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…

By Amy C. O’Hara, CELA Ringing in the new year brings updated estate and gift tax exemption amounts for 2024. The federal estate and gift tax exemption has now risen to $13.61 million per person, allowing married couples the advantage of portability, effectively safeguarding $27.22 million from estate taxes upon death. The tax rate for…

By Joel Krooks, Esq. Transferring your real property to a Revocable or Irrevocable Trust can be an effective estate planning tool to help your estate avoid probate, plan for Medicaid or to avoid an estate recovery from Medicaid. When the real property is transferred to a Trust, it is important to inform your homeowners and umbrella…

By Joel Krooks, Esq. By now, we are hoping that you have read all of the blogs in the guide to being a parent of a special needs child blog series. The last blog in the series may be the most important and discusses most parents’ biggest fear. The reality is, in all likelihood, a child…

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…

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…

By Marion M. Walsh, Esq. The New York State Education Department provided an opinion this summer on extending eligibility for students with disabilities until age 22. NYSED has finally acknowledged that a 2021 Second Circuit decision, A.R. v. Connecticut Board of Education, requires that public schools in New York provide special education and related services…

By Marion M. Walsh As the new school year begins, parents must be vigilant to report and advocate against any bullying of their child. Student bullying and harassment can be a health risk to students and can impact their education. Bullying has increased in the past years and can have devastating and tragic consequences. For…

The Special Needs Alliance’s new issue of The Voice® is written by fellow SNA member. Nicola Melby of McCarthy Summers Wood Norman Melby & Schultz, PA in Stuart, FL. The firm serves Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee and Palm Beach counties in Florida in the areas of elder & special needs law, estate planning, guardianship, and wills…

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…