Estate Planning

Most parents of children with special needs are well versed when it comes to their child's government benefits. What many parents don't often think about is the effect that their own estate plan can have on their child's benefits.

A recent New York case highlights the importance of planning in advance for a child with special needs, as well as of choosing the proper advocate for your child.

An overlooked portion of recent Medicare legislation promises Medicare recipients greater access to mental health benefits.

Parents of children with special needs often want to direct required distributions from IRAs following their deaths into a special needs trust (SNT) for the child. But if the trust is not set up properly, the income tax consequences...

Income paid from a special needs trust to a beneficiary will reduce SSI benefits by one dollar for every dollar paid to him or her directly. In addition, payments by the trust to the beneficiary for food or housing are...

Choosing a trustee is one of the most important and difficult issues in special needs trusts. The trustee must have the necessary expertise to manage the trust, including making proper investments, paying bills, keeping accounts, and preparing tax returns. A...

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

In some cases, the donor of a special needs trust may want to provide an extra level of assistance to the trust's beneficiary by naming a trust adviser to assist the trustee with trust management. ...

In the first part of a two-part series, we explore initial steps for trustees to take when it comes time to terminate a special needs trust.