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Special Needs Planning

Avoid a Reduction in SSI Benefits Due to In-Kind Support and Maintenance
Guest Blog

Three Ways to Avoid a Reduction in SSI Benefits Due to In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM)

This issue of The Voice® is written by fellow SNA member Rachel Trafton, Esq. of Maine Elder Law Firm LLC in Bangor, Maine. The firm focuses exclusively on the legal needs of aging Mainers and people with disabilities, including special needs planning, long-term care planning and estate and trust administration.

Attorney Trafton’s article appears in the March 2024 – Vol. 18, Issue 3 edition of Special Needs Alliance’s The Voice®.

Individuals with disabilities can now contribute $18,000 annually to their ABLE account in 2024, an increase from the $17,000 limit in 2023.
Special Needs Planning

2024 ABLE Account Contribution Limit

By Joel Krooks, Esq. Individuals with disabilities can now contribute $18,000 annually to their ABLE account, an increase from the $17,000 limit in 2023. Money in an ABLE account can be used toward qualified disability expenses, which include education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, health, funeral and burial, basic living expenses and legal fees. An…

17-A guardianship, a legal mechanism in New York State designed to provide protection and support for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, has come under scrutiny in recent years.
Special Needs Planning

Striking a Balance: Examining 17-A Guardianship Practices for Individuals in Need

By Amy C. O’Hara, CELA 17-A guardianship, a legal mechanism in New York State designed to provide protection and support for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, has come under scrutiny in recent years. Most recently, a lawsuit filed by Disabilities Rights New York has raised questions about the fairness and effectiveness of the 17-A…

Identifying an appropriate housing solution for your loved one with a disability is a complicated and long-term project.
Special Needs Planning

Introduction to Housing Options for Adults with Disabilities

By: Sandi Rosenbaum As same-aged peers move on to college and toward independent living and financial self-sufficiency, many young adults continue to reside with their parents. For some, this is strictly a financial matter, as many young people working full time cannot afford to live on their own or are saving money toward a future…

The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act proposes to update SSI’s asset limits and to eliminate the program’s marriage penalties.
Elder Law & Estate Planning

What is the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act?

By Jessica A. Saio Social Security Income (SSI) provides money to approximately eight million people, including many individuals with disabilities, to help afford daily living. The federal government has had the same rules in place for over thirty years regarding how much money people can earn, save, and have in their bank accounts if they…

Though this article does not provide legal advice, we will reference some strategies and considerations that can help working people with disabilities obtain Medicaid benefits in the state of New York.
Special Needs Planning

Navigating Medicaid Benefits for Working Individuals with Disabilities

By: Nicholas N. Khayumov In today’s rapidly evolving legal landscape, navigating the intricacies of Medicaid benefits can be particularly challenging, especially for working individuals with disabilities. As attorneys licensed in New York and experienced in Elder Law and Special Needs Planning, our firm strives to provide clarity and guidance to empower individuals with disabilities to…

ReelAbilities Stream is launching a new platform for viewers to watch movies and documentaries that celebrate the lives and stories of individuals with disabilities.
Special Needs Planning

ReelAbilities Stream: A New Innovative and Accessible Streaming Platform

By: Jessica A. Saio Starting this month, you can add new movies to your watchlist from a brand-new streaming service. ReelAbilities Stream is launching a new platform for viewers to watch movies and documentaries that celebrate the lives and stories of individuals with disabilities. The ReelAbilities Film Festival originated in New York in 2007 and…

Here at Littman Krooks we are special needs attorneys and are here to help you with all of your planning needs. Here are a few reasons why special needs attorneys are important.
Special Needs Planning

Why Using a Special Needs Attorney is Important

By: Amy C. O’Hara, CELA Special needs attorneys are important because they provide legal assistance and guidance to individuals with disabilities and their families. They have skilled knowledge and experience in disability law, which includes a complex set of federal and state laws, regulations, and court decisions that govern the rights of people with disabilities.…

Littman Krooks is proud to be a Bronze sponsor of NAMIWalks Westchester.
Special Needs Planning

LK Honors Mental Health Awareness Month and Sponsors NAMIWalks 2023

By Marion M. Walsh, Esq. May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Littman Krooks is proud to be a Bronze sponsor of NAMIWalks Westchester. The walk will be held on Saturday, May 20th at 9:00 a.m., at Ridge Road Park, Hartsdale, New York, the future site of the Westchester Healing Garden. NAMI is a grassroots organization…

National Autism Awareness Month raises public awareness about autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) during the month of April.
Special Needs Planning

April is Autism Awareness Month

By Jessica Saio, Law Clerk National Autism Awareness Month raises public awareness about autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) during the month of April. One of the many ways support is shown worldwide is through the Light it Up Blue campaign, initiated by the United Nations and nonprofit organization, Autism Speaks. Each year on April 2,…