A Special Needs Trust (SNT), also sometimes referred to as Supplemental Needs Trust, is used to provide supplemental benefits to seniors or individuals with a disability without disqualifying them for government benefits such as Medicaid and SSI. The SNT is meant to cover the expenses of goods and services that are supplemental to the beneficiary’s basic needs. Basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing cannot be covered by the trust.
Once you have decided to establish a Living Special Needs Trust, you must also decide whether or not this trust will be revocable or irrevocable. There are benefits and drawbacks of each type of trust, and you must carefully consider your family’s circumstances before making a decision.
With a Revocable Trust, you retain the right to add or subtract assets to the trust at any time. This gives you a great degree of flexibility, as you can manage the trust according to your family’s changing life circumstances…
Bernie and Zach Wigal, founder of Gamers Outreach, a non profit that provides equipment, technology, and software to help kids cope with treatment inside hospitals discuss the benefits of entertainment content in hospitals, how families and hospitals can access services from Gamers Outreach and more!
By Rachel Johnston, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP ABLE Accounts are designed for individuals with disabilities to assist them in saving money and accumulating a savings account without jeopardizing their access to government benefits. Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts have been around for a few years. Accounts holding up to $100,000 maintain eligibility for Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid eligibility is never effected. The funding limits for ABLE accounts …
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research exists for one reason: to accelerate the next generation of breakthrough treatments for those living with Parkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda. In this podcast, we’ll be talking with Mod Rao, Director of Advancement at The Michael J. Fox Foundation, about Parkinson’s disease, the state of science and the work of the Foundation.
A guardian is someone who is appointed to make important decisions for another person who is not able to make those decisions on their own. This may be for a child, an adult with intellectual or developmental disabilities, or an adult who becomes incapacitated. In New York State, different types of guardianship petitions are filed in different courts, and it is important to understand the distinctions between them. Guardianship for …
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP We all wish you a holiday season filled with peace, joy, and success. We recognize how difficult this season can be for those with disabilities or mental health challenges and for the elderly. During this time of year, especially, we remember all of those vulnerable individuals, particularly those who do not have the appropriate understanding, services, home or placement. At the same …
By Amy C. O’Hara, Esq., CELA®, Littman Krooks LLP Whether you are a trustee of a supplemental needs trust (SNT) or a parent who created a SNT, it is good practice to have the trust reviewed periodically with your special needs planning attorney. Some questions which should be reviewed include: Have there been any changes in the laws which affect the SNT or government benefits? Do you need to make …
By Sandi Rosenbaum, Educational Advocate, Littman Krooks LLP Relocation to another state is a complex prospect for individuals with disabilities and their families. Jason DaSilva’s NY Times Op-Doc of July 24, “How Healthcare Makes Disability a Trap,” illustrates an important aspect of life for people with disabilities. Mr. DaSilva, who has multiple sclerosis and relies on round-the-clock Personal Care Attendants, funded by New York State Medicaid, explored the possibility of …
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP If you are a parent sending your child off to college this year, make sure you are prepared. In the flurry of packing, parents must not overlook obtaining advance consent from their children so they can have access to important health and educational information—or risk begin left out in an emergency. Once a person turns 18, the law presumes that they have …
