Large Firm Service. Small Firm Attention.

SHARE

Special Needs Planning and Divorce

Published June 14, 2010

When a couple is divorcing, it is important that they do not forget their commitments to their child with special needs. Most importantly, any child support for the child with special needs should be allocated under the separation agreement to a Special Needs Trust. This will ensure that these assets will not affect the child’s ability to receive government assistance in the future.

Parents planning to divorce should also consider whether or not they are going to establish separate trusts for their child. Each spouse could do so, using the same trustees and beneficiaries or different ones. Although it may be difficult, the parents of the child with special needs should make great efforts to coordinate the funding of the trusts so that they can be sure that adequate resources will be available to their child.

A common issue that occurs with divorce is that the parents fail to consider which one of them will become the guardian once the child reaches age 18. Parents should decide if one or both of them will retain guardianship. In addition, parents should decide who will be responsible for educational decisions with respect to their child. Both of these issues should be carefully addressed when drafting a divorce agreement so that disputes following the divorce will be minimized.

Littman Krooks LLP is located in New York City and White Plains, NY and serves clients in and around White Plains, New Rochelle, Purchase, Hartsdale, Armonk, Scarsdale, Chappaqua, Hawthorne, Briarcliff Manor, Ardsley, Elmsford, Larchmont, Valhalla, Harrison, Port Chester, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Hastings on Hudson, Rye, Tuckahoe, Fishkill, Poughkeepsie, Bronx County, Nassau County, New York County, Queens County, Rockland County, Westchester County and Dutchess County.

Explore In-Depth

New York City, Central Park, from above

Corporate & Securities

Man Fishing with his Grandson

Elder Law & Estate Planning

Mother with Special Needs Child Playing in Child's Room

Special Needs Planning

Father reading to his daughters

Special Education Advocacy