and you're ready for a new path of success, then let’s have a discussion and talk about what happens next.
Get in Touch

It's a Place Where You Are No Longer Alone

There’s no reason you have to do this alone. Here you’ll find specialized, expert guidance from a team that is caring, attentive and thoughtful. We are here for one reason – to help you protect the future of your family. We will always have your back.
Get in Touch

Meet Our Team

Ryan Platt

MBA, ChFC®, ChSNC™, CFBS

Founder

  • rplatt@financialguide.com
  • 704-326-7911
Meet Ryan

Andrew Spafford

ChFC®, ChSNC™

Special Needs Planner

Meet Andrew

Hampton Hodge

Planner

  • hhodge@financialguide.com
  • 704-326-7915
Meet Hampton

David Cove

CFP

Planner

  • dcove@financialguide.com
  • 984-297-4016
Meet David

Margaret Gaffney

Transition & Government Benefit Specialist

Meet Margaret

Amber Licari

Director of Concierge Services

Meet Amber

Daniel Snow

Business Manager

Meet Daniel

Kyra Wilson

Relationship Manager

Meet Kyra

Michael Burns

Planning Associate

Meet Michael

Lou Galletto, Jr.

AIF®

Dir. Wealth Management
The Pelora Group

Meet Lou

Jason R. Goldy

CFP,® CHFC®, CFBS

Business Planning Specialist

Meet Jason

Neville Fearing

AIF®

Corporate Retirement Plan Specialist

Meet Neville

Some of the many companies and organizations we have collaborated with over the years.

A Free Guidebook
for You

Just to say thanks for stopping by our website, we’d like to offer you a free copy of The Family Advocate: A Guidebook to Special Needs Planning. This special booklet is designed to educate families on exactly what they need to do to secure the future of their loved ones. 

Free Download

Get News from ASNP

From time to time, we share info on services, benefits, programs, workshops, free seminars and other events, plus helpful tips from team members. If you’d like to receive our free Newsletter, please sign up below.

 

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Charlotte Office

101 N. McDowell Street
Suite 120
Charlotte, NC 28204

Raleigh Office

4000 Westchase Blvd.
Suite 400
Raleigh, NC 27607

Call Us

704-326-7910
Fax: 980-237-9567

eMail Us

info@aspecialneedsplan.com

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Securities, investment advisory and financial planning services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC (www.sipc.org). Supervisory Office: 4350 Congress St., Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28209, (704) 557-9600. A Special Needs Plan, MML Investors Services, LLC, nor any of its employees or agents are authorized to give legal or tax advice. Consult your own personal attorney, legal or tax counsel for advice on specific legal and tax matters.
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Copyright © 2025 A Special Needs Plan

David Cove

CFP

David has been in the financial services industry since 1996 and acquired the CFP® designation in 2006. Before joining A Special Needs Plan, David held several leadership positions in the financial planning field including Regional Vice President of a fortune 100 financial services company and Managing Partner of a financial planning firm. He is driven by his desire to impact people’s lives by helping them gain clarity on their goals and remaining alongside them as they work to achieve them.

 

David is married to his wife Caroline, and together have a daughter. They live in Holly Springs, a small town just outside of Raleigh, NC. He has personal experience raising a child who has special needs along with the challenges and blessing that come along with that. His personal experience helps him bring a level of understanding and compassion to the planning process.

 

David graduated with distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a concentration in finance. In 2008 and 2009 he was recognized as one of “America’s Top Financial Planners” by Consumer Research Council of America.

 

David is driven by a deep desire to help families who are responsible for the lifetime care of a family member with special needs.

David Cove is a Registered Representative of and offers securities, investment advisory and financial planning services through MML Investors Services LLC.  Member SIPC (www.sipc.org). Supervisory Office: 4350 Congress St., Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28209   704-557-9600. A  Special Needs Plan is not a subsidiary or affiliate of MML Investors Services, LLC or its affiliated companies.

 

Margaret Gaffney

Margaret is the parent of an adult with an intellectual disability and an integral part of our team. She is well known in the special needs community as a trusted resource with helping families transition their child with special needs to adulthood. She walks our families through completing communication pieces, prepare for guardianship, as well as applying for SSI and Medicaid benefits. She also works with organizations to offer educational events that can serve the special needs community.

Amber Licari

As Director of Concierge Services at A Special Needs Plan, Amber works tirelessly to ensure a positive experience for the families we serve. She handles a wide range of responsibilities, including data tracking, client service escalation, business processes/strategy, licensing, and compliance audit reviews. Her qualities of efficiency, accuracy, and reliability set her apart, bringing immense value to A Special Needs Plan. Amber’s true passion lies in helping others and serving our families.

 

Amber has played an integral role with A Special Needs Plan since it was founded in 2005. She holds Series 7, 63, and SIE registrations, as well as life and health licenses.  She also is a registered notary public. Away from the office, she enjoys building memories with her husband and growing children.

Daniel Snow

As Business Manager, Dan’s goal is to ensure a positive experience for the families we serve. He manages the day-to-day operations for our team of advisors and is responsible for communicating with our families and keeping them updated on the progress of their Action Plan. He is also responsible for assisting clients with paperwork.

Dan joined A Special Needs Plan in 2022 with many years of experience working with families with special needs as well as vast financial service knowledge. He quickly grasped our vision to serve, and diligently works to ensure every family is treated with concern, compassion, and respect.   

 

Kyra Wilson

As a Relationship Manager, Kyra works with clients with their life insurance applications, paperwork and changes to existing accounts. She coordinates speaking engagements, in-person events as well as educational webinars.

 
Kyra graduated from Appalachian State University in 2013 with a BA in English. She went on to spend many years in the mortgage Industry as a loan originator and supervisor. Her passion for helping others with special needs blossomed when her nephew was diagnosed with autism, and she joined Camp Blue Skies as a Day Volunteer in 2022.
 
Outside of the office, Kyra enjoys reading, spending time with her family and friends but mostly enjoys a quiet night at home with her husband, Steven.

Michael Burns

As a Planning Associate, Michael assists our team of advisors by onboarding new families into their personalized special needs plan. He also facilitates the scheduling and preparation of ongoing meetings for existing planning families.
 
Michael is a North Carolina native and graduated from Weddington High School. He moved to Hoboken, New Jersey to attend Stevens Institute of Technology and play Division 3 lacrosse. He earned a BS in Finance and returned to Charlotte to start a career pursuing his passion to support families in financial service; and became licensed in life and health insurance.
 
Outside of work, he enjoys playing golf, exercising, and watching football. His favorite vacations are weekend trips to visit family in Oak Island and Hilton Head.

Lou Galletto, Jr., AIF®

Lou’s career started on Wall Street in New York where he worked as a retail broker for Shearson Lehman before joining OppenheimerFunds as a Vice President from 1989 – 2003. Lou has been instrumental in building the Wealth Management Department. His expertise in Investment and Financial Services expands through Private Wealth Management, Corporate Retirement Planning, Retirement Income Distribution Planning, and Financial Planning.

 

Lou has appeared in the Charlotte Business Journal and Charlotte Observer on a number of occasions where the topics have ranged from personal financial planning to establishing and maintaining retirement plans for businesses. He and his wife have four beautiful children and he has dedicated his community service towards sports ministries, support group facilitation, and high school group leadership through the ministry team at Calvary Church in Charlotte.

Jason R. Goldy, CFP®, ChFC®, CFBS

As the Director of Professional Development, Jason puts a large focus on coaching and consulting with our financial planning team. A Senior Advisor in the firm, he also works in marketing, advisor relations and communications.

 

Born in Kentucky, Jason has been a Charlottean for over 30 years. He graduated from Appalachian State University with a B.S. in Business Administration. In his spare time, Jason enjoys golfing, traveling, staying active in his church, NAIFA, GAMA, and SFSP, and serving in the Hands & Feet outreach program. He resides in Waxhaw with his wife, three children and rescue dog.

Neville Fearing, AIF®, CFBS

 

In July of 2012, Neville began his career at The Vanguard Group, Inc. as a Client Relationship Associate. Less than a year later, Neville was twice promoted and served as an Institutional Equity Trader on Vanguard’s Trading Desk. Though Neville was very appreciative for the opportunity he was given at Vanguard, he knew he wanted more exposure to the capital markets along with an entrepreneurial atmosphere.

 

In 2014, Neville joined HF Financial as a member of the Wealth Management Department to work alongside of a team to bring a breadth of experience in developing investment strategies for advisors and their clients. Through this role, Neville developed a relationship with A Special Needs Plan to build and support corporate retirement plans for clients. For this role, he and the Retirement Plan Consulting Group actively supports Plan Sponsors, Human Resources and Employees of companies both on a local and national scale.

 

As a North Carolina native, Neville strives to make a positive impact on the community. In his time out of the office, Neville enjoys traveling, anything that is outdoors.