Estate Planning

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

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.

We at the Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP) are pleased to announce that California special needs planning attorney Kevin Urbatsch has joined our Advisory Board.

Each public benefits program has restrictions that the special needs trust must comply with in order not to jeopardize the beneficiary's continued eligibility for public benefits. Both Medicaid and SSI are quite restrictive, making it difficult for a beneficiary to...

Written by two certified financial planners with special needs family members, this easy-to-understand guide is a comprehensive resource that addresses all areas of special needs planning.

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...

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...

Five Massachusetts attorneys have written an uncomplicated, user-friendly guide for those charged with administering a special needs trust.