In 1993, Congress enacted Section 1917(d)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act, authorizing the establishment of special needs trusts (also called first-party trusts and self-settled trusts). First-party special needs trusts enable disabled individuals to set aside their funds to pay for supplemental care while enabling those individuals to remain eligible for government benefits. See 42 U.S.C.
SSI
Government Benefits for Special Needs Individuals
By Lori Wolf on
Posted in Medicaid, Special Needs Trusts
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While it is critical to ensure that you have adequate planning in place to preserve your child’s eligibility for government assistance, it is important for individuals to know what government benefits are available to a special needs…
Pooled Trusts vs. Special Needs Trusts
By Mary Browning on
Posted in Special Needs Trusts
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Pooled trusts can be a good alternative to a special needs trust. However, pooled trusts are not appropriate for everyone. To understand why, let’s take a step back and review some basics.
A pooled trust is a type…
The Magic Age
By Lori Wolf on
Posted in Guardians/Guardianship, Special Needs Trusts
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There are certain ages in a child’s life that are benchmarks for changes. For some children, turning age 17 is an important day, since that is when the child can obtain a driver’s license and for some…