New Special Needs Calculator Designed to Close the Planning Gap; MetLife Introduces Easy-to-Use Online Tool, Helps Parents of Children with Special Needs

Business Wire, June 8, 2005

NEW YORK -- In response to a recent national survey that showed a serious lack of financial planning information for children with special needs, MetDESK, MetLife's Division of Estate Planning for Special Kids, today announced the first Special Needs Calculator designed specifically for use by parents of children with special needs.

MetDESK's Special Needs Calculator offers an essential tool for parents and guardians of children with special needs to help close the planning gap that was reported in a recent study. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that one in ten Americans between the ages of 16 and 64 suffers from some form of mental, physical or emotional disability. And, the recent MetLife study: The Torn Security Blanket: Children With Special Needs and the Planning Gap, shows that 85% of the 1,718 people surveyed seek advice from their doctors because information is so difficult to obtain.

Significantly, 29% of parents surveyed say that they have taken no action whatsoever - not even the basics - to make future financial plans for their children with special needs, according to the study.

The MetDESK Special Needs Calculator, specifically designed for use by parents and guardians of those with special needs, is an interactive online tool which is presented in easy to understand language for ease of use by all. The user can complete the process in less than 30 minutes as a first step in calculating long-term financial planning for a child with special needs who is likely to need lifelong care.

"MetDESK's primary goal with this new Special Needs Calculator is to provide a self service tool that will help close the gap for information. Parents with children with special needs can begin the crucial process of building financial security that will last throughout their child's entire life," said Nadine Vogel, MetLife vice president and MetDESK founder.

"The beauty of the MetDESK Special Needs Calculator is in its simplicity. In addition to their daily work, many parents are spending 40 hours each week caring for their child with special needs -- far too few have done anything about their child's financial future. Parents can begin closing the financial planning gap in less than 30 minutes," added Vogel, the mother of two daughters with special needs.

Whether a child is five, 35 or older, the MetDESK Special Needs Calculator determines the amount needed to sustain a person with special needs throughout their life by comparing anticipated cash flow and savings against projected future expenses. Expenses associated with those of a person with special needs include housing, education and personal expenses. Medical, dental or recreational expenses are considered, relative to the receipt of projected government benefits. The final calculation determines the amount needed to secure the child's financial future and identify any expected shortfalls.

If shortfalls do exist, the calculator directs parents to relevant additional resources, including a toll free number, a local MetDESK specialist and non-profit organizations.

The online MetDESK Special Needs Calculator is free and can be found on the MetLife website at www.metlife.com/desk.> About MetDESK

MetDESK(R), 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, please call 1-877-MetDESK (1-877-638-3375) or visit www.metlife.com/desk.> MetLife, Inc., through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading provider of insurance and other financial services to individual and institutional customers. The MetLife companies serve individuals in approximately 13 million households in the U.S. and provide benefits to 37 million employees and family members through their plan sponsors. Outside the U.S., the MetLife companies serve approximately 9 million customers through direct insurance operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan and Uruguay. For more information about MetLife, please visit the company's Web site at www.metlife.com.