Estate Planning

When you add a special needs trust to a financial aid calculation, things can get complicated because the regulations governing federal financial aid don't do a very good job of distinguishing special needs trusts from other types of trusts.

Last month we discussed some initial things that every trustee of a special needs trust should do upon learning that the primary beneficiary has passed away. Now, we'll explore additional steps to consider when closing out the trust.

The government prepares a budget. Businesses and families prepare budgets. A special needs trust should be no different.

In many cases, the best way to provide monetary assistance to your loved one during the holidays is through contributions to a special needs trust. As an added bonus, a strange glitch in the tax code may make 2010 the...

A recent case from New Jersey should make you think twice about waiting to finalize that estate plan that you have been meaning to get to.

In some cases a parent or family member can handle the job of trustee of a special needs trust perfectly well, but in other cases the task can simply become overwhelming or create family conflicts. ...

Parents and grandparents of people with special needs have a unique opportunity to make life much easier for their children or grandchildren by creating a first-party special needs trust while they are still living.

Does a special needs trust have to pay the state when a beneficiary dies?...

SSDI payments, like Social Security retirement benefits, can be taxed, depending on the SSDI beneficiary’s other income. Use this short primer explaining how the IRS taxes these benefits to avoid confusion.