Laura Hill Posted February 9, 2023 Posted February 9, 2023 I am a parent of a 14 year old who has been "dismissed" from sped, I hired an advocate when he was 5 years old and still consult her today. My topic: I can find so many resources for evaluating advocates and choosing the right one. I find warnings about how advocates can "charge whatever they want" and "have no standard qualifications" but I DON'T find, is the gritty deets on how to offer advocacy services *legally* and in compliance with small business laws? How does an advocate claim the income on taxes? Does an advocate need to file a sole proprietorship or LLC? Is an advocate opening themselves up to potential litigation - should parents be disappointed in outcomes and blame the advocate? For example, if an advocate is deeply involved in parents prep for eligibility meeting and the child is found ineligible - or expensive services are lost at an IEP update meeting. Parents could reduce that to monetary damages - how do advocates protect themselves and operate legally? Do advocates have parents sign liability waivers? I work as an IT for a group of advocates and I want to make sure they are safe. Thank you !
Administrators Lisa Lightner Posted February 9, 2023 Administrators Posted February 9, 2023 What you're asking is bordering on asking us legal advice...which we don't allow here. It wouldn't be ethical for any of us to tell you how to make sure your group of advocates is safe. I have an attorney and a CPA who have guided me through establishing my business and protecting myself and the business, and my clients. I suggest you do the same. For more information, you can find me here: A Day in our Shoes The Parent IEP Toolkit Online IEP Advocacy Training The Teacher IEP Toolkit
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