What is Sage?
Q: What is Sage, and how is it different from a regular chatbot?
Sage is the AI assistant that powers Special Needs Navigator. It's built on more than a decade of real-world disability planning expertise and is specifically designed to help families and professionals navigate SSI, Medicaid, Medicaid waivers, and long-term disability planning. Unlike a general-purpose chatbot, Sage follows a structured consultation format — it asks the right questions, flags risks, and gives you guidance specific to your situation. It's not a search engine. It won't just point you to a government website. It will actually help you think through what matters.
Q: Is Sage giving me AI-generated guesses, or is this based on real expertise?
Both. Sage is powered by one of the most capable AI models available, but it's guided by a system built on Eric Jorgensen's decade-plus of disability planning work. The planning frameworks, the common pitfalls, the benefit interactions — all of that comes from real experience working with real families. Sage also uses web search to verify current SSA figures in real time, so you're not getting information that's a year out of date.
How Sessions Work
Q: How does a session work?
After payment, you'll go through a brief disclaimer acknowledgment, and then your session opens. Sage will ask about your situation — your family member's disability, current benefits, age, and what you're trying to figure out. From there, Sage walks you through relevant benefit rules, planning considerations, and risks. At the end, you'll have a clear picture of your options and what to do next. Most sessions run 20–40 minutes depending on complexity.
Q: What do I get at the end of a session?
You can download a session document at any point using the Download button in the session header. You'll get two options: a structured summary (case overview, key concerns, risks identified, planning considerations, and recommended next steps, plus a Session Restart Prompt you can paste into your next session to get Sage up to speed quickly) or the full session transcript (the complete conversation, exactly as it happened).
Q: What if I need to come back and continue?
Sage doesn't retain memory between sessions — each session starts fresh. That's by design, for privacy. But every session summary includes a Session Restart Prompt. Paste that into your next session and Sage will have full context on your situation. It's a simple way to pick up where you left off without repeating yourself.
Q: How much does a session cost?
Family Mode is $14.99 per session. Professional Mode is $34.99 per session. There's no subscription, no recurring charge. You pay for the session, you get the session.
Is This Financial or Legal Advice?
Q: Is this legal or financial advice?
No. Special Needs Navigator is an educational decision-support tool. Sage can help you understand how benefit rules work, identify planning risks, and figure out what questions to bring to an attorney or financial planner. But it is not a substitute for professional advice, and nothing Sage tells you should be treated as legal, financial, or medical guidance. Benefit rules vary by state and individual circumstance. When in doubt, verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional.
Q: What kinds of situations is Special Needs Navigator NOT the right tool for?
If you need someone to make a decision on your behalf, represent you before an agency, draft legal documents, or provide a formal financial plan — you need a licensed professional. Sage is a planning guide, not a planner. It's especially valuable before you walk into those professional conversations, and for catching issues you didn't know to ask about.
Family Mode vs. Professional Mode
Q: What's the difference between Family Mode and Professional Mode?
Family Mode is designed for parents, caregivers, and family members who are navigating the disability benefit system for a loved one. Sage gives direct, plain-language answers focused on your family's situation. Professional Mode is designed for attorneys, financial planners, benefits counselors, and nonprofit staff who work with families. Sage adjusts its approach for a professional audience — more technical depth, more focus on benefit interactions and edge cases, and a framework that helps you think through client situations efficiently.
Q: I'm a professional — is Professional Mode worth it at $34.99?
Most professionals who work with disability planning families spend significant time researching benefit interactions that come up in client cases. A single session that helps you quickly work through a DAC/SSI interaction, a waiver transition question, or an inheritance scenario is worth far more than $34.99 in time saved — and it helps you walk into client conversations better prepared.
Privacy & Confidentiality
Q: Is my session private? Who can see what I share with Sage?
Your session is processed through the Anthropic API, which powers Sage. Special Needs Navigator does not store your conversation after your session ends. We do not sell your information or share it with third parties. You should avoid sharing Social Security numbers or other sensitive identifying information during a session — Sage doesn't need them to help you. For complex situations that require direct follow-up, you can request a Case Review, which sends a summary to Eric directly.
Q: What if I have more questions or need to escalate to a real person?
Every session includes a Request Case Review option in the session header. Submit it and Eric will receive a summary of your case and follow up by email. Complex situations that need direct consultation are available at eric@specialneedsnavigator.us.
Family session $14.99 · Professional session $34.99 · No subscription required