Special Needs Planning

A Special Needs Trust is designed to provide for a person with disabilities without jeopardizing their eligibility for important government benefits like SSI, Social Security, or Medicaid. Public benefits can help, but they rarely cover all of a person’s needs throughout their lifetime. A Special Needs Trust steps in to fill those gaps.

Because the beneficiary cannot demand money directly from the trust, the funds are not counted against them when qualifying for benefits. Instead, the trustee manages the money and can pay for things that improve the beneficiary’s quality of life, such as personal care, therapies, equipment, or recreational activities, without reducing their benefits.

Without a Special Needs Trust, leaving money directly to a loved one with disabilities, even through a standard trust, retirement plan, or life insurance, can unintentionally reduce or eliminate their benefits. With a properly drafted Special Needs Trust, we can help you avoid this problem, allowing you to provide support while protecting your loved one’s long-term care and financial security.